Courage, Compassion, and Community: A Transformative Day in Albany

What a powerful day in Albany!

I had the true honor of facilitating the 2nd Regional Professional Development Day for the NYS Division of Disability Determination—and let me tell you, this incredible team showed up with heart, courage, and an unwavering commitment to the people they serve. 💪💙

Our session focused on critical, often overlooked emotional challenges in human service work, particularly in disability determination—where the rise in mental health claims has made this work more emotionally complex than ever.

We explored three core concepts:

1. Emotional Labor – the often invisible work of managing or masking your own emotions in order to remain "professional" while navigating highly sensitive cases.

2. Moral Distress – that painful inner conflict that arises when professionals feel torn between what’s ethically right and what’s organizationally required.

3. Secondary Traumatic Stress – the emotional toll that comes from being exposed to others' trauma, even indirectly, on a regular basis.

These aren’t just abstract ideas—they’re real challenges that impact how teams show up, how they communicate, and how they sustain themselves in the long term. Without the right support, these hidden burdens can lead to:

• Burnout

• Resentment

• Compassion fatigue

• And serious mental and physical health impacts

But this team didn’t just absorb information—they took action.

Together, we created:

• Peer support structures to reduce isolation and increase emotional resilience

• Personalized self-care plans that go beyond bubble baths and into the kind of deep, consistent practices that help professionals stay grounded, energized, and emotionally present

We laughed, we shared, we learned—and we left stronger.

These kinds of professional development days aren't just about checking a box. They’re about transforming culture, supporting those who support others, and building a workplace where wellness is a shared responsibility.

📣 Want me to help design a transformative, empowering professional development day for your organization? Let’s build something powerful—together.