Category: Meditation / Mindfulness / Self-Care, General Social Work, Grief and Bereavement Category: Meditation / Mindfulness / Self-Care, General Social Work, Grief and Bereavement (show less) Other: Missouri, Wisconsin Other: Missouri, Wisconsin (show less)

This session examines the personal and professional grief social workers carry through ongoing exposure to trauma, system barriers, and human suffering. It explores how vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, moral injury, and burnout shape identity, purpose, and long-term sustainability. Participants will reflect on self-talk, boundaries, and realistic everyday self-care before creating an individualized sustainability statement to support grounded, resilient, and identity-aligned practice.

Objectives:

1. Define professional grief and distinguish it from personal grief.
2. Identify how professional grief and moral injury impact identity, meaning, and sustainability in helping professions.
3. Recognize why self-care alone is insufficient and explain the importance of strengthening sense of self and values alignment.
4. Develop a personal Sustainability Statement that clarifies needs, boundaries, supports, and early signs of depletion to support long-term practice.