Compassion Fatigue
What I learned from Victoria Flint #ASTE19
Victoria Flint's session on compassion fatigue took the idea of decision fatigue one step further. I can see myself and my colleagues as reflections of the different stages: zealot, irritable, withdrawn, zombie, renewed. She talked about each stage and how to recognize the traits in yourself or others.
Flint went on to define compassion fatigue as "the profound emotional and physical erosion that takes place when helpers are unable to refuel and regenerate."

Warning Signs of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma
Running on Empty - a pdf document by Françoise Mathieu
Each individual will have their own warning signs that indicate that they are moving into the danger zone of compassion fatigue. These will include some of the following:
• Exhaustion
• Reduced ability to feel sympathy and empathy
• Anger and irritability
• Increased use of alcohol and drugs
• Dread of working with certain clients/patients
• Diminished sense of enjoyment of career
• Disruption to world view, Heightened anxiety or irrational fears
• Intrusive imagery or dissociation
• Hypersensitivity or Insensitivity to emotional material
• Difficulty separating work life from personal life
• Absenteeism – missing work, taking many sick days
• Impaired ability to make decisions and care for clients/patients
• Problems with intimacy and in personal relationships
The Professional Quality of Life Scale: the ProQOL
Now That You Know the Symptoms: Here are some solutions
Six Ways for Educators to Avoid Compassion Fatigue (Lesley University) | 5 Ways to Find Your Chill by MSEA Newsfeed | Compassion FatigueThe Silent Thief in Our Schools Cheri Brown Sizemore |
Six Ways for Educators to Avoid Compassion Fatigue (Lesley University)
Final Thoughts:
- take stock of your stressors
- look for ways to enhance your self-care and work/life balance (harmony)
- develop resiliency skills
- make a commitment to implement changes
AND - as a last note - consider checking out the TendAcademy resource page.