Centering Compassion Series | Holding Space for Ourselves: Cultivating Self-Compassion in Grief Support Work

Centering Compassion Series | Holding Space for Ourselves: Cultivating Self-Compassion in Grief Support Work

Professionals and volunteers who support grieving children and families often show up with deep empathy and open hearts—yet may find it difficult to extend the same care inward. This webinar explores the transformative power of self-compassion as a protective resource for those doing emotionally demanding work in the field of childhood bereavement.

Grounded in the research-based Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program developed by Drs. Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer, this session will offer practical tools for responding to personal distress with kindness, reducing caregiver fatigue, and fostering emotional resilience. Participants will learn how self-compassion can strengthen their ability to stay present with grief—both their own and others’—without becoming overwhelmed or burned out.

Through a blend of guided practices, reflective exercises, and discussion, this webinar invites participants to explore how cultivating compassion for ourselves enhances our capacity to hold space for others. Whether you’re a counselor, social worker, educator, or volunteer, this session will support your ongoing journey of sustainable, heart-centered service.

 

members only iconThis playback is available to active NACG members only.

Members must be logged into the member portal to access the playback. Not currently a member? Become a NACG member today! Your membership will provide access to free monthly webinars with CEs on current topics to support you in your work, discounts on educational events, access to all webinar playbacks, and more. To learn more and become a member to access this webinar for no additional cost, visit HERE →

 

Target Audience: Counselors, Social workers, Bereavement support professionals
Instructional Level: Basic – This best describes a topic or issue that the prospective audience is encountering for the first time in a meaningful way.
Format: Live Interactive Webinar

Centering Compassion Series:

 

Objectives:

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize the role of self-compassion in grief work and emotional resilience
  • Identify common barriers to self-kindness among helping professionals
  • Practice core self-compassion techniques applicable in daily life and work
  • Understand how mindful awareness supports healthy emotional boundaries

 

Speaker Bio:

Vira Salzburn, MS, MSc, is a certified teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) with extensive experience delivering evidence-based compassion training to individuals, educators, healthcare professionals, and community leaders. With a professional background in trauma-informed care, public health, and behavioral science, Vira integrates MSC practices into resilience-building programs that promote emotional wellbeing, reduce burnout, and strengthen communities.

Vira holds a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership from Troy University and a Graduate Certificate in Human Behavior from Harvard University Extension School. In addition to her role as Executive Director at Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council, she serves as a trusted trainer and speaker on topics related to self-compassion, mindfulness, and resilience. Her teaching is known for being practical, heartfelt, and deeply human—offering participants tools to meet life’s challenges with kindness, courage, and clarity.

Centering Compassion Series | Light on the Dark Side of the Street: Living Well in a Loss and Trauma World

We were educated and trained in how to help grieving children and adults, but most of us had little training and preparation about how to live in healthy ways while being exposed to grief and loss on a daily basis. We often were left to develop our coping with little guidance or support. There are, however, ways of framing and approaching our work in helping those who grieve that support both ourselves and the people we serve. Too often our short-term coping strategies have created problems for coping in the long-term. Engaging too deeply leads to overwhelm and burnout. Distancing too much decreases our effectiveness and prevents us from the benefits of compassion satisfaction. In this webinar, we will explore ways to think about and do our work better for both ourselves and those we serve.

 

members only iconThis playback is available to active NACG members only.

Members must be logged into the member portal to access the playback. Not currently a member? Become a NACG member today! Your membership will provide access to free monthly webinars with CEs on current topics to support you in your work, discounts on educational events, access to all webinar playbacks, and more. To learn more and become a member to access this webinar for no additional cost, visit HERE →

 

Continuing Education (CE) credits are not available for webinar playbacks.
Target Audience: Counselors, Social workers, Bereavement support professionals
Instructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge.
Format: Live Interactive Webinar

Centering Compassion Series:

 

Objectives:

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the relationships of intentionality, sustainability, and practice to self-stewardship
  • Identify health-promoting cognitive reframing responses to stress and suffering
  • Compare and contrast concepts of compassion, empathy, empathic strain, and burnout

 

Speaker Bio:

Greg Adams, LCSW, ACSW, FT, is Program Coordinator for the Center for Good Mourning and Staff Bereavement Support at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). Greg has worked at ACH in a variety of roles and areas, including pediatric oncology and palliative care, since 1991. He is an adjunct professor with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and has been an active volunteer with community and professional organizations. He is also author of Adam Gets Back in the Game, a children’s storybook about coping with grief and loss. He is married with two adult children.

 

Continuing Education (CE) Provider Information →

Supporting Widowed Parents, Strengthening Families: A Holistic Approach to Grief

This webinar will focus on the psychosocial functioning of parents who have lost a spouse or partner and are raising children on their own.  The presenter will provide an overview of relevant research, insights from support groups specifically for widowed parents will be shared, and recommendations for how to support parents in ways that are also healthy for the grieving child.

 

members only iconThis playback is available to active NACG members only.

Members must be logged into the member portal to access the playback. Not currently a member? Become a NACG member today! Your membership will provide access to free monthly webinars with CEs on current topics to support you in your work, discounts on educational events, access to all webinar playbacks, and more. To learn more and become a member to access this webinar for no additional cost, visit HERE →

 

Continuing Education (CE) credits are not available for webinar playbacks.
Target Audience: Counselors, Social workers, Bereavement support professionals
Instructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge.
Format: Live Interactive Webinar

 

 

Objectives:

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize research findings relevant to this population
  • Understand the unique challenges facing widowed parents
  • Intervene with grieving families in ways that support widowed parents

 

Speaker Bio:

Justin Yopp, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the UNC Chapel Hill.  Dr. Yopp co-directs the Widowed Parent Program, which provides support for and conducts research with parents who have lost a spouse or partner and are raising children on their own.  Dr. Yopp has run support groups for the population for nearly 15 years. He co-authored The Group: Seven Widowed Fathers Reimagine Life, which was published by Oxford University Press in 2018. Prior to joining the faculty at UNC, Dr. Yopp served as a psychologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

 

New York Life Foundation logo

Supported by the philanthropic investment
of the New York Life Foundation.

 

Continuing Education (CE) Provider Information →

Compassion Fatigue in the Death Industry

While the value of compassion in deathcare has gained increased attention, it remains a neglected focus of training. Vicarious trauma leading to compassion fatigue is changing the way professionals think about self-care. Participants will explore how repeat exposure to traumatic deaths coupled with the constant output of empathy can affect their cognition and emotional balance, and learn 20 evidence-based techniques designed to mitigate the effects before it leads to career burnout.

members only iconThis playback is available to active NACG members only.

Members must be logged into the member portal to access the playback. Not currently a member? Become a NACG member today! Your membership will provide access to free monthly webinars with CEs on current topics to support you in your work, discounts on educational events, access to all webinar playbacks, and more. To learn more and become a member to access this webinar for no additional cost, visit HERE →

 

Continuing Education (CE) credits are not available for webinar playbacks.
Target Audience: Counselors, Social workers, Bereavement support professionals
Instructional Level: Basic – This best describes a topic or issue that the prospective audience is encountering for the first time in a meaningful way.
Format: Live Interactive Webinar

 

Objectives:

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Identify ways the concept of compassion fatigue applies to deathcare professionals.
  • Self-assess cognitive, emotional and physical signs of compassion fatigue.
  • Understand the complementary roles of stress management, resilience, and career longevity.
  • Learn evidence-based techniques that mitigate negative work-related effects.

 

Speaker Bios:

Lynda Cheldelin Fell is founding partner of the International Grief Institute, and international bestselling author of over 35 books including the award-winning Grief Diaries series. With her background as a firefighter/EMT, Lynda specializes in trauma, grief, compassion fatigue, and holds a national certification in critical incident stress management. A popular keynote speaker and educator, she is a member of the continuing education faculty at Whatcom Community College. To research grief’s impact on society, she has interviewed people around the world including societal figures such as Martin Luther King’s daughter, and Heaven is For Real’s Pastor Todd Burpo. She has earned six national literary awards and five national advocacy award nominations for her work.

 

New York Life Foundation logo

Supported by the philanthropic investment
of the New York Life Foundation.

When Hearts are Stretched: Fostering Compassion Resilience Amidst a Pandemic

For many care providers, filling your own metaphorical cup is easier said than done. The spark that draws us to our work can begin to dim when faced with daily pressures and the mounting stress among our teams. Workplace dynamics, time pressures, personal stressors, and repeated immersion in tough stories can take a toll. Then – we find ourselves a second year into a global pandemic. What anchors us during these times? What tools keep difficult conversations constructive and help us to productively manage the expressed anger and stress of others? How can we continually regenerate ourselves, interact in ever-more effective ways, and set up systems for healthy workplaces? Too often, workplace wellness oversimplifies the complexity of systems. Together we’ll explore practical strategies related to individual employees, collegial dynamics, and larger work structures – with the goal of enhancing well-being and tools to address trauma and chronic stress. May you leave feeling inspired and empowered with tools to help you, your colleagues, and your employees keep on keeping on.

members only iconThis playback is available to active NACG members only.

Members must be logged into the member portal to access the playback. Not currently a member? Become a NACG member today! Your membership will provide access to free monthly webinars with CEs on current topics to support you in your work, discounts on educational events, access to all webinar playbacks, and more. To learn more and become a member to access this webinar for no additional cost, visit HERE →

 

Continuing Education (CE) credits are not available for webinar playbacks.
Target Audience: Counselors, Social workers, Bereavement support professionals
Instructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge.
Format: Live Interactive Webinar

 

Objectives:

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Identify impacts of pervasive exposure to stress and trauma.
  • Differentiate between individual, interpersonal, and organizational wellness strategies
  • Identify two tools to address chronic stress and grief amidst COVID.

 

Speaker Bios:

Tina Barrett, EdD, LCPC is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Tamarack Grief Resource Center in Montana. Strengthening and stabilizing individuals and families following profound loss through groups, camps, counseling, and workshops, Tina has spent the past 20 years specializing in outdoor-based grief support. She has trained and supervised grief group facilitators since 1997 with special attention to strengthening family-systems and trauma recovery. Dr. Tina Barrett leads workshops for grief professionals at national conferences including ADEC and NBCC, and serves on the Board of Advisors and as a Senior Consultant for TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors).

 

New York Life Foundation logo

Supported by the philanthropic investment
of the New York Life Foundation.

Keeping Your Glass Half Full

Living My Best Quarantined Life! (Just kidding, I have teenagers!)