when the helpers get tired of helping presented by: michelle wilkinson, ma, lpc-s...
TRANSCRIPT
COMPASSION FATIGUE:
When the helpers get tired of helping
Presented by:
Michelle Wilkinson, MA, LPC-S
OBJECTIVES Definition of Compassion Fatigue Identify the Signs and Symptoms Tools to recovery Observing the signs in self and others Prevention
WHAT IS COMPASSION FATIGUE?
DEFINITION Definition: World English Dictionarycompassion fatigue — n the inability
to react sympathetically to a crisis, disaster, etc, because of overexposure to previous crises, disasters, etc
HISTORY Compassion Fatigue was first introduced
by Carla Joinson in 1992, as a way to describe burnout among nurses
Maslach and her colleague Jackson first identified the construct "burnout" in the 1970s,the term was coined by Herbert Freudenberger in1974
McCann and Pearlman use the term Vicarious Traumatization in 1990
OTHER RELATED TERMS:
Empathy Fatigue Burnout Vicarious Traumatization Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder
Just plain sick ‘N’ tired
THE STATS 76% of 2,500 clergy members survey
were overweight or obese compared with 60% in general population
More than 60% of helping professionals have a trauma history of their own—we enter the field to make a difference, to give back, and share from our own life experiences
59% of mental health professionals were willing to seek help vs 15% of law enforcement
COMPASSION FATIGUE VS BURNOUT Burnout---is a term that describes low
job satisfaction, feeling powerless, overwhelmed, depleted and frustrated by their work environment
Many persons in ‘non-helping’ jobs may experience burnout, who are not particularly in a traumatic environment
COMPASSIONA FATIGUE VS DEPRESSION Employees who considered most of their
days to be quite a bit or extremely stressful were over three times more likely to suffer a major depressive episode, compared with those who reported low levels of general stress
Chronic Compassion Fatigue can lead to depression, anxiety, addiction, mental and physical illnesses if left unchecked
COMPASSION FATIGUE VS VICARIOUS TRAUMATIZATION Vicarious Traumatization, a termed
coined by Laurie Ann Pearlman and Karen Saakvitne, is used to describe the profound shift that workers experience in their world view when they work with clients who have experienced trauma
Helpers notice that the way they think about clients and the world, is somehow changed by the cumulative process of repeated exposure.
COMPASSION FATIGUE VS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TRAUMA Primary Trauma refers to trauma that is
happening to you, either from your personal life or even in the line of duty
Secondary Trauma is the exposure to trauma via retelling of stories by client or co-worker, reading case files, hearing court testimonies or watching disturbing news footage
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Sleep Disturbance Exhaustion Avoidance of circumstances Isolation Self-doubt of ability to help Stress Complacency Secretly wishing clients don’t show up! Anxiety Irritability Resentments with co-workers Missing meetings or peer supersvions OVERWORKING
This is not an exhaustive list…………
CASE STUDY: WHAT’S YOUR STORY? “My biggest challenge as a director is
that I am trying to do the work of two people. When I moved into this position, I replaced a full-time counselor. I also replaced one of the pastors who had functions as part-time overseer for the counseling center. My position as director should be a full-time position, it is impossible for me to successfully handle the responsibilities of both positions and to them both well”
Director of a women’s counseling center
CAN WE PREVENT COMPASSION FATIGUE? Compassion fatigue has been described
as “the cost of caring” for others in emotional pain
Compassion fatigue is an occupational hazard
Compassion Fatigue is a disorder that affects those who do their work well
Caring for others is both my calling and my cross to bear
SEEING THE SIGNS IN YOURSELF AND OTHERS:
Low self-esteem and lack of confidence
Feelings of Fear,
Anxiety, and
Inadequacy
Decline in health,
relationship and Job
Performance
Thoughts of
quitting!
WHAT IF I’M “SICK ‘N’ TIRED”?
HOW TO MANAGE COMPASSION FATIGUE? AWARENESS IS KEY!
• Are you in the danger zone?
• Professional Quality of Life test
• Compassion Self-Test
Self Test
• Limiting exposure• Setting
BoundariesSelf Care
• Be confident • Take your own
advice!Self Worth
THINGS TO CONSIDER Prevention is ideal, but may not be
realistic Know your own patterns Be confident, you got this! Find the ‘off switch’ in your head, and by
all means shut it down when you leave the office
Be human, respect your emotional limits Their emergency is not necessarily your
emergency! Give yourself some grace!
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP EACH OTHER? Community and Professional resources Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project/
Healthy Caregiving, LLC
The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project (www.compassionfatigue.org) promotes an awareness and understanding of Compassion Fatigue and its effect on caregivers.
Beth Hudnall Stamm ProQOL Institute The Green Cross
ARE WE DOING ENOUGH IN SOCIETY TO HELP PROTECT THE HELPERS?
Who’s job is it to help protect the helpers?
WRITE YOUR RECIPE FOR RECOVERY
PREPARATION: Create an atmosphere of peace Surround yourself with encouragement Regain your smile Notice a Sunrise or Sunset Be Still Journal Take a “Mental Break” Day!
INGREDIENTS FOR SELF CARE: PERSONAL
Meditation
INGREDIENTS FOR SELF-CARE PROFESSIONAL
Professional Education
RECIPE FOR RECOVERY As counselors and caring professionals
we give of our time, our talent and our treasure.
You can’t give all of your treasure away Self-care is a lifelong journey and a
consciously chosen lifestyle. Save some good things for yourself “there is no such thing as a normal life,
just life”—Wyatt Erp Keep living, giving, and caring!
REFERENCES American Psychological Association (APA): compassion fatigue. (n.d.). Collins English
Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved January 23, 2013, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/compassion fatigue
The Compassion Fatigue Project Copyright 2008-2013. ProQOL.org © January 2013 Counseling Today | “Who’s taking
care of Superman?” Powered by WordPress . Definition: Vicarious Traumatization—Laurie
Ann Pearlman and Karen Saakvitne Ferguson, S. (2007)Clergy compassion fatigue.
Family Therapy Mag. Mar-April issue The Compassion Fatigue Workbook: Creative tools
for transforming compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization