In a recent article for Behavioral Health News, Marc Liff, LCSW, ACSW, Senior Clinical Social
Worker at the STAR Program, examines how trauma-informed supervision and reflective
practice can help behavioral health clinicians navigate countertransference and vicarious
trauma. Drawing on clinical experience and organizational practice, Liff describes how repeated
exposure to clients’ trauma can shape providers’ emotional responses, decision-making, and
well-being. He argues that reflective supervision—grounded in safety, trust, collaboration, and
empowerment—creates space for clinicians to process these experiences in ways that support
ethical practice, resilience, and sustainability. The article underscores trauma-informed
supervision not as an individual coping strategy, but as an essential organizational responsibility
for supporting the behavioral health workforce and maintaining high-quality care.

Read the full article in Behavioral Health News here: https://behavioralhealthnews.org/using-
trauma-informed-supervision-and-reflective-practice-to-navigate-countertransference-and-
vicarious-trauma/

Liff M. Using Trauma-Informed Supervision and Reflective Practice to Navigate
Countertransference and Vicarious Trauma. Behavioral Health News. 2025.