December Third Thursday Webinar
Protecting the Capacity to Care:
Reflection, Awareness, and Boundaries in Relationship-Based Practice
Thursday, December 17th
at 12pm on Zoom
What to Expect
In helping professions, the term self-care is often associated with wellness activities, personal responsibility, or recovering from the demands of work. Through an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) lens, however, sustaining ourselves involves much more than managing stress. It requires protecting the capacity to remain emotionally available, reflective, and responsive in our relationships with children and families.
This presentation explores a relational approach to self-care by examining the roles of reflective practice, mindful awareness, and professional boundaries in supporting effective and sustainable practice. Participants will consider how these practices strengthen self-regulation, preserve curiosity and empathy, and help professionals remain engaged without becoming overwhelmed. Grounded in the principles of IECMH and the parallel process, this session reframes self-care as an ongoing commitment to protecting the capacity to care.
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Meet our Presenter
Alissa Eromae, MSW, IMH-E®
IECMH Training Specialist | SCIMHA
Alissa Eromae, MSW, is an infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) leader with more than 20 years of experience supporting children and families. She currently serves as a Workforce Development Training Specialist with the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (SCIMHA), where she leads the design, delivery, and evaluation of professional learning initiatives that strengthen the capacity of the early childhood and family-serving workforce. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles in early intervention, family support, and interdisciplinary service systems, advancing practices grounded in relationship-based care, trauma-informed approaches, and caregiver–child interactions. Alissa holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington and has extensive experience translating research into practice, building provider competencies, and promoting high-quality, equitable services for diverse young children and families.
