Course Description

In the course of fulfilling their professional duties, interpreters lend their voice to assist individuals accessing healthcare, participating in the legal system, or receiving community services. In all these contexts, interpreters may find themselves interpreting conversations about traumatic situations, tragic circumstances, bad news, or challenging topics. Like professionals in other helping fields, interpreters are susceptible to vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue. However, unlike some other professions, they may not always have the opportunity or a suitable platform to debrief about their experiences. This session aims to provide participants with a space to connect with their peers for a safe and supportive debriefing session, and mutual support and encouragement


After attending this class, the participants will be able to: 

  • Understand the concept of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue in the context of interpretation work, including recognizing signs and symptoms in oneself and others. 
  • Explore the importance of peer support and debriefing in maintaining mental health and resilience as an interpreter and identify ways to establish and engage in supportive networks within the profession. 
  • Describe strategies for mitigating the impact of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue in the interpreter profession, including self-care practices and resilience-building strategies.


Date: Saturday, December 13

Pacific Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Mountain Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Central Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Eastern Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
CCHI 2 CE Hours
ATA 2 CE Points
IMIA 0.2 CE Units
DSHS 2 CE Hours


Instructor

Yuliya Speroff

Yuliya Speroff is a nationally certified Russian<>English healthcare and social service interpreter, an experienced interpreter trainer and curriculum developer, and the Interpreter Supervisor at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Her experience as an interpreter trainer includes teaching both CE classes and basic medical interpreter training courses for major professional organizations across the United States, Yuliya’s classes are highly interactive, designed to foster deep engagement with the material and support the practical application of complex concepts. She was recognized as Interpreter of the Year by the California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) in 2021 She currently serves on the board of directors for both NCIHC and CHIA.