Certification Standards for Compassion Fatigue Therapist
The Academy of Traumatology's Commission on Certification and Accreditation willapprove Compassion Fatigue Therapist certification status to qualified applicants who have completed a course of study that includes educational and experiential content that results in the applicant being able to meet the following standards:
1. All requirements for Compassion Fatigue Educator certification have been met.
2. Utilize an array of assessment instruments and structured interview to create a compassion fatigue recovery plan for client/peer.
3. Initiate and manage course of evidence-based treatment with caregivers
suffering from compassion fatigue symptoms.
4. Demonstrate evidence that the treatment is effective in mitigating both secondary
traumatic stress and burnout symptoms of compassion fatigue.
5. Demonstrate competence in using and teaching for self and client arousal
reduction, grounding and containment skills.
6. Demonstrates competence in helping clients to identify and utilize resources and
plan for resiliency and prevention for self and ability to facilitate this plan with
others.
7. Knowledge of what is required to create and maintain a self care plan for self and others.
8. Know of what is required to facilitate a self-care plan for self and others.
9. Knowledge about training and supervising others in psycho-education on the
causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment of compassion fatigue.
10. Knowledge of effective strategies for incorporating the Academy of Traumatology Standards of Practice and Ethics and Standards of Self Care into treatment and consultation practices;
11. Knowledge of the developmental history of compassion fatigue including
countertransference, caregiver stress, burnout, vicarious traumatization, and
secondary traumatic stress.