Description

Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Describe key limitations in existing shame measurement tools used with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
2. Explain how Looking Glass Self Theory and Cultural Betrayal Trauma Theory together provide a more relational and trauma-informed framework for understanding shame.
3. Apply the concepts of perceived participation, physiological arousal, and complicated secrecy to understand how shame shows up in survivors’ lived experiences.

Presenter Bio

Caitlin Eckert, MSW, LCSW, is a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Doctoral Candidate in Social Work at the University of Kentucky, with an anticipated graduation in May 2026. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Studies from Montclair State University and her Master of Social Work from Rutgers University, where she also completed a graduate certificate in Violence Against Women and Children.

Caitlin is the owner and clinician of a trauma-informed private practice in North Carolina that specializes in working with adult survivors of violence, including childhood sexual abuse. She has over a decade of experience in clinical, advocacy, and research settings and provides clinical supervision and consultation to social workers. Previously, Caitlin served as Project Director of a SAMHSA-funded HIV program at Lincoln Community Health Center, where she provided administrative leadership, clinical services, and training in HIV, hepatitis C, and integrated behavioral health care.

Caitlin serves as part-time faculty in the Department of Social Work at North Carolina Central University and as adjunct faculty in the Department of Social Work at Appalachian State University. She was recently nominated for the Appalachian State University Transfer Champion Award, a student-nominated honor recognizing faculty who meaningfully support transfer students.

Her research focuses on shame among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and her doctoral capstone advances survivor-informed measurement approaches that address underexamined dimensions of shame. Caitlin has published in peer-reviewed journals, including Social Work, American Journal of Health Promotion, and Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, and has presented at national and international conferences.

Delivery Method: Live Interactive Training via Zoom Video Conferencing

Credit Hours: 1.0 (ACE)

Target Audience: This conference is intended for social workers and students.

Accreditation: University of Kentucky College of Social Work, Provider # 1377, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/29/25-9/29/28. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 15 general continuing education credits.

Claiming CE Credit: Instructions for claiming CE credit will be disseminated at the beginning of each session.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding CE credit or to report a grievance, please contact Christina Krantz at Christina.Krantz@uky.edu. For technical assistance, please contact lmshelp@uky.edu.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the individual presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the University of Kentucky or the College of Social Work. The inclusion of any topics, perspectives, or discussions is intended for academic engagement and does not constitute endorsement by the institution.