Download Coping with Compassion Fatigue

Compassion Fatigue
The Unspoken Hazard
of
Veterinary Medicine
Chery F. Kendrick, DVM, MPVM, MLT, ASCP, CFS
Compassion Fatigue Specialist
Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
About This Presentation
We will explore the following:
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Compassion Fatigue Definitions
Signs and Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Preventing Job Burnout
Preventing Compassion Fatigue
Healing From Within
Healing With Your Team
Sharing Ideas and Resources
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
No Quizzes!!
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With this presentation there are No Quizzes
We do have a sign-in sheet if that helps 
And a very important Workbook
So simply Relax, Listen, and Breath
We will look at the workbook at the end of
the presentation
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Our Compassion Fatigue Workbook
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Working Through The Exercises
The Workbook
we will look at the exercises
in the workbook but more
importantly you can take it
home and practice these
relaxation techniques in the
peace and privacy of your
own home
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Let’s Start With Some Definitions
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion Fatigue,
also known as a Secondary
Traumatic Stress Disorder, is
a term that refers to a gradual
lessening of compassion over
time. It is common among
victims of trauma and
individuals that work directly
with victims of trauma
What IS
Compassion Fatigue?
•Compassion Fatigue is also known as:
Secondary Traumatic Stress
•It is a part of a the developing field of traumatology
•Most often this phenomenon is associated with the
“cost of caring” for others in emotional pain
•In the animal welfare industry we are especially
vulnerable to Compassion Fatigue and job burnout
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Caring May Come
With a High Cost
“People continue in the field
because they love their work; this
love causes them terrible pain.”
- - Figley & Roop, p46.
But it Doesn’t Have to….
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Comparing PTSD – vs. - STSD
PTSD
STSD
• Primary Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD): firsthand
experience of trauma or
traumatic events
• PTSD symptoms directly
related to traumatized
individual or animal
• Secondary Traumatic Stress
Disorder (STSD): secondary
experience of trauma or
traumatic events
• STSD symptoms are
associated with secondary
person or person helping
traumatized individual
and/or animal
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Job Burnout
The total depletion of physical and
mental resources caused by
excessive striving to reach an
unrealistic work-related goal.
© 2011 Kendrick
Services, LLC
© 2011 Technical
Kendrick Technical
Services, LLC
More on
Job Burnout
A general feeling of exhaustion that develops
when an individual simultaneously
experiences too much pressure and has too
few sources of satisfaction.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Symptoms of Burnout
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Alcohol, drugs, food, or sex to escape feelings
Irritable with patients or colleagues
More time alone or felt withdrawn
Depressed/emotionally drained
Not accomplishing anything with patients
Lost interest in or resented patients
Preoccupied with images of death - - Furman, 2002
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Here Is An
Interesting Statistic:
People reflect and think about events
inducing negative emotions 5 times
as long as they do about events
inducing strong positive emotions.
- - Robbins
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Emotional Reactions
to Working
with the Suffering
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A sense of powerlessness or ineffective as a helper
Anxiety or fear when thinking about the client
Guilt – self doubt; hurting client
Anger or rage
Shutdown or numbness – silencing response
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
More Emotional Reactions
to Working
with the Suffering
• Sadness
• Depression…insomnia, loss of appetite, thoughts of
death, self-medication
• Emotional rollercoaster – happy to sad
• Overwhelmed
• Depleted as a helper
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion Fatigue
Burnout Symptoms - Cognitive
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Confusion
Spaciness
Loss of Meaning
Apathy
Rigidity
Disorientation
Self -doubt
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Trauma imagery
Whirling thoughts
Perfectionism
Diminished
Concentration
• Minimization
• Thoughts of self-harm
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion Fatigue Burnout
Symptoms - Physical
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Shock
Sweating
Rapid heartbeat
Breathing
difficulties
• Aches and pains
• Dizziness
• Increased number and
intensity of medical
maladies
• Other somatic
complaints
• Impaired immune
system
• Helplessness
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion Fatigue Burnout
Symptoms – Work Performance
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Low morale
Low motivation
Avoiding tasks
Obsess details
Apathy
Negativity
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Detachment
Poor work commitments
Staff conflicts
Absenteeism
Exhaustion
Irritability
Withdraw from colleagues
Lack of appreciation
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion Fatigue Burnout
Symptoms – Interpersonal
• Withdrawal
• Loss of interest in intimacy or sex
• Mistrust
• Isolation from friends
• Overprotective as a parent
• Projection of anger or blame
• Intolerance
• Loneliness
© 2011 Kendrick
Services, LLC
© 2011 Technical
Kendrick Technical
Services, LLC
Impact On
Professional Functioning
• Performance of Job Tasks
• Decrease in
quality/quantity
• Avoidance of tasks
• Morale
• Detachment
• Decrease in confidence
• Interpersonal
• Impatience
• Staff conflicts
• Behavioral
• Absenteeism
• Overwork
• Frequent Job
Changes
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Drama
Avoidance 101
“Just because someone brings you a
problem doesn’t mean you're
automatically in charge of fixing it.
Learn to detach yourself from drama.”
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Effects of Toxic People
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Happier people when making real-life decisions may be smarter
(decision makers) than unhappy people.
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Lisa Aspinwall, University of Utah
A chilly negative mood activates a battle-stations mode of thinking:
The order of the day is to focus on what is wrong & then eliminate it.
• Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
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A positive mood buoys people into a way of thinking that is creative,
tolerant, constructive, generous, un-defensive and lateral. This way
of thinking aims to detect not what is wrong, but what is right.
• Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
Just Say “NO!” To Toxic People
© 2011 Kendrick
© 2011 Technical
Kendrick Technical
Services, LLC
Services, LLC
Symptoms vs Disease
• Compassion
Fatigue is a set of
symptoms, not a
disease
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Symptoms of Compassion
Fatigue?
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Burnout
Depression
Sadness
Physical Illnesses
Irritable Bowel
Ulcers
High Blood Pressure
Insomnia
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Recognizing Signs
• The outward signs we experience are displays
of stress resulting from giving care to others.
• Compassion Fatigue is the name that has
been
attached to these symptoms so that we have a
way of identifying it in ourselves and in others.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Identify
• Once identified,
we are able to take
action to manage the
distress this disorder
is causing in our lives.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Coping with Emotions
• In working with traumatized or suffering
people or animals, the most common
method of coping with the discomfort we
experience is to stifle the emotions that
arise.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Stifling Emotions
• Sometimes it is
the only way we
can continue to
do the care-giving
work that we want
to do.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Effects of
Compassion Fatigue
• Once we are open to accepting
the fact that Compassion Fatigue is
creating our emotional, psychological,
and physical symptoms, we can look at
our pain and learn new ways in which to
react to them and channel them into
positive, healthy actions.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
What is the Basic Message
of
Of Compassion Fatigue?
• Recognize the signs
• Take care of you the caretaker
• Follow the Rules of Eight
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion Satisfaction is
What We Aim For
Satisfaction derived from
the work of helping others.
- - Charles Figley, Ph.D.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
© 2011 Kendrick Technical
Services, LLC
Now What
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Our Goal Is To
Prevent Compassion Fatigue
“To Enable Us to
Keep the Candle Lit
Without Getting Burned”
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
We Do This By
Practicing Self-Care
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Self Esteem and Caring
“You need your own
foundation for self
esteem or you can’t
accept what people say
if you don’t believe it
yourself.”
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Self-Care Exercises Include
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Relaxation Techniques
Healthy Lifestyle
Recreation
Balance Between Work and Play
Learning Self-Care Techniques
Asking For Help When Needed
Learning to Detoxify Your Life
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Follow The
Rules of Eight
• The Eight Rules Governing
Healthy Change
• The Eight Rules Governing
Healthy Care-giving
• The Eight Rules Governing
Healthy Self-Care
• The Eight Rules Governing
A Healthy Workplace
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
The Eight Laws Governing
Healthy Change
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Breaks and Saying “No”
• #1 Take frequent
breaks from what you
are doing.
• #2 Weigh your
options carefully and
learn the word “no.”
Use it whenever
necessary.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Sharing, Humor
• #3 Share the load with others.
• #4 There is humor in every
situation. Find it and laugh.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Help and Credit
• #5 Recognize when you
need help. Ask for it.
• #6 Give yourself credit
when credit is due.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Credit, Breathing
• #7 Give others
credit when credit
is due.
• #8 Breathe
deeply as often
as possible.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
The Eight Laws Governing
Healthy Care-giving
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Compassion, Skepticism, Release
• #1 Sustain Your
Compassion
• #2 Retain Healthy
Skepticism
Puppy Breath
Can Be Healing
• #3 Learn to Let Go
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Optimism, Insight & Solutions
• #4 Remain Optimistic
• #5 Be part of the
Solution
• #6 Trust Your Insight
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Self-Care, Acknowledgement
• #7 Practice
Sustainable Self Care
• #8 Acknowledge Your
Successes
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
The Eight Laws Governing
Healthy Self Care
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Validation
• #1 By validating
ourselves,
we promote
acceptance.
• #2 By validating others,
we elevate ourselves.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Healthy Self Helps Healing Role
• #3 By meeting our own
mental, physical and
emotional needs, we give
care from a place of
abundance, not scarcity.
• #4 By practicing self-goodwill,
we manifest it throughout our
lives.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Honoring Past ► Freedom & Power
• #5 By honoring past traumas
and hurts, we allow ourselves
freedom from the pain that
controls us.
• #6 By “doing the work,” we
reclaim the personal power that
is rightfully ours.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Healing Our Emotional Pain
Allows Us To Be Better Healers
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Ownership, Authenticity, Happiness
• #7 By naming and taking
ownership of the core
issues that limit our growth,
we create authenticity.
• #8 By managing our selfcare, we welcome
happiness into our lives.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
The Eight Laws Governing
A Healthy Workplace
• #1 Employer provides
a respite for staff
following any traumatic
event.
• #2 Employer provides
continuing education
for staff.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Benefits, Tools
• #3 Employer provides
acceptable benefits to
aid staff in practicing
beneficial self care.
• #4 Employer provides
management and staff
the tools to accomplish
their tasks.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Workload, Team Work
• #5 Management
needs to monitor
workloads.
• #6 Encourage teambuilding activities to
promote strong social
relationships
between colleagues.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Support, Planning
• #7 Employers
encourage “open door”
policies to promote
good communication
between workers.
• #8 Employers have
grief processes in
place when traumatic
events occur onsite.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
For More Help
and
Information
Please Visit Our Website:
www.KendrickTechServices.com
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Working Through the Exercises
in Your Workbook
• You have been given a
Compassion Fatigue Workbook
with exercises designed to help
you relax and refocus your energy
• These exercises are the tools to
help you relieve the stress in
order to prevent Compassion
Fatigue
• Let’s take a moment to walk
through them
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Breathing
• Sounds simple right?
• Let’s talk about breathing:
• Emotions change breathing
patterns
• Deep breathing exercises
help to clear the mind and
relieve stress
• Walk through the Breathing
exercise in your workbook
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Creative Visualization Exercise
This is a relaxation technique
that uses guided imagery.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Self Hypnosis Exercise
(Self-Talk, Self-Advice)
The purpose of this exercise is to evoke a relaxed
consciousness and focus that will help you
overcome stress linked to various stressors
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Dealing with Violent People
Bottom line is:
•Do not get caught alone with a
potentially violent person
•Get Help! Never hesitate to call 911
or to press a panic alarm.
•Run, kick, scream, do whatever you
need to do to stay safe and get away
from danger
•No job is worth endangering your life
for.
•Talk to your Safety Coordinator about
other ways your clinic protects
employees from potential workplace
violence such as panic alarms or
secret alert words.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Giving Credit Exercise
We all like to be appreciated.
Take a moment to think about ways to give
yourself and others credit where credit is due.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Learning To Say “No” Exercise
Just Say “No!” True this is
Easier said than done
sometimes. However it may
help you to choose wisely if
you actually take a moment
to think of the
consequences of saying
“yes” before you agree to
take that next project on.
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Healing Touch
Self Care Program
• A self-care tool
• Uses energy fields
(chakras)
• Realignment of energy
fields
• Allow the body to self
heal
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Healing Touch
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Healing Touch =
Energy Medicine
• Like Acupressure it
uses the bodies
energy fields known
as chakras
• HT used for dogs and
cats
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Healing Touch for Horses
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Healing Touch for Humans
• A powerful tool for
you to use
• Self healing
• Self Chakra
Connection
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Self Chakra Connection
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
The Wellness Wheel
It’s All About Balance
• Balancing the:
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Physical
Emotional
Spiritual
Work /Career
Play/Recreation
Family
Friends
While Maintaining Mindfulness
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Practice Makes Perfect
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Be sure to work through the exercises in your workbook until you feel comfortable.
Soon they will become so second nature that you can use one of your exercises to
take a quick de-stressing moment any time throughout your work day
Encourage all team members to work on these exercises for the good of the team
as well as the individual
Thank you for all you do
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC
Questions?
www.KendrickTechServices.com
© 2011 Kendrick Technical Services, LLC