The 24th Statewide Child Abuse PREVENTION Conference focused on helping family service providers manage their own stress, so they can work as effectively as possible
By Claire Louge
Though working to support children and families is deeply meaningful and rewarding, it’s not always easy. Those who work in family service fields often face high levels of burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress (stress that results from helping individuals who have experienced trauma).
That’s why Prevent Child Abuse Arizona chose “Cultivating Balance and Wellness” as the theme of the 24th Statewide Child Abuse PREVENTION Conference, which was attended by more than 500 professionals, July 24 and 25, at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park.
This annual event is hosted by Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, a statewide nonprofit organization headquartered in Prescott Valley and led by Executive Director Becky Ruffner, a third-generation Prescottonian.
Professionals who attend this conference work either directly or indirectly with children and families in fields including education, early childhood, law enforcement, health, government, and human services.
High stress impacts our ability to access the part of our brain in charge of reasoning, self-control, and thoughtful decision-making. Therefore, to be most effective, family service providers (and everyone, for that matter) must first be able to manage their own stress. When a child welfare professional is calm and collected, they are better able to access their wisdom and experience to help parents develop their own positive coping skills.
The Child Abuse PREVENTION Conference included four keynote speakers and a selection of 48 workshops centered on helping professionals cultivate balance and wellness. Topics included the neurobiology of stress, the effects of adverse childhood experiences, emotional intelligence, the importance of relationships, healthy habits, time management, brain-body strategies, canine-facilitated wellness, workforce resilience, and many more.
A conference highlight was a storytelling show, in which five Arizonans shared their inspiring personal stories of resilience and recovery from traumas including addiction, child abuse, betrayal, prejudice, and racism.
Attendees were also invited to share how they keep themselves balanced and well by posting a tip on the “Wellness Wall.” Those who contributed ideas were entered to win one of the conference raffle prizes, such as a gift basket full of self-care items donated by Mandalay Homes.
The conference also featured a Wellness Fair, offering chair massages, essential oils, Ayurveda, herbal tea, and natural body care products.
Next year, the 25th Statewide Child Abuse PREVENTION Conference will be held on July 23 and 24, 2019, at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park. Registration will begin in April 2019.
For more information on Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, and to sign up to receive updates on the conference, please visit pcaaz.org.