Compassion Fatigue Solutions

Ok, I truly have the best job in the world.

This week, I had the opportunity to meet a large group of very attentive trauma and emergency nurses and social workers (Sunnybrooke hospital in Toronto), present to an inquisitive group of psychology graduate students (Queen's University, Kingston) and nearly 100 Special Ed teachers and counsellors who work with primary school aged children with serious behavioural and emotional difficulties (Toronto District School Board). If you want to meet a group of incredibly dedicated helpers, go visit these teachers. holey moley.

Now I know that public speaking is considered by some to be one of the most aversive experience known to (wo)man, on par with passing a kidney stone, root canal and childbirth, but I find that an incredible energy is created by groups (or, sometimes, a very awful energy, but that's not this week's experience thankfully - That will be for my memoirs..."the ten worst presentations ever").

What I enjoy the most is mapping out the day, how the energy/activities will flow, what would work best with each trade, and then adjusting it as the day unfolds to try and best meet the needs and vibe of the audience. It's actually not unlike my private practice work with military personnel. My favourite new clients are actually the most reluctant ones, you know, the 35 year old corporal who has never been to counselling and works as a radio operator and who is only here under an ultimatum from his wife? I love it. Because, really, what's the worst that can happen? and on the flip side he just might have a positive counselling experience. How wonderful would that be?


I wanted to share with you an email I recently received from a workshop participant (reprinted here with permission)where the author of the email explains her appreciation for the important distinction I make in my workshops between burnout and compassion fatigue:

The author is a registered nurse with 20 years of experience working with trauma in a spinal cord injury unit, neurological trauma intensive care unit and ER work: "[...] I can truly identify with a lot of your topic and many of the signs of compassion fatigue. I believe that is why I left the ICU dept. and am starting to develop [the symptoms of cf/vt] again now in the ER. But I keep labelling these feelings as burnout and then start to look for a new job even though I have absolutely LOVED both jobs. So I thank you in helping me to see what I now believe to be compassion fatigue, but more importantly the tools you have given me to work through this, since I truly love my job."

Receiving an email like this makes it all worthwhile, the sore wrists, the travelling and the risk one always takes when standing in front of a large crowd with a pocketful of courage and a karaoke machine. Thank you.

ps: for TDSB folks, I will post answers to your index card questions next week.

Françoise