MCCCD Program Description

Professional Resiliency Against Traumatic Stress, Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Prevention

Course: BHS155

First Term: 2020 Fall

Lecture 1.0 Credit(s) 1.0 Period(s) 1.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: Introduction to human resilience against burnout, traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue for social services and mental health professionals, healthcare providers, emergency first responders, and other relationship-intense occupations. Causes, symptoms, and effects of traumatic stress, burnout compassion fatigue and other work-related stress. Focus on enhancing quality of life and improving a healthy lifestyle by incorporating evidenced-based practices in biobehavioral self-regulation, mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, positive psychology, peer support, and self-care, including nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Techniques that function as preventative medicine to help mitigate the potential harmful effects of highly stressful careers.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Recognize the historical developments that gave rise to the concept of burnout, traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. (I) 2. Identify common etiologies for traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. (II) 3. Identify the potential symptoms including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual effects associated with traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. (II) 4. Describe the process of secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization and the typical pattern of symptom development observed in traumatized individuals. (II) 5. Identify commonly used burnout and compassion fatigue assessment instruments. (II) 6. Describe the neurophysiological process of stress in the generation of traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms. (III) 7. Identify key components of a six (6)-point system for the prevention of traumatic stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and other workplace-related stress. (IV) 8. Identify methods to resolve current and prevent future effects of traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue in the professional context. (IV) 9. Utilize key resiliency skills to resolve current symptoms and prevent future effects associated with traumatic stress and compassion fatigue. (IV) 10. Utilize skilled self-applications of cognitive behavioral tools to prevent traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. (IV) 11. Design a six-point self-directed professional resiliency plan. (V)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Historical development A. Identification of contributing experiences 1. Burnout research 2. Vicarious trauma 3. Compassion fatigue B. Significant investigators 1. Herbert Ferudenberger 2. Christina Maslach 3. Carla Joinson 4. Charles Figley 5. Beth Stamm 6. Laurie Anne Pearlman 7. Lisa McCann 8. Others C. Inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) II. Etiology and symptoms A. Work-related stress in relationship-intense occupations 1. Primary traumatic stress 2. Secondary traumatic stress 3. Burnout 4. Compassion fatigue 5. Other work-related stress B. Recognizing stress 1. Spectrum of emotional and behavioral presentations 2. Assessment/diagnostic instruments 3. Negative impacts on health and quality of life III. Neurophysiological process of stress A. Role of mind and brain 1. Perception and cognition 2. Cortical regions 3. Amygdala 4. Hippocampus 5. Anterior cingulate 6. Reticular activating system B. Stress response and biological defense system C. Autonomic nervous system D. Vagus nerve circuity E. Heart rate variability IV. Six-point resiliency system to manage workplace-related stress, traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue A. Biobehavioral self-regulation 1. Acute relaxation 2. Deep relaxation 3. Mindfulness-based stress reduction B. Self-regulation via cognitive agility 1. Cognitive and perceptual restructuring a. Perception b. Cognitive belief system c. ABC model d. Self-referential thinking e. Explanatory styles 2. Perceptual mindset a. Locus of control b. Victim mentality c. Demand vs free choice d. Entitlement and secondary gains 3. Perceived vs real risk/threat/danger 4. Emotional regulation C. Positive mindset - positive psychology 1. Igniting and channeling motivation 2. Mitigation of rumination 3. Applying acceptance/expansion 4. Practicing forgiveness and kindness 5. Cultivating optimism 6. Fostering gratitude 7. Creating passion, purpose, meaning, and perseverance D. Co-regulation via interpersonal connection and support 1. Peer support 2. Training support system 3. Familial support system 4. Sharing trauma narratives 5. Improving communication skills E. Self-directedness and virtue of character 1. Principles-based ethics 2. Professional moral compass 3. Shift from reaction to intention F. Self-care and revitalization 1. Healthy eating 2. Healthy activity 3. Health sleep 4. Self-compassion V. Developing personalized professional resiliency plan

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: February 25, 2020

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.