Webinar – Where Do Caregivers Come From?

What makes a caregiver a caregiver? What draws a person to want to reach out and help others heal during moments of fear, anguish, and suffering? Current research on caregiving focuses on negative mental health outcomes for the caregiver; compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burn out. These are very real phenomena that demand our time and attention. And still, there are greater forces at play that call people to the helping profession and affords caregivers the strength to endure. Standing so close to other’s emotional battle fields is often scary, sad, and tiresome. Yet, we stay committed to the cause of helping others overcome pain, oppression and marginalization.

Sharing and reflecting on her own Journey, Dr. Ann Liesen will invite you to explore how the caregiver’s own experience with trauma exposure, victimization, and loss produces altruistic drives that allow us to connect deeply with the suffering of others and produce intrinsic motivation to heal. Dr. Ann Liesen is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Ph.D in Counseling Education. She started her journey supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness over 30 years ago as a direct care worker, home manger, support coordinator and mental health counselor. In addition to her 22 years of service at MORC, she is an adjunct professor for the Counseling Department at Oakland University, and an international caregiver consultant.

1.5 CE for Social Workers will be offered.  Cost is $15 per person.  Click here to register.