Griefwork Center, Inc. - Barbara Rubel: Compassion Fatigue Speaker, Trainer, and Author

picture of Barbara Rubel of Griefwork Center, Inc., a compassion fatigue speaker

Griefwork Center, Inc. is a professional training and education organization specializing in compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, grief, and organizational resilience. Based in Kendall Park, New Jersey, the organization provides evidence-informed education and professional development for healthcare systems, hospice and palliative care organizations, first responder agencies, behavioral health providers, victim services, social service organizations, and other helping professions. Its programs are designed to strengthen workforce well-being, improve organizational resilience, and help professionals sustain compassionate service throughout their careers.

Founded and led by Barbara Rubel, Griefwork Center combines decades of clinical experience, research, and adult education to deliver practical training that organizations can immediately apply. Rather than offering temporary inspiration or generic self-care advice, the organization’s programs provide structured frameworks, actionable strategies, and leadership tools that address the occupational impact of repeated exposure to trauma, grief, crisis, and human suffering.

Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and secondary traumatic stress are among the most significant occupational hazards facing today’s helping professionals. These predictable responses to sustained empathic engagement can affect emotional well-being, job satisfaction, team performance, retention, and the quality of care provided to clients, patients, and communities. They are not signs of personal weakness or lack of resilience. Like other workplace hazards, they can be reduced through education, supportive leadership, healthy organizational practices, and evidence-informed intervention.

Barbara Rubel, a nationally recognized author, trainer, and speaker, develops and delivers the educational programs that power Griefwork Center’s mission. Her work bridges clinical research, organizational behavior, and professional development, equipping organizations with practical strategies to recognize risk factors, strengthen resilience, support leaders, and create healthier workplace cultures.

Whether an organization is seeking to reduce compassion fatigue, address vicarious trauma, strengthen employee well-being, or build a more resilient workforce, Griefwork Center provides comprehensive training that helps individuals, teams, and leaders move beyond awareness to meaningful, measurable change.

The FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION® Framework

The FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION® framework is the proprietary, structured methodology at the heart of Griefwork Center’s training programs. Each letter represents a research-supported dimension of resilience and professional recovery:

F – Flexibility: Developing adaptive responses to occupational stress rather than rigid coping patterns that become liabilities under sustained exposure.
A – Attitude: Examining how cognitive framing affects emotional resilience and long-term career sustainability.
B – Boundaries: Understanding how professional boundaries function as protective structures – not emotional walls – in trauma-facing roles.
U – Understanding: Building self-awareness about personal risk factors and organizational contributors to compassion fatigue.
L – Laughter: Recognizing the healing and neurological role of humor and levity as clinical tools in resilience, not dismissals of suffering.
O – Optimism: Cultivating evidence-based optimism as a protective factor – distinct from toxic positivity – in high-exposure professional environments.
U – United: The relational and peer dimensions of resilience; the organizational case for collective healing over isolated individual coping.
S – Self-Compassion: Completing the model with integrated resilience principles.

This is not a mnemonic for motivational messaging. It is a clinically informed progression designed to move individuals and organizations from vicarious trauma exposure toward post-traumatic growth, documented resilience, and sustained professional functioning.

Who Griefwork Center, Inc. Serves

The programs developed by Griefwork Center, Inc. are designed for any organization in which compassion fatigue is an occupational reality rather than an occasional occurrence. Any role requiring sustained empathic engagement with human suffering generates secondary traumatic stress exposure. Griefwork Center’s compassion fatigue training programs are designed for organizations and teams that operate on the front lines of human crisis. Primary audiences include:

Hospitals and health systems – physicians, nursing staff, physician assistants, patient care technicians, social workers, and chaplains. These professionals face compounding trauma exposure that standard employee assistance programs are not equipped to address.
Hospice and palliative care organizations – supervisors, managers, HR professionals, clinical directors, and end-of-life care providers who absorb grief and loss as a daily professional experience
First responder agencies – law enforcement officers, emergency medical services, fire departments, paramedics, EMTs and emergency communications (911 dispatch) whose occupational reality involves repeated exposure to traumatic events, mass casualty incidents, and the cumulative weight of community crisis. Compassion fatigue in first responder populations is significantly under identified and undertreated
Community mental health and social service organizations – case managers, child protective services workers, homeless services staff, domestic violence advocates, and substance use counselors who navigate complex trauma in client populations while managing institutional resource constraints and systemic secondary stressors.
Pediatric and oncology care teams – specialty medical environments with disproportionately high secondary trauma exposure

Organizational leaders and supervisors – Managers who carry both their own compassion fatigue risk and the secondary obligation of supporting staff through theirs. Training leaders is often the highest-leverage intervention point for systemic change.

Organizations that book Barbara Rubel receive a program customized to their professional context – not a templated speaker circuit talk recycled across industries.

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Organizational Training Programs

Griefwork Center offers two structured compassion fatigue training programs, each designed for different organizational needs and readiness levels.

FIRST PROGRAM

FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION®: From Vicarious Trauma to Growth, Resilience, and Well-Being

This flagship training walks participants through the complete FABULOUS Transformation® framework, building from awareness of compassion fatigue mechanisms to practical application of resilience drivers. Participants learn to identify their own compassion fatigue signatures, understand the neurological and emotional mechanisms behind secondary traumatic stress, and develop personalized resilience plans using the FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION® framework.

Outcomes organizations can expect from this program include increased staff awareness of compassion fatigue warning signs, improved self-care practices and boundary-setting skills, stronger team cohesion around shared challenges, and practical tools for managing the emotional weight of caregiving work.

Learning Objectives

Describe the impact of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and moral injury.
Describe how exposure to others’ trauma can impact emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
Apply evidence-informed resilience-building strategies to mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma and enhance emotional well-being.
Distinguish between the effects of vicarious trauma and the positive outcomes of vicarious resilience and vicarious post-traumatic growth.
Develop a personalized self-care and support plan that integrates tools for managing emotional exposure, fostering resilience, and encouraging personal growth.

SECOND PROGRAM

Implementing and Sustaining a Vicarious Trauma-Responsive Peer Support Program

A specialized training designed for organizations that want to build durable institutional infrastructure for vicarious trauma response – not a one-time educational event, but a peer support architecture that persists within the organization. This program equips peer support team members, coordinators, and supervisors with the frameworks, language, and protocols to support colleagues experiencing compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress.

The goal of this program is to guide participants through the key steps of developing, implementing, and sustaining a successful peer-to-peer wellness program. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for developing effective peer-to-peer support programs, beginning with the critical steps of needs assessment and gap analysis. Participants will explore how to define the program’s scope, clarify roles and responsibilities, and apply recommended standards for training.

Learning Objectives

Create a peer support architecture that persists within the organization
Build a durable institutional infrastructure for vicarious trauma response.
Apply strategies to coordinate resources and build support networks, fostering collaboration among key stakeholders.
Evaluate different engagement and outreach strategies to determine their effectiveness in increasing participation and program visibility.
Be equipped to support colleagues experiencing compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress.

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Why Organizational Commitment Matters More Than Individual Coping

One of the most important shifts in compassion fatigue research over the past decade is the recognition that compassion fatigue is an occupational hazard, not a personal failure. It is a predictable consequence of prolonged exposure to the suffering and trauma of others—not a sign that someone lacks resilience or simply needs more self-care.

When organizations treat compassion fatigue as an individual responsibility, they unintentionally place the burden of an organizational risk on the shoulders of the people most affected by it. The result is ongoing emotional depletion, increased turnover, reduced job satisfaction, patient or client care errors, and diminished organizational effectiveness.

Organizations that recognize compassion fatigue as a workplace issue take a different approach. Rather than relying solely on individual coping strategies, they invest in systemic solutions that strengthen both employees and the organization as a whole, including:

Organization-wide training that equips all staff with the knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to compassion fatigue—not just those who self-identify as struggling.
Leadership education that enables supervisors to recognize early warning signs, normalize help-seeking, support healthy workplace practices, and model resilience.
Peer support systems that foster connection, mutual accountability, and shared responsibility for well-being.
Policies and workplace practices that reduce stigma around mental health support, encourage healthy workload management, and minimize cumulative trauma exposure.

These organizational strategies help create workplaces where professionals can continue performing high-empathy work while protecting their own well-being over the course of a long and meaningful career.

Griefwork Center’s training programs are designed specifically for organizations seeking a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to preventing compassion fatigue and addressing vicarious trauma. By combining education, leadership development, and practical organizational strategies, her programs help build resilient teams and healthier workplace cultures—not simply more resilient individuals.

Bring Barbara to Your Organization

Barbara Rubel is available for keynote presentations, half-day and full-day workshops, multi-session training series, and consultation on vicarious trauma-responsive program development. She has spoken to hospital systems, hospice networks, law enforcement agencies, first responder organizations, academic medical centers, and professional associations across the country. You can see the list of some of the many places Barbara has spoken here on her website – Where Barbara Has Spoken.

To inquire about program availability, format customization, or scheduling, contact Griefwork Center, Inc. directly through GriefworkCenter.com.

Book Barbara for a speaking engagement or training today.

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Note: The information on this page is educational and training-oriented in nature. Compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress are occupational concerns that may benefit from both organizational training and individual clinical support. For individuals experiencing significant mental health symptoms, consultation with a licensed mental health professional is recommended.

AUTHOR and THOUGHT LEADER IN COMPASSION FATIGUE

Barbara is the author and co-author of several books focused on grief, loss, and compassion fatigue. Her work has helped professionals across the country better understand the emotional impact of caregiving and develop healthier ways to support themselves and others.

books Barbara Rubel has authored and co-authored

View Barbara's Books

Compassion Fatigue Speaker Training – Frequently Asked Questions

How is compassion fatigue training different from a standard employee wellness program?

Compassion fatigue training differs from standard employee wellness programs by treating it as a clinical occupational hazard rather than a general well-being issue. Instead of offering broad stress-reduction strategies, it focuses on the measurable impact of secondary trauma and equips organizations with targeted interventions. Frameworks like FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION® emphasize systemic change—workload design, leadership awareness, and recovery structures—rather than placing responsibility solely on individual self-care.

What types of organizations book compassion fatigue speakers?

Organizations that book compassion fatigue speakers typically include healthcare systems, hospice and palliative care networks, law enforcement agencies, social service organizations, and emergency medical services. These sectors face sustained exposure to secondary trauma, making targeted training essential. Speakers like Barbara Rubel have worked extensively across these environments, addressing compassion fatigue as an occupational risk and helping organizations implement systemic resilience strategies.

What is secondhand trauma called?

Secondhand trauma is most commonly called secondary traumatic stress (STS), and is also referred to as vicarious trauma. STS describes trauma symptoms resulting from indirect exposure to another person’s traumatic experiences, while vicarious trauma refers to the cumulative impact on a helper’s beliefs and worldview over time. Training programs, such as those by Barbara Rubel, often address STS, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue together as related conditions (Figley, 1995; Stamm, 2010).

What are the 4 stages of compassion fatigue?

The most cited clinical frameworks (Figley; Stamm’s ProQOL) do not formally define four stages of compassion fatigue; however, in practice it is often described as progressing through enthusiasm, stagnation, frustration, and apathy. Initial engagement and purpose gradually decline into reduced satisfaction, then emotional strain and irritability, and ultimately detachment or numbness. This four-stage model is a practical heuristic aligned with underlying constructs of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

Is there a cost range for booking a compassion fatigue speaker?

Program fees vary based on format, duration, and travel. Contact Griefwork Center, Inc. for a custom quote.

What credentials does a compassion fatigue speaker need?

A compassion fatigue speaker does not require a single standardized credential, but credibility is typically established through relevant clinical education, specialized certifications, publications, and extensive field experience. For example, Barbara Rubel holds a master’s degree, multiple professional certifications in traumatic stress and bereavement, is a published author, and has decades of experience training high-risk professions. These combined qualifications demonstrate subject-matter expertise and practical authority in addressing compassion fatigue.

What Clients are Saying

“
Barbara is such an amazing presenter. She really takes time to understand her audience and gear her presentation towards the attendees. Her information is extremely relatable and she has such a calming presence. She walks you through workplace trauma, boundaries, self care and more! Our providers absolutely loved hearing Barbara’s presentation and many are already requesting her again!
Briana EvansGoogle Review

“
Barbara did an amazing job as our keynote speaker and was universally loved by all the attendees! We have had nothing but positive reviews of her keynote and workshops that she provided. The content was presented well and was really needed and appreciated by all. We would love to have Barbara come to our future events.
Jeanne McAlisterGoogle Review

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Barbara Rubel, Director of the Griefwork Center, was a summit speaker for the Hearts of Healthcare Professionals; speaking on Compassion Fatigue. Ms. Rubel is an engaging speaker with the ability to bring a clear message that resonates with her audience. She is a wealth of knowledge and delivers relevant, current trends in the management of Compassion Fatigue.
Dianne RaynorGoogle Review

“
Barbara was a joy throughout the entire planning and execution process of our conference event! She was kind, communicative and so easy to work with. On the day of our conference, she delivered an outstanding presentation that attendees have praised highly. The atmosphere was vibrant, filled with laughter as participants engaged in various activities, breakout sessions, and reflections throughout the day. THANK YOU!
Caroline BeachyGoogle Review

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Barbara Rubel was a featured guest on my Hope4Med podcast. If I could give her 100 stars I would. She is amazing! She is knowledgeable and she is so compassionate. My audience of healthcare professionals and their loved ones often refer to her podcast as one of the ones they connected the most with. Thank you so much Barbara be being a podcast guest!
Dr. JBGoogle Review

“
Barbara Rubel of Griefwork Center, inc. was the featured speaker at our Annual Membership Meeting in September. Her presentation was engaging, interesting, and incredibly relevant (we are a human services trade organization and all members are dealing with vicarious-trauma and employee fatigue.) She dealt with challenging, emotional issues with a lovely blend of compassion and humor but presented attendees with a great framework for working through these challenges. I highly recommend!
Patty AmesGoogle Review

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We recently hosted Barbara Rubel for a virtual webinar on compassion fatigue in the business immigration space, and it was an outstanding experience. Barbara brought deep insight, empathy, and practical strategies that truly resonated with our team. Her engaging style and expertise created a supportive space for meaningful reflection. Highly recommend Barbara and the Griefwork Center for any organization looking to prioritize mental health and resilience.
Jennifer EstrellaGoogle Review

“
Barbara served as the opening keynote for our Spring Convention this year in St. George, Utah. She offered the ideal tone and content to help us bring our legal community together, to share our lived experiences in the law, and to build camaraderie through listening. Her presentation on trauma and resilience helped many and will continue to improve our well-being as a community.
Michelle OldroydGoogle Review

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Barbara was great to work with and completed an amazing 90 minute webinar for our non-profit. We hope to work with her again in the future, and we highly recommend her.
Genevieve MagnusonGoogle Review

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Barbara spoke to our staff at the Visiting Nurses Association on How to Manage Compassion Fatigue. As frontline workers, especially during the Covid times, everyone could not praise enough how much this gave validation, tips, and a compassionate understanding of what we are going through. Barbara is a dynamic, heartfelt and knowledgeable speaker. I highly recommend hiring her for your company for speaking engagements as she gave practical tools to fill our cups!
Sharon Coyle-SaeedGoogle Review

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