Continuing Education Series
For Educators & Advocates of Healthy Workplaces
Stay up-to-date on the latest research and best practice recommendations.
The challenges faced by high-stress and trauma-exposed workplaces change quickly and unexpectedly. Our Continuing Education Series helps to meet these challenges by providing education and strategies to keep teams and organizations well.
Designed for past participants of our  intensive programs and other advocates, each session takes a deep dive into topics such as secondary trauma, moral distress, trauma-informed practices, organizational health, and more.
What will I learn?
Strategies, tools, and best practice recommendations to build, maintain, and advocate for a healthy workplace.
Who should register?
Anyone who advocates for or educates others on the importance of sustainable, ethical, and trauma-informed practices within the workplace.
How do I attend?
Sessions are hosted virtually Recordings will be available for 10-days following the live event.
Upcoming Sessions
All sessions are conducted virtually via Zoom. Once registered, participants will receive instructions for accessing the live event and recordings.
Trainers
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Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Reimagined
From Mandatory Group Processing to Trauma-Informed Stabilization
September 24, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
As our understanding of neurobiology and acute stress continues to evolve, we must actively reassess the traditional frameworks used to support teams post-incident.
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) was originally conceptualized as a multi-component crisis system designed to protect peer functioning. In widespread workplace execution, however, elements of fidelity drift have occurred. While traditional guidelines state that verbal participation is voluntary, real-world institutional misapplications frequently result in rigid, mandated group debriefings.
This kind of uniform response ignores the reality of how individual staff process acute stress and exposure to direct and indirect trauma. A truly sustainable, trauma-informed framework must instead offer a flexible menu of post-incident options – ranging from quiet reflection to low-impact processing – ensuring individuals have the autonomy to choose what they need to safely reset.
This session provides a practical framework for shifting standard post-incident protocols toward evidence-informed Psychological First Aid (PFA). We will explore how to protect individual autonomy, mitigate secondary trauma risks, and prioritize immediate stabilization to ensure your post-incident systems protect team functioning and support natural recovery.
In this session, we will discuss:
- The Application Gap: Navigating the structural disconnect between the original intent of CISM/CISD and how it is deployed by some workplaces today.
- The Neurobiology of Forced Exposure: Why both mandated verbal processing and forced passive listening in group settings can risk escalating physiological arousal and disrupting natural stabilization.
- Moving from Theory to Practice: Practical tools to integrate the principles of Psychological First Aid into your existing peer support and response systems.
Cost: $250 CAD + applicable taxes
Each registration fee is for one person to participate in and/or view the session. If you would like to offer this session to a group in your organization, let us know and we would be happy to coordinate a group registration for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should take this program?
Anyone who advocates for or educates others on the importance of sustainable, ethical, and trauma-informed practices within the workplace.
Is there a prerequisite for enrolling in these sessions?
These sessions will be most useful for those with an foundational understanding of secondary traumatic stress and empathic strain.
We invite anyone who is passionate about the importance of sustainable, ethical, and trauma-informed practices within the workplace to attend these sessions, please note that they are not intended to be an introduction to these topics.
If these concepts are new to you or your team, or you’re not sure if this session is the right fit, please contact Alison, our Operations Manager to discuss.
What technology do I need to participate?
You will need a reliable internet connection, a microphone, and webcam. All sessions are conducted virtually via Zoom and participants are invited to turn their camera and microphones on to participant in the sessions.
Participants may also be invited to use the online program Dropbox to access additional materials.
I’m unable to attend the live event. Will the session be recorded?
Yes. Recordings will be available for 10-days following the live event. Once registered, participants will receive emailed instructions for accessing the live event and recordings.
I registered but did not receive any confirmation. What should I do?
Once registration and payment has been received, you will receive an email with instructions for accessing the live virtual event. Please check your spam, junk, promotions, or other inboxes for this email.
A second email will be sent after the live virtual session with instructions to access the recording.
If you do not receive one or both of these emails, or require assistance with payment options, please contact Alison, our Operations Manager, at alison@tendacademy.ca.
What is your cancellation policy?
Once payment has been confirmed, no refunds will be issued. Recordings will be available for 10-days following the date of the session for participants who are unable to attend live, or would like to re-visit the content.
TEND reserves the right to cancel a session should the number of registrations be insufficient. In the event that TEND cancels a session, all registration fees will be returned to participants. TEND is not responsible for any costs that may be incurred by the cancellation of a session.
The session is full! What can I do?
Registration is limited to 50 participants. If the session you would like to attend is full, please email Grace, our Training Coordinator, at grace@tendacademy.ca to be placed on our waiting list.
Can I bring this training to my organization?
Yes. Contact us to learn more.
Will I receive accredited CEUS/CECS for this training?
We do not provide accredited continuing education credits for any regulatory bodies, however a certificate of registration is available upon request. Please contact Grace, our Training Coordinator, at grace@tendacademy.ca for more information.