FEATURE
Compassion Fatigue
Trainers, rescuers and shelter workers all face emotional challenges
By Meg Harrison, BlackWing Farms
Empathetic burn-out happens to individuals( and organizations) in our industry of animal welfare and can progress undetected until quantifiable damage begins to occur. This is the purpose of this article: to talk about a highly sensitive, personal phenomena known to some as the cost of caring.
We give and give, trying to improve the lives of others, because we care. Too much? I will leave that up to you for final analysis. Excessive concern can lead to several adverse consequences: 1) attrition, 2) physical and emotional injury to oneself and others, and 3) various forms of self-harm.
“ We are optimists until we are not.”— Charles Darwin
Trainers, rescuers, and shelter workers have their own unique set of mental, physical, and emotional challenges when it comes to doing their jobs— helping others. Part of the challenge is our own personalities, character traits and partly our misguided expectations upon entering the animal welfare industry. Person( alities) who are drawn to animal welfare often share the following traits, based on my experience:
We are: Intelligent, Independent, Principled, Optimistic, Altruistic, Tenacious & Competitive
& Also: Empathetic, Compassionate, Caring, Generous, Forgiving, Tolerant, Honest
These personality attributes could be exhausting to maintain long-term.
Daily challenges include dealing with some level of trauma, exposure to physical danger, emotional demands from bosses, clients and their animals, working long hours, lack of support and recognition, possible neglect of our families and our own self-care. We often face extreme emotional demands from others, who may themselves be experiencing frustration, anxiety, or distress related to someone’ s( human or animal) behavior. These emotional pressures, combined with unrealistic expectations, can easily lead us to feelings of isolation, disengagement, and exhaustion if left unchecked.
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