ODW2026 Adverse Psychological Events in Therapy: Healing After the Hardest Moments

Adverse Psychological Events in Therapy: Healing After the Hardest Moments

The hardest moments in a therapy career can reshape how a clinician sees their work—and themselves. Yet these moments are rarely acknowledged, leaving many practitioners to navigate profound professional pain alone. This webinar brings those experiences into the light with compassion, clarity, and practical tools for healing.

The Hidden Toll on Clinicians’ Confidence and Well-Being

Mental health professionals hold space for profound human suffering every day—but the field rarely talks about the moments that take us to the edge. Most clinicians will experience at least one Adverse Psychological Event (APE) in their careers, yet the impact of these experiences often remains unspoken, isolating, and deeply painful. Adverse Psychological Events in Therapy—including client suicide, client violence, sudden client death, subpoenas, grievances, and professional betrayal—can shake even the strongest therapeutic foundations.

A Supportive Space for Clinicians After Crisis

This course brings compassion, clarity, and community to a topic that clinicians are too often left to navigate alone. Led by Ashley Charbonneau, MA, RCC, a clinician and supervisor known for her work in trauma-informed leadership, and Khara Croswaite-Brindle, PsyD, LPC, ACS, an award-winning author and international trainer on clinician wellness, this workshop creates a safe and structured space to explore what happens after a professional crisis—and how clinicians can heal.

Understanding the Hidden Impact of Adverse Psychological Events in Therapy

Many clinicians report that APEs affect their confidence, worldview, and sense of professional identity. The emotional, relational, and ethical weight of an APE can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, or even leaving the field altogether.

In this webinar, participants examine:

• Common emotional and somatic reactions following an APE
• How APEs influence boundaries, clinical decision-making, and therapeutic presence
• The ways trauma compounds across a clinician’s professional lifespan

Healing, Integration & Returning to the Work

Ashley and Khara offer practical, evidence-informed strategies to help clinicians:

• Process the emotional impact of an APE
• Rebuild clinical confidence
• Reconnect with personal meaning and professional values
• Reduce long-term burnout risk

Leadership Responses That Protect Clinicians

Because Adverse Psychological Events in Therapy ripple beyond the individual clinician, this workshop also highlights leadership and organizational practices that foster safety, transparency, and repair. Participants explore compassionate supervision, trauma-informed team dynamics, and concrete ways leaders can support clinicians after an APE.

By the end of this training, clinicians gain renewed confidence, practical tools for recovery, and a deeper understanding of how to remain grounded, healthy, and resilient—no matter what their professional journey brings.

1. Define each of the six Adverse Psychological Events that can happen to mental health professionals.
2. Recognize the impacts of APEs within the five domains of self.
3. Identify strategies to heal and prevent burnout following an APE.
4. Discover compassionate approaches for leadership in response to mental health professionals experiencing an APE.

This training offers 6 hours of direct contact (not counting breaks or lunch). It is the participant’s responsibility to check with their individual state boards/regulatory body to verify CE requirements for their license to practice.

Attendees of the original live broadcast receive instructions on how to obtain their Certificate of Participation at the end of the course and in the “recording ready” email, which is sent 1-2 days after the live course has ended.

Attendees watching the previously recorded/on-demand version must complete a Post-Webinar Quiz with a passing grade of at least 80% to verify their attendance and receive their Certificate of Participation.

Note: The course recording is available only after the live broadcast has ended.

The Certificate of Participation includes:

• Name of participant.
• Title of training.
• Name of presenter plus their credentials.
• Number of hours of training.
• Date of training.
• Confirmation of 100% attendance at the original live broadcast OR a passing grade of at least 80% on the recorded on-demand version post-course quiz.

Get details about CE credits for Canadian and non-US international participants.

Get details about CE credits for US participants.

Please check with your regulatory body/organization to ensure that this certificate is sufficient proof for you to claim CE credits.