Mental health themes often arise in community interpreting settings—from social services and housing support to job programs and crisis response—but how can interpreters assess their readiness to navigate this complex content? This interactive workshop explores the intersection of mental health and community work, helping participants recognize common psychological concepts that may emerge in a variety of everyday scenarios. Through discussion, hands-on practice, and a trauma-informed lens, interpreters will build confidence, expand their mental health vocabulary, and develop strategies for staying present and effective when conversations take an emotional or unexpected turn. Whether you're newer to the field or looking to strengthen your mental health fluency, this session offers a supportive space to grow your skills and deepen your understanding.

This interactive online workshop is designed specifically for sign language interpreters who seek to gain new practices to support self-reflection, skill-development, and enhancing their personal and professional growth. Using science-backed techniques, participants will learn about and practice journaling activities that activate both the left and right brain to be utilized before and after interpreting assignments.

Participants are encouraged to bring a journal (new or old, or even just a pad of paper) to the workshop. It may also be helpful to have some writing utensils (whatever you have available) to use during the activity portions of the workshop. By the end of the workshop, interpreters will have developed a toolkit of journaling prompts and practices to help them navigate their professional journeys with greater self-awareness and confidence.

It is easy to give lip service to the idea of self-care, but as sign language interpreters, it is imperative that we identify and address or own intrapersonal needs in order to be effective communicators at work. In this workshop, participants will be encouraged to explore their own experiences of self-esteem, self-compassion, and self-care. Based on research developed by Dr. Kristen Neff, this workshop will provide participants with a framework of self-compassion to develop a proactive approach to wellness.

This training is intended for interpreters who work with Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) clients. We will promote awareness of language deprivation among members of the Deaf community who rely on sign language to communicate. Participants will learn about factors that contribute to language deprivation and  adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The presentation will distinguish between language deprivation and other possible explanations for communication challenges, including bias and language assumptions. Additionally, we will provide communication strategies to promote inclusion and empowerment for Deaf consumers, as well as address systemic issues regarding the DHH populations. The participants will leave with insights on the characteristics of language deprivation and how to effectively collaborate during the interpreting process.

Join us in this important discussion of framing our interpreting work with a trauma-informed lens. Utilizing the theories of the Hierarchy of Needs and Trauma Recovery Model, we will identify signs of stress and trauma and how they might show up in our work. We will identify tools to incorporate in our personal and professional practice to utilize on current and future interpreting assignments.

*We recommend pairing this workshop with our other workshop: Managing Vicarious Trauma

Using a trauma-informed approach, this workshop will support interpreters in identifying and assessing the impact of interpreting in stressful and/or traumatic situations. The presenter will provide information regarding several psychological frameworks to increase understanding the physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that could potentially impact sign language interpreters. In this workshop, participants will assess their own levels of burnout and compassion fatigue and develop a set of tools to increase overall wellness.

*We recommend pairing this workshop with our other workshop: Trauma-Informed Interpreting Practices

This interactive workshop empowers sign language interpreters to confidently navigate high-stakes interpreting scenarios involving suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Together, we’ll explore the essentials of crisis response—suicidality awareness, safety planning, and trauma-informed practices—while examining the interpreter’s role through an ethical, culturally responsive lens. We'll also tackle the human side of the work: how to manage the emotional toll of interpreting in crisis situations, protect your mental well-being, and build long-term resilience. Whether you're working in mental health, medical, or community settings, this session offers tools to support equitable care for underserved communities and elevate your impact as an interpreter.

Have you ever doubted your abilities or felt like a fraud? Are you afraid to step into leadership roles or mentoring roles because you don't know if you are ready? Maybe you are finding yourself turning down assignments you may be qualified to take? This type of insecurity is common and pervasive in our society, it is Imposter Syndrome. Imposter Syndrome can cause many mental health issues that impact our ability to effectively do our work. This workshop is focused on providing you with the tools to understand and work through Imposter Syndrome. This is dialogue focused and a hands on approach to tackling the internal critic that plagues us all.