Webinar

Don’t Tell Me to Just Do Self Care

Trauma-Informed Approaches to Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout

The goal of this webinar is to deepen participants’ understanding of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and burnout while offering practical, trauma-informed strategies to support the well-being of professionals working with children across diverse settings:

Sooner or later, most of us have experienced what burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) feel like. These are not signs of personal weakness or professional inadequacy. Rather, they are understandable occupational responses to working in a world marked by unprecedented challenges, including armed conflicts, climate-related disasters, and the lingering effects of a global pandemic. For professionals serving children and families affected by trauma, daily exposure to stories of grief, loss, violence, abuse, and adversity is often part of the work.

Combined with the growing youth mental health crisis, increasing service demands, workforce shortages, limited resources, and demanding workplace conditions, it is not surprising that more than 70% of child trauma professionals report moderate to high levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

Importantly, the session will move beyond the traditional focus on individual self-care and explore how organizations can play a critical role in promoting workforce well-being and sustainability. Dr. Zlatina Kostova will provide an overview of STS and burnout, explore their physiological and psychological impacts, and share concrete tools for recognizing, managing, and mitigating these occupational hazards. Participants will also have opportunities for interactive discussion, reflection, and experiential well-being practices that can be applied at both the individual and organizational levels.

Webinar Date:

July 15, 2026

Region:

Global

Topics:

Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)

Burnout

Workforce Capacity and Fatigue

Mental Health

Coping Strategies

External Resources

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger: Professional Quality of Life in Ukrainian Mental Health Care Professionals During the Ongoing War.

Learning Objectives:

•Define the spectrum of burnout, secondary traumatic stress and related terms

•Recognize symptoms of secondary traumatic stress and burnout and how the workplace setting may exacerbate or improve these symptoms.

•Identify strategies at an individual and organizational level to prevent burnout and promote resiliency

Presented By:

Zlatina Kostova, PhD

Training Director at Lifeline for Kids in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School

Zlatina Kostova, PhD, is the Training Director at Lifeline for Kids in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School. Her Bulgarian roots and multicultural educational and professional journey across Italy, Switzerland, and the United States have shaped her deep appreciation for cultural diversity, human resilience, and the healing power of relationships. Throughout her personal and professional life, Dr. Kostova has witnessed how meaningful connections, supportive communities, and a sense of purpose can serve as powerful protective factors during times of adversity and transition. These experiences continue to influence her work and her belief that individual and organizational well-being are essential foundations for sustainable helping professions.

Dr. Kostova specializes in evidence-based treatments for childhood trauma and has been a pioneer in implementing these interventions across the globe, including in war-impacted countries such as Ukraine. Her work with Ukrainian mental health professionals during the ongoing war has further strengthened her interest in professional well-being, resilience, compassion satisfaction, and the impact of secondary traumatic stress on helping professionals. Dr. Kostova is an international trainer in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a qualified teacher in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and a certified trainer in trauma-informed curricula developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), including the Core Curriculum on Childhood Trauma (CCCT), Resource Parent Curriculum (RPC), Breakthrough Parenting Curriculum (BPC), and FORECAST.

To date, she has trained thousands of professionals across child mental health, child welfare, pediatric healthcare, school systems, and juvenile justice settings. She has also served as an expert contributor for national and international media outlets, including NPR, Soledad O’Brien’s Matter of Fact, ABC, Spectrum News, The New Yorker, and The Conversation.