Prevention-Based Training for Licensed Professional Counselor Interns

Research indicates there is a need for counselors to become educated early in their careers about the risks associated with compassion fatigue and related constructs. I conducted four prevention-based trainings in different venues that investigated how compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, burnout, self- efficacy, empathy, personal distress, self-awareness, and non-reactivity impacted Licensed Professional Counselor Interns compared to a self-study control group. There was a significant difference in levels of empathy and self-awareness in participants who completed the trainings in comparison to those in the control group, but no significant differences between groups on any of the other dependent variables. Implications for further research and training are discussed.