Compassion Fatigue Solutions

Last week was very rich and stimulating as I had the opportunity to spend three consecutive days with a small group of helping professionals in the context of a compassion fatigue train the trainer workshop. It is always a real treat to have a small group to work with, as we get to actually talk things through and explore ideas in a way that I don't get to do with larger audiences. (Thank you to all of you for your willingness to take part in this process and for putting up with the many bizarre hotel-induced mishaps which took place during our time together!)

This week, I am off to Ottawa for a one day workshop with victim service workers and then to Cornwall to present to a group of helpers who work for correctional services. The challenges for both of these groups are complex, but one main issue is related to vicarious traumatization - being exposed to difficult client stories, even in a secondary way. If your job is to read crime reports day in and day out, eventually these stories have an impact on how you see the world. They simply do. If you work in a correctional environment, the very air you breathe is filled with trauma stories. What to do with this reality? How do we protect ourselves from trauma content? One suggestion (many more are included in my book, The Compassion Fatigue Workbook) is to read the wonderful book Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky. Laura offers an excellent conceptualisation of trauma work and its impact on us, but also provides strategies, which she anchors conceptually in what she calls the Five Directions: "As we do our work, we continually seek strength by finding our center in the present moment. At the same time, we strive to enhance our self-knowledge by focusing consciously and concretely on the basic elements of our lives. The things we learn at the four outlying points of our compass of trauma stewarship will become the tools we can use to build a daily practice of centering ourselves." If you work with victims of crime or with survivors (who are sometimes perpetrators as well), I encourage you to take a look at her work.

"Almost three in every five health-care workers are suffering from "role overload", a situation that is damaging their physical and mental health and putting many on the fast track to burnout, a new study suggest." These quotes (the title quote as well) are from an article by André Picard, published in yesterday's Globe and Mail (January 19, 2010) reports the findings from a recent study by Linda Duxbury on Ottawa area hospitals. To view article click here.

I am glad to hear that health care workers are finally getting the attention they deserve. Anyone working within the system could have told you that this was happening but maybe, just maybe, if the data is there to back it up, something will be done.

I did not expect the new year to start with quite the bang it did in our house. The minute the kids went back to school, things quickly got busy on many fronts: at home, my children announced that they had long term projects that required nightly help from me (one involved building a diorama of the North American prairie bison’s habitat, to give you an idea…), my hubby decided that it was time to get organized and started clearing out and decluttering not one, but four areas of our house at the same time (“they are all interconnected, you see” he explained to me). The process was a little hairy: we were assembling storage cabinets at 9pm after having taken kids to hockey or soccer, helped them with homework (aka plasticine bison), cooked a (usually) nutritious meal and cleaned the dishes. Whew. My partner is a night owl and he starts hitting his stride at around 9:30pm, just as I am winding down…way down. For last two weeks, he has been bouncing out of his office just around that time, holding a piece of paper triumphantly in his hands: “I’ve got it! The perfect design for [fill in the blank] room.” He is wonderfully creative and I am delighted with the results, but the process made my head spin a bit. I had to bite my tongue and take an allen key and smile and get to work.

Being a morning person, I did take my revenge in the mornings, standing at the foot of the bed at 730am, asking him a million questions in a very perky voice, fully dressed and showered, having a) done an hour of work b) gone for a run c) taken the ikea boxes to the recycling depo and d) done the groceries. Even though we have been together for nearly 20 years, this diurnal/nocturnal mismatch in our relationship always catches me by surprise: “You want to discuss what? But it’s past 9pm, I have no opinion whatsoever about that. None. I am basically asleep. Yes, I know, I am walking around, but I’m not actually here, not at all.” My poor hubby.

Things started out rather quickly on the work front too. Right before going on vacation, I was offered a very interesting contract with a very tight timeline, and this is what I have been working on for most of the month so far. The contract involves carrying out a full organizational health assessment of a unit in a hospital. I have had the opportunity to interview many staff members, speaking to nurses, physicians and allied health professionals to find out what is challenging and rewarding about their work in the unit. Given that I am normally doing large group presentations, I don’t often get the chance to sit down to talk one on one with helpers and it was wonderful to have a chance to do this.

My training schedule is pretty full in the coming months. This week I will be offering three days of compassion fatigue training in Markham. This training is organized by Safeguards and will be offered again in London, Ontario in March 2010. These workshops are open to any helping professional wishing to register. Next week I will be in Ottawa and Cornwall, working with victim services and with corrections Canada.

And for those of you who are wondering (hi mom) how I am looking after myself with such a busy schedule, I am making sure to eat really healthy foods, run regularly, go to bed early, take naps, read books unrelated to work, watch movies, spend time with kids (laughing mostly) and go out for dinner with friends.

Soon, this busy first month of the year will end, and I will have a very organized home and enough leftover plasticine to make a full herd of bisons!

My thoughts are with the people of Haiti and all of those in Canada who have loved ones over in Haiti. Please consider making a donation online to the Canadian Red Cross, earmarked to the Haiti Earthquake Fund.

Donations can also be made by calling toll-free 1-800-418-1111 or by visiting any Red Cross office.

I recently came across this lovely little blog: palliativechronicle.blogspot.com

I don't know anything about the author (known on the blog as simply JL), except for what she writes on the heading of her blog: "FROM ANESTHESIOLOGIST TO PALLIATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN" and I take it from her profile that she is currently doing a fellowship training in palliative care.

If you work in end of life care, you may find useful resources and musings there.There are some very good links to other resources, postings of recent articles in the field and JL's posts which recently spoke of mindfulness meditation in connection to keeping CF at bay.

I personally enjoyed visiting and will definitely be going back.

Ice fishing rocks! Photo by F. Mathieu

Skating on a very frozen lake. Photo by Françoise Mathieu 2009

Happy New Year to you! I am back at work after two great weeks off. I had a chance to skate all over a beautiful lake in the Laurentians (after much safety testing, I should add), go ice fishing for the very first time -not entirely my cup of tea, but I have a seriously hooked (no pun intended) 9 year old and he was completely over the moon. He stayed out there for hours in the frigid cold and came in only when forced to. I don't really get it, but there you go. I also had a chance to catch up with friends and family, read books and eat a ton of shortbread. Yum.

I wanted to tell you about some upcoming events that may be of interest to you.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course With Sandy Williams - OTTAWA

Wednesdays February 24th to April 14th 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Full Day: Saturday April 10th 9:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Fourth Avenue Baptist Church (at Bank)

An 8-week program designed to support you to cope more effectively with stress through mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention, to the present moment, with acceptance. This practice is beneficial as it can help you to gain a deeper understanding into your feelings, thoughts and beliefs. People come to the program seeking relief from family, work and financial stress, sleep disturbances, anxiety, headaches, fatigue, pain and illness. Others choose to participate because they want a better way to cope with the often out of control pace of their lives. The program is for anyone who would like to learn to relate consciously and compassionately to the challenges of everyday life. The group meets weekly for 2 1/2 hours with a full day session after the 7th week.

Cost: $425.00 (Includes 2 compact discs and handouts) Supplementary health insurance may apply.

Sandy Williams, MSW, RSW is a social worker leading Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programs in the community. She has participated in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction professional training with Jon Kabat-Zinn. She believes that our difficulties are “workable” and the practice of mindfulness supports us to take responsibility for our well- being and to do something for ourselves that no others can.

For information call Sandy at 613-371-0795 or email: sandra.williams@sympatico.ca

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CAST Canada: Addiction & Trauma - Consumer Panel: Workshop for General Helping Professionals

Friday, February 19th, 2010, 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.
Barrie, ON ( Holiday Inn, Fairview Rd.)
Cost: $140 + gst Before February 28th ~ lunch not provided ~

For the past 4 years CAST Canada has held more than 60 Addiction & Trauma Consumer Panel workshops. Over 2,000 frontline workers have worked directly with CAST Canada volunteer consumers to identify unique, relevant ideas around what worked ( and what didn't ) in helping relationships. The learnings from this process will be available to you.

Who Should Attend?
You are a frontline worker or any general helping professional where your clients often have addiction and/or trauma issues. The day is popular with shelter, housing support, O.W. , ODSP, all outreach and Children's Aid workers, therapists, counselors, correctional and probation officers, professors, teachers, guidance counselors, EAP professionals, all hospital staff.

You will:
- Witness moving, open testimonials from consumers who have been helped by professionals
- Participate in highly interactive discussion
- Receive solid, safe and effective tools
- Interact with and learn from peers from other sectors and other areas

Some Themes:
"Role of Relapse" - Learn to discuss this volatile topic
"Nature of Cravings" - Simple to deliver, productive, builds relationship & empowers the client
"How do I ask? " - Asking hard questions around suspected substance abuse or trauma
"Roles, Goals & Boundaries" - Critical insights, easy implementation

Details and registration: CAST Canada Webpage

*The day is intended for 'general' helping professionals as opposed to addiction or trauma workers who find the tools and insight helpful but the introduction and background basic