Post on 18-Dec-2015
Preventing Compassion Preventing Compassion FatigueFatigue
Dr. Angie PanosDr. Angie Panos
Angie.Panos@imail.orgAngie.Panos@imail.org
(801)442-7823(801)442-7823
ObjectivesObjectives
Analyze factors which lead to compassion Analyze factors which lead to compassion fatigue in your work fatigue in your work
Identify coping strategies that you can use Identify coping strategies that you can use to increase your resiliency to increase your resiliency
Develop ways to find support for yourself Develop ways to find support for yourself and give support to your colleaguesand give support to your colleagues
Definition of Compassion FatigueDefinition of Compassion Fatigue
Also called “vicarious traumatization” Also called “vicarious traumatization” or secondary traumatization (Figley, or secondary traumatization (Figley, 1995)1995)
Refers to the PTSD-related symptoms Refers to the PTSD-related symptoms due to working with patients and due to working with patients and families who have trauma and grieffamilies who have trauma and grief
Differs from burn-out, but can co-existDiffers from burn-out, but can co-exist
Can occur due to exposure on one Can occur due to exposure on one case or can be due to a “cumulative” case or can be due to a “cumulative” level of traumalevel of trauma
Compassion Fatigue SymptomsCompassion Fatigue Symptoms
Affects many dimensions of your well-Affects many dimensions of your well-beingbeing
Nervous system arousal (Sleep Nervous system arousal (Sleep disturbance)disturbance)
Emotional intensity increasesEmotional intensity increases
Cognitive ability decreasesCognitive ability decreases
Behavior and judgment impairedBehavior and judgment impaired
Isolation and loss of moraleIsolation and loss of morale
Symptoms, continuedSymptoms, continued
Depression and PTSD (potentiate)Depression and PTSD (potentiate)
Loss of self-worth and emotional modulation Loss of self-worth and emotional modulation
Identity, worldview, and spirituality impactedIdentity, worldview, and spirituality impacted
Beliefs and psychological needs-safety, trust, Beliefs and psychological needs-safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and controlesteem, intimacy, and control
Loss of hope and meaning=existential despairLoss of hope and meaning=existential despair
Anger toward perpetrators or causal eventsAnger toward perpetrators or causal events
Small Group Exercise #1Small Group Exercise #1
Discuss a case that caused you to take it home Discuss a case that caused you to take it home with you- or caused some symptoms of with you- or caused some symptoms of compassion fatiguecompassion fatigue
Identify what factors caused you to identify with Identify what factors caused you to identify with the person/victim/family/eventthe person/victim/family/event
Note commonalities and choose a person to Note commonalities and choose a person to share these findings with the larger groupshare these findings with the larger group
The ABC’s of PreventionThe ABC’s of Prevention
A= AwarenessA= Awareness
B=BalanceB=Balance
C=ConnectionsC=Connections
A= Awareness A= Awareness Issues and Contributing FactorsIssues and Contributing Factors
What types of cases What types of cases contribute to your contribute to your stress level stress level increasing your increasing your vulnerability to vulnerability to compassion compassion fatigue?fatigue?
What events or cases can What events or cases can cause compassion fatigue?cause compassion fatigue?
Events or situation Events or situation that causes one to that causes one to experience an experience an unusually strong unusually strong reactionreaction
Often overpowers Often overpowers one’s usual coping one’s usual coping mechanisms mechanisms
A= Awareness, continuedA= Awareness, continued
Ability to function is Ability to function is interfered with or interfered with or altered.altered.Situation or incident Situation or incident does not seem “typical does not seem “typical or ordinary”, it feels or ordinary”, it feels traumatic.traumatic.““Compassion stress” Compassion stress” impinges upon or impinges upon or breaks through normal breaks through normal boundariesboundaries
Awareness, Awareness, continuedcontinued
Becoming frustrated/irritated easily?Becoming frustrated/irritated easily?
Losing compassion for some people while Losing compassion for some people while becoming over involved in others?becoming over involved in others?
Routinely feeling bored or disgusted?Routinely feeling bored or disgusted?
Experiencing illness, aches and pains?Experiencing illness, aches and pains?
Regularly waking up tired in Regularly waking up tired in the morning and struggling to the morning and struggling to get to work?get to work?
Feeling as if you are working Feeling as if you are working harder but accomplishing harder but accomplishing less?less?
Even Mother Teresa Understood Even Mother Teresa Understood Compassion FatigueCompassion Fatigue
Recognized the effectsRecognized the effects
Wrote in her plan to her Wrote in her plan to her superiors that it was superiors that it was MANDATORY for her MANDATORY for her nuns to take an entire nuns to take an entire year off from their duties year off from their duties every 4-5 years to allow every 4-5 years to allow them to heal from the them to heal from the effects of their care-giving effects of their care-giving work.work.
Small Group Exercise #2Small Group Exercise #2
A. Discuss causal factors of Compassion Fatigue:A. Discuss causal factors of Compassion Fatigue:Each helper’s empathic engagement with each Each helper’s empathic engagement with each client’s unique experience; Helper’s unique client’s unique experience; Helper’s unique personal response based on personal history, personal response based on personal history, style, current life circumstances, as well as style, current life circumstances, as well as proximity and personal connection to the events proximity and personal connection to the events and people involved in the trauma/tragedyand people involved in the trauma/tragedy
B. Discuss potential consequences for B. Discuss potential consequences for undiagnosed and untreated compassion fatigue.undiagnosed and untreated compassion fatigue.
C. Report findings to large groupC. Report findings to large group
““The quality of strength lined with The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable tenderness is an unbeatable combination…”- combination…”- Maya AngelouMaya Angelou
Self-Awareness ExercisesSelf-Awareness Exercises
Compassion Fatigue TestCompassion Fatigue Test
Life Balance scaleLife Balance scale
Here is a tool you can use to assess the level of your satisfaction with all of the aspects of your life.
Place each aspect of your life in the space in each segment. Some suggestions follow. Modify these to represent those that are meaningful to you.
•Self Care •Work •Intimate Partner/Family •Friends/Social Life •Financial Aspects •Health & Wellness/Body Image •Spiritual Aspects •Community/Service
Now rate your satisfaction with each aspect, using a scale from zero to ten, with ten being very satisfied and zero being completely unsatisfied. Place a mark indicating your choice in each segment of the circle, with zero at the center and ten at the rim. Connect all of the marks around the circle to see how balanced your wheel is.
B= Balance B= Balance Keeping Your Life in BalanceKeeping Your Life in Balance
Practice excellent self-carePractice excellent self-careNurture yourself by putting activities in Nurture yourself by putting activities in your schedule that are sources of your schedule that are sources of pleasure, joy and diversionpleasure, joy and diversionAllow yourself to take mini-escapes- these Allow yourself to take mini-escapes- these relieve the intensity of your work relieve the intensity of your work Transform the negative impact of your Transform the negative impact of your work (find meaning, challenge negativity, work (find meaning, challenge negativity, find gratitude)find gratitude)
Small Group Exercise #3Small Group Exercise #3
List one mini-escape or diversion that List one mini-escape or diversion that worked well to restore and renew youworked well to restore and renew you
List one thing that brings you joyList one thing that brings you joy
Report back to larger group your unique Report back to larger group your unique ideasideas
B= Balance B= Balance Keeping Your Life in Balance, continuedKeeping Your Life in Balance, continued
Get medical treatment if needed to relieve Get medical treatment if needed to relieve symptoms that interfere with daily symptoms that interfere with daily functioning- don’t use alcohol or drugs to functioning- don’t use alcohol or drugs to self-medicateself-medicate
Get professional help when needed to get Get professional help when needed to get back on track- we all need coaches and back on track- we all need coaches and consultants at timesconsultants at times
"We can be sure that the greatest hope for maintaining equilibrium in the face of any situation rests within ourselves."
Francis J. Braceland
Balance for our Emotional Balance for our Emotional NeedsNeeds
Emotions are a signal that tell us when something is wrong or we are out of balance
We all need meaning and purpose in our life
We all need autonomy and freedom to make choices that bring us balance and happiness
And the Wise Man Said…And the Wise Man Said…
The student asked the wise The student asked the wise man…man…
When one is fatigued, When one is fatigued, doesn’t one need rest doesn’t one need rest from their duties?from their duties?
and the wise man said….and the wise man said….
““Sometimes yes, but Sometimes yes, but sometimes all you need is sometimes all you need is to do your work more to do your work more whole-heartedly.”whole-heartedly.”
Find Hidden PassionFind Hidden Passion
We all have hidden sources of energy and We all have hidden sources of energy and healing power. healing power.
When you identify the things that fuel you, When you identify the things that fuel you, the things that you have true passion for, the things that you have true passion for, your fatigue will disappear.your fatigue will disappear.
Balancing your life involves putting the Balancing your life involves putting the things that we value and have passion for things that we value and have passion for in our schedule.in our schedule.
Patanjali – the author of Yoga SutraPatanjali – the author of Yoga Sutra
““When you are inspired by some great When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
Balance for Your SoulBalance for Your Soul
Have quiet alone time in a calm, beautiful place- Have quiet alone time in a calm, beautiful place- a safe retreat where you feel reneweda safe retreat where you feel renewed
Have an awareness of what restores and Have an awareness of what restores and replenishes you.replenishes you.
Find ways to acknowledge loss and griefFind ways to acknowledge loss and grief
Stay clear with commitment to career goals or Stay clear with commitment to career goals or your personal missionyour personal mission
Know how to focus on what you can controlKnow how to focus on what you can control
Look at situations as entertaining challenges Look at situations as entertaining challenges and opportunities, not problems or stressesand opportunities, not problems or stresses
"Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them."
Thomas Kinkade
Chinese ProverbChinese Proverb
Equation for the value of your Equation for the value of your lifelife– Your Health = 1Your Health = 1– Everything else in your life = 0Everything else in your life = 0– Put a one first, in front of all the Put a one first, in front of all the
zeros and you will have the value zeros and you will have the value of your lifeof your life
Without your health, you have Without your health, you have nothing.nothing.
Keep Yourself Physically StrongKeep Yourself Physically Strong
– ExerciseExercise– Relax-BreatheRelax-Breathe– Get adequate Get adequate
sleepsleep– Good nutrition Good nutrition
and waterand water– Good medical Good medical
and preventative and preventative carecare
C= ConnectionsC= Connections
Talk out your stress- process your Talk out your stress- process your thoughts and reactions with someone thoughts and reactions with someone else (coworker, therapist, clergy, else (coworker, therapist, clergy, friend, family, supervisor)friend, family, supervisor)
Build a positive support system that Build a positive support system that supports you, not fuels your stresssupports you, not fuels your stress
Pets accept whatever affection you Pets accept whatever affection you are able to give them without asking are able to give them without asking for more---Pets are basically for more---Pets are basically invulnerable to “provider burnout”--invulnerable to “provider burnout”--Blood pressure and heart rate Blood pressure and heart rate decrease when interacting with decrease when interacting with animalsanimals
Put Joy, Love, Hope, Laughter and Put Joy, Love, Hope, Laughter and Gratitude in Each Day Gratitude in Each Day
Name 3 things you feel grateful for today-Name 3 things you feel grateful for today-
Think of something that has brought you a sense Think of something that has brought you a sense of joy (Make your top ten list)of joy (Make your top ten list)
Who do you love that you can reach out to Who do you love that you can reach out to today? (Call them!)today? (Call them!)
What made you laugh today? (Share it!)What made you laugh today? (Share it!)
Hope does not take Hope does not take away your away your problems.problems.
It can lift you It can lift you above them.above them.
Maya Maya AngelouAngelou