Caring Without Collapse: Strengthening OT Wellbeing
Upon registration you will receive the Zoom link and a calendar invite. Registration is limited and this session will be recorded. CE credits are not offered for this series.
Caring without collapse: Strengthening OT wellbeing across the compassion fatigue continuum
Occupational therapy practitioners are trained to care deeply, but what happens when that care begins to take a toll? While clinician wellbeing is often framed as burnout, many experience a broader continuum of stress that is less visible but equally impactful. This session explores the clinician stress continuum, from everyday stress to secondary traumatic stress (compassion fatigue), through both a clinical and public health lens. This event is free for AOTA members.
Speaker: DeOnna Clark, DrPH, MOT, OTR/L
Exploring clinician stress, compassion fatigue, & practical tools
Participants will examine how stress shows up in practice, affecting clinician wellbeing and patient engagement, while also considering individual, workplace, and systemic influences. Grounded in occupational therapy principles, this presentation offers practical, proactive strategies to recognize and address compassion fatigue early, supporting more sustainable and intentional approaches to clinical practice.
Presentation Objectives:
- Define the clinician stress continuum, including acute stress, chronic stress, and secondary traumatic stress (compassion fatigue) within occupational therapy practice.
- Identify key signs and symptoms of stress and compassion fatigue and how that may impact both patient engagement and wellbeing.
- Examine how systemic, cultural, and role-based factors may influence the experience of stress and compassion fatigue among occupational therapy professionals.
- Explore practical, proactive strategies to recognize and address stressors early, promoting sustainable wellbeing practices without compromising quality of care.
Session Speaker
Dr. DeOnna Clark is an occupational therapist with 11 years of experience, additionally holding a Bachelor’s in Health Science from Oakwood University and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Health Education from Loma Linda University. Her work and doctoral research center on clinician wellbeing, with a focus on stress, compassion fatigue, and sustainable practices for healthcare providers. She brings a unique perspective that blends lived experience through critical care clinical expertise, with public health and systems level insight.
Dr. Clark is passionate about supporting healthcare professionals in navigating the demands of care work while preserving their capacity to care. She also serves on the board of a nonprofit dedicated to reducing barriers to help seeking among healthcare providers and is the current manager of the AOTA Fellowship Program.
BOLD Conversations
This event is the second session in a three-part series on clinician well-being and is part of the new Belonging, Opportunities, Leadership Development (BOLD) initiative—AOTA’s integrated framework designed to expand and sustain equitable access, inclusive leadership, and professional visibility within occupational therapy. These sessions are not CE accredited.