Protecting yourself from secondary trauma (Thursday 12 November 2026)

Healthcare professionals are routinely exposed to distressing material, high emotional demand and cumulative stress. Research demonstrates consistently high levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS), compassion fatigue and burnout across medical and allied health populations.

Clinicians are often expected to manage cumulative trauma exposure without structured education in recognising early warning signs or implementing protective strategies.

This online workshop aims to:

• Improve awareness and differentiation between burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress
• Equip professionals with evidence-based self-regulation and resilience strategies
• Reduce risk of long-term psychological distress
• Support sustainable clinical practice and workforce retention

This is a practical, evidence-based 2-hour CPD online workshop equipping health professionals with the knowledge and tools to recognise, prevent and protect themselves from secondary trauma in clinical practice. You will leave with a personalised self-protection framework — enabling you to maintain clinical presence, ethical integrity and professional longevity.

Read more from webinar presenter and Chartered Psychologist, Dr Ravi Gill, in this blog about why caring professionals must also be cared for.

This workshop is a repeat of the workshop delivered on 25 June 2026.

What will I learn?

The learning outcomes for this online workshop are to be able to;

• Recognise early indicators of secondary traumatic stress in themselves and colleagues
• Differentiate between burnout, compassion fatigue and trauma exposure
• Implement structured nervous system regulation strategies during and after clinical work
• Apply clearer psychological boundaries within therapeutic roles
• Integrate reflective self-monitoring into routine practice
• Engage in more proactive supervision conversations regarding cumulative exposure

What is the course structure? 

This is a two-hour online workshop on Thursday 12 November 2026, between 14:00 - 16:00.

Joining details: The Zoom link will be released in the workshop page within BPS Learn 24 hours before the webinar, and you will also receive an email notification. Please ensure you check your spam/junk folder for an email from noreply@bps.org.uk.

Please note, we use Zoom to host our webinars. If you require any help with Zoom, please refer to these Zoom instructions. 

This workshop is available to book until 14:00 on Wednesday 11 November 2026, and is available in English only. 

Is this course being recorded? 

This workshop will not be recorded and is available as a live event only. 

How long will I have access to this course for? 

You will have access to this workshop and it's supporting resources for 12 weeks after the live session.

Will I receive a certificate for completing this course?

Attendees of this workshop will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Is this course right for me?

This online workshop is aimed at health and social care professionals who are routinely exposed to distressing clinical material, trauma narratives and high emotional demand.

It is suitable for clinicians at all stages of their career and across settings, who have working experience with trauma.

The learning is particularly relevant for: 

• Psychologists and trainee psychologists, Clinical supervisors and team leads
• Professionals in high-risk or emotionally intensive settings such as emergency medicine, oncology, safeguarding, CAMHS, and trauma-focused roles

The CPD is appropriate for:

• Early-career clinicians, to build awareness and preventative strategies before patterns of chronic stress develop
• Mid-career professionals, who may be experiencing cumulative exposure and require structured reflection and protective tools
• Seasoned practitioners and supervisors, to support sustainable practice and model psychologically informed leadership within teams

Who is the presenter? 

Dr Ravinder Gill - CPsychol

Dr Gill is a Chartered Health Psychologist with over 15 years’ experience across the NHS, occupational health and private practice. Dr Gill specialises in trauma-informed practice, stress and burnout recovery, nervous system regulation, and psychological resilience in high-demand professions; specifically, the Metropolitan Police Service.

She has extensive experience working with healthcare professionals, legal teams and high-risk roles, supporting individuals exposed to cumulative stress and secondary trauma. The workshop approach integrates neuroscience, evidence-based psychology and practical strategies that clinicians can apply immediately within their professional and personal lives.

How much does it cost?

Price: £125.00 (+VAT)

Members: £75.00 (+VAT)

Please log in to see your best price. 

In addition to the site policies this course is subject to additional terms and conditions.

Our accessibility statement gives more details on our approach. 

Group discounts

If you or your colleagues are looking to book onto this course as a group you can make savings by booking five or more places.

Invoicing

In order to request a quote for five or more learners, please email cpd@bps.org.uk. If you are looking to book for fewer than 5 learners please proceed directly to requesting an invoice.

To request an invoice for you or your group, please complete this invoice request form. We also provide guidance to support this process. Please note, to raise an invoice you will need to provide a Purchase Order. Once the invoice has been paid we will provide your learners with details of how to access their learning.

Contact 

This course has been organised by BPS Professional Practice and Development. You can contact us at cpd@bps.org.uk

You may also be interested in our other courses on BPS Learn, including those related to trauma and your professional skills

You can also explore the range of BPS books available via Routledge where BPS members receive 25% discount.