Date: February 24, 2026
Time: 11:00 am – 3:30 pm ET / 8:00 am – 12:30 pm PT
Format:   Live interactive training offered via Zoom

Presented by: Anette Birgersson (See Bio) and Christin Santiago, CTRS (See Bio) 

You must attend the entire live training and complete an evaluation to be eligible for CE credits. If you seek only psychology credits, the evaluation is optional, and you can remain anonymous.

Online Training Description:

Empathic workplace leadership is fundamental to effective treatment and supervision, especially when the work can cause trauma in the professionals doing that work. When staff work in high-pressure environments, a leadership approach grounded in empathy can inspire professionals to be their best. However, the results of a recent Safer Society survey on workplace stressors and motivators highlight a critical issue: professionals working to prevent abuse often view management as a greater source of stress than of support.

Presenters Anette Birgersson and Christin Santiago—professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of leadership—developed this training to address this challenge directly. Their work underscores that empathic, trauma-informed leadership is essential not only for supporting professionals but also for enhancing staff retention, building trust and resilience throughout an organization, and delivering consistent, effective services to clients.

This training guides professionals in creating an environment that emphasizes recognition and validation among colleagues. Birgersson and Santiago offer skills for enhancing team dynamics and fostering clear, respectful communication. Key areas of focus include:

• Hallmarks of compassionate, trauma-informed approaches
• Teamwork skills that encourage curiosity, openness, and respect for different perspectives
• Strategies for developing a deeper understanding of others’ reactions and behavior, cooperation, and assertiveness
• Empathic listening tools that help address staff concerns in real time
• Approaches for diffusing tensions, reducing staff burnout, and building workplace morale
• Techniques for using validation to strengthen professional relationships and boost staff engagement

Birgersson and Santiago offer a practical training model for leaders that blends role-playing, reflective practice, and real-world scenarios that allow participants to put empathic principles into practice. This, in turn, enhances communication, trust, and connection within their teams, laying the groundwork for healthier, more sustainable workplace cultures.

Interactive Follow-Up Meeting

Learning Objectives

As a result of this training, attendees will be better able to:

1) Define empathic leadership and describe its significance in fostering positive workplace environments, specifically in relation to team dynamics and communication.
2) Apply trauma-informed principles to everyday supervisory and team interactions
3) Demonstrate practical skills in validating team members' emotions and experiences.
4) Apply key teamwork skills such as cooperation, assertiveness, and effective communication that contribute to overall team functionality, fostering an environment of collaboration.
5) Describe strategies for effectively resolving conflicts within their teams by promoting open dialogue

Interactive Follow-Up Meeting

Attendees are invited to join an open discussion 15 minutes following the end of the training, where you can engage with fellow attendees by turning on your camera and microphone. This is an opportunity to share your experiences and contribute to a meaningful exchange of ideas. Time will be allocated to address questions or insights from the training. Please note that attendance is optional and will not affect your eligibility for a training certificate.

We can refund your training fee up to 24 hours prior to the start of the training.

To view all training details and review our list of frequently asked questions, please click here to visit the promotional page.