S3E7: Narrating Joy: Unveiling a CE-CERT tool 

Imagine if your career satisfaction and well-being depended on the narrative you create about your work. In this episode, we delve into the Components for Enhancing Career Experience and Reducing Trauma (CE-CERT) approach, focusing on the domain of conscious narrative and its crucial role in sustaining professionals in the child abuse field. Dr. Brian Miller, the developer of the CE-CERT model, and Karen Hangartner, Director of Professional Services with the National Children’s Advocacy Center, share their insights on how this concept is influencing the CAC community. Join us as we explore how transforming our conscious narrative can help us foster a deeper love for our work.

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Guests:  

Karen Hangartner, LMSW    

Director of Professional Services  

National Children’s Advocacy Center 

 

Brian Miller, Ph.D. 

Author and Trainer 

Self-employed 

 

Show Notes:

This episode of the "SRCAC Exchange" focuses on the importance of conscious narratives in the work of Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) professionals, particularly those dealing with child abuse. Today, Christina Rouse engages with experts Dr. Brian Miller, developer of the CE-CERT (Components for Enhancing Career Wellbeing and Reducing Trauma) model, and Karen Hangartner, Director of Professional Services at the National Children’s Advocacy Center. Together, they explore how the narratives professionals create about their work can either sustain or hinder their passion and commitment over time. They emphasize how the conscious narrative skill, one of the five domains of the CE-CERT model, helps professionals stay connected to their purpose and avoid burnout despite the challenges of working in high-trauma environments. 

Through personal reflections and research, the episode encourages CAC professionals to embrace their work by finding joy in even the difficult moments, using tools like conscious narrative practices to frame their experiences positively. It discusses how supportive supervision and organizational culture play crucial roles in helping individuals maintain career-sustaining narratives, which ultimately foster resilience. By practicing self-reflection and mindful narratives, professionals can better serve their communities while finding fulfillment and longevity in their careers. Hit the subscribe button now! 

 

Key Quotes: 

“The most distinctive characteristic of professionals who are passionate and committed is the content of their narrative.”- Brian Miller, PhD 

“We don’t have to be victims of this work.”- Karen Hangartner, LMSW 

 

Resources:  

• Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress: Skills for Sustaining a Career in the Helping Professions by Brian C. Miller [Book] 

• Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross [Book] 

• The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare: CE-CERT [Website] 

Host:

Christina Rouse, MSW 

Program Manager, CAC Development 

Southern Regional CAC

 

Project Manager: 

Lauren Tanner, MSEd 

Program Manager, Communications & Instructional Design 

Southern Regional CAC 

 

Season Resources:

• CE-CERT Training [Training] 

• Reset. Reflect. Refuel. Hub [Video Series]  

• Psychological First Aid Guide for Children’s Advocacy Center Supervisors [Resource] 

 

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