Case Conferencing for SO Treatment Interpreters

Case Conferencing: 1:1 Support for Interpreters in Challenging Settings

Are you an interpreter working in challenging or high-impact environments such as mental health, social services, or treatment settings?

Case Conferencing is now available in 1:1 sessions — tailored to support interpreters working in environments where secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue are real risks. These private sessions are facilitated by trained professionals and offer a safe, confidential space to process your experiences and explore strategies for managing the demands of the work.

What is Case Conferencing?

Case conferencing is a reflective, professional practice guided by a trained facilitator. It allows interpreters to think critically about their work, reflect on ethical decisions, and receive support in navigating complex situations.

Using the Demand-Control Schema (DC-S) framework, interpreters will have the opportunity to explore the demands of specific scenarios they’ve encountered, identify available controls, consider consequences, and develop tools for future encounters.

Sessions are confidential — you share only the details necessary to explore the case safely and ethically.

What will I gain from participating?

Increased awareness of occupational stress and risks of secondary/vicarious trauma
Tools for managing and preventing compassion fatigue
Personalized support and validation from a trained facilitator
Broadened options for coping strategies and ethical decision-making
Increased objectivity, empathy, and compassion in your work
Resources to help you feel less isolated in challenging assignments

Who is this for?

These 1:1 case conferencing sessions are designed for interpreters working in demanding settings, including but not limited to:

Sex offender treatment programs
Medical Mental health settings dealing with trauma and abuse ,such as substance use recovery groups, in-patient psychiatric hospital appointments, & emergency mental health crisis interventions
Healthcare settings that are high-stakes or emotionally demanding such as palliative care, oncology appointments, and ER visits
Legal settings with sensitive content
Any assignment that may lead to emotional or psychological strain

Details

Sessions are by appointment only — flexible scheduling to meet your needs
Location: Zoom(Private & secure)
Cost: Free for Greater Minnesota
CEUs: Earn 0.1 CEUs per hour long session

You may be asked to verify recent work in a qualifying setting.

How to Sign Up

What will I gain from participating?

Awareness of the risks of occupational stress. Knowledge is power and can prevent or lessen the impacts of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue
Sharing experiences with other interpreters offers social support, normalization of experiences, amends cognitive distortions, and helps to maintain objectivity
You will offer and receive validation and support
Reinforce and broaden options for personal coping strategies
Share new information about the work
Group provides support for dealing with the aftereffects of intensity
Increasing your professional network decreases professional isolation
Interpreters have the opportunity to increase objectivity, empathy and compassion

About the Facilitator

Kate Block

BEI-Advanced, CI/CT, MBA, MM, QMHI-S, SC:L
Certificate in Healthcare Interpreting
Credentialed Supervision Leader (IIRAS International)

Kate is a freelance interpreter who works mainly in Wisconsin. Kate’s work experience includes Mental Health, Legal, VRS, religious and post-secondary environments. She received a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an Interpreter Technician degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Kate spent two summers at Gallaudet University, taking interpreting workshops and ASL classes. She also attended a workshop at Juilliard University in New York focusing on theater interpreting. Kate continued her education with a Masters degree in Business Administration and Masters in Management degree with an emphasis on leadership in a nonprofit organization. Kate also attended the State of Alabama Mental Health Interpreting workshop, received her “Q” and was awarded supervisor status for distance internships. She completed her legal interpreting training with the University of Northern Colorado. Kate’s additional professional achievements are the Certified Healthcare Interpreter (CHI) program with Rochester Institute of Technology and Credentialed Supervision Leader with IIRAS International.

All above Greater MN programs are provided by ASLIS and supported by grant funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services: Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing State Services Division.