2026 WAMFT June Webinar

Burnout, Boundaries, and Sustainability for LMFTs- Therapist Resilience in Relational Work

Burnout, Boundaries, and Sustainability for LMFTs- Therapist Resilience in Relational Work - relational work places unique and sustained demands on clinicians, particularly when working with high-conflict couples, trauma-impacted families, and multi-client systems. Over time, these demands may lead to compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and systemic burnout. This workshop moves beyond self-care rhetoric and instead equips MFTs with structural clinical and operational strategies to sustain long-term practice. Participants will learn how to identify early indicators of burnout, recalibrate boundaries within complex relational systems, and design a practice model that aligns with both ethical standards and personal sustainability. Grounded in systemic thinking, this training frames therapist well being not as an individual issue, but as a function of interactional patterns across clients, caseloads, and professional ecosystems. This webinar is broken into 3 parts. Part one will be from 10 am to 12 pm. Part 2 will be from 1 pm to 2 pm. Part 3 will be from 2 pm to 3 pm.

The presentation will examine the impact of sustained clinical care in couple and family therapy. Participants will differentiate burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma, with attention to the cumulative demands of systemic work. The session will focus on recognizing early cognitive, emotional, somatic, and relational warning signs and understanding how professional strain may affect clinical judgment, neutrality, and therapeutic alliances. Participants will also explore strategies that support long-term professional effectiveness and sustainability in clinical practice.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to differentiate between burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma as they manifest in systemic clinical work.
2. Participants will be able to describe factors in couples and family therapy that contribute to cumulative stress and elevated risk for burnout.
3. Participants will be able to explain how clinician fatigue and emotional overload may affect clinical judgment, neutrality, and therapeutic alliance functioning.
4. Participants will develop a personalized plan for monitoring signs of professional strain and supporting long-term clinical sustainability.

Background on Speaker

The presentation will look into how to reframe boundaries as systemic interventions rather than personal limits alone. Describe boundary erosion in high conflict couples and triangulated systems. Ideas on how to manage excessive between session contact and crisis dependency. Ways to develop fee integrity, cancellation policies, and emotional labor. Lastly, navigate dual roles and community overlap (especially relevant in rural or small town areas).

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to apply systemic boundary setting strategies in high conflict and enmeshed client systems.
2. Participants will develop 2-3 boundary scripts tailored to their current caseloads. 
3. Participants will develop a plan for personalized monitoring the impact of crisis, emotional labor, and navigating roles for long-term clinical sustainability.

Background on Speaker

Jill has worked in the mental health field since 2008. She earned her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Argosy University’s Minnesota School of Professional Psychology and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Wisconsin. Her areas of expertise include Prolonged Exposure, Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, clinical supervision, and leadership.

Grounded in a systemic lens, Jill approaches supervision, clinical practice, and complex client needs with a holistic and comprehensive perspective. She is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and an AAMFT Clinical Fellow. Jill believes that healthy relationships are foundational to a meaningful life, and she is dedicated to helping individuals, couples, and families strengthen connection, navigate challenges, and enhance overall well‑being.

Outside of her professional work, Jill is married and has two children. She recharges by spending time outdoors—camping, walking, and attending music events. She also enjoys cooking, thrifting, and watching her kids pursue their activities.

Jill joined the WAMFT Board to give back to the profession that has shaped her career. She values staying connected, learning from others, and contributing to the growth of the MFT community. She believes deeply that systemic training and practice are essential to healing families and strengthening communities.

This presentation provides insight on how to help those supervised by you consider caseload composition; balancing acuity, modality, and emotional demand.  The "high-conflict ratio" and it's impact on student and training licensed therapist capacity. Content will provide scheduling strategies to reduce cumulative stress load.  Lastly, discuss when and how to refer out without compromising care. 

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will learn review ethical codes around recognizing and preventing burnout.
2. Participants will be able to identify "drain" vs. "sustain" case patterns and outline one concrete  adjustment to make to their caseload or schedule.
3. Participants will learn how to develop a personalized sustainability plan aligned with ethical obligations and scope of practice.

Background on Speaker

Amanda Anderson, PhD, LMFT, graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Marian University with minors in Business, English, and Philosophy, a M.A. in General Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling from Capella University, and a Ph.D. in General Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis on General Family Therapy from National University. Today, she is owner/therapist/supervisor of Oshkosh Marriage and Family Therapy Center, LLC in Oshkosh, WI. Her therapy has revolved mostly around trauma work but also in addressing depression, anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, and Autism as co-morbid diagnoses beside trauma. She sees children, teens, adults, couples, polycules, and families. She is an Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Amanda joined WAMFT in 2013 as student volunteer. She moved into volunteering as a Conference Committee member, Conference Committee Co-Chair, Conference Committee Chair, Educational Subcommittee Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair, and now serves as WAMFT's Secretary. She has given two presentations for WAMFT in 2015 - Expressive Therapy Techniques to Help Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Form Healthy Relationships; 2019 - Integrating Narrative Family Therapy with Geek Therapy for Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Issues; and in 2024 - AAMFT Code of Ethics and Several Applications of Lesser
Discussed Codes.

When not working and volunteering, Amanda enjoys married life with her three furbabies. When the weather permits, she enjoys bicycling, going for walks, going for motorcycle rides, and just being outside in nature. When the weather does not permit being outdoors, she enjoys cooking, baking, and playing video/computer games.

Continuing Education Units

You can receive up to 4.0 CEs for this webinar series. Click Here for information on CEs. Approved for LMFTs, LPCs, and LCSWs in Wisconsin.

Non-Members

Non-members wishing to register for events will need to create a prospective member account. This will provide you with an AAMFT account but you will not have to pay dues. This way you can register for any event with us in the future!

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