FOR CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS Facilitator: Myra L. Henry SELF-CARE TRAINING FOR CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS Facilitator: Myra L. Henry

LEARNING OBJECTIVE CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONAL WILL LEARN: to identify signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue. how compassion fatigue can impact partnerships and daily work. to recognize secondary traumatic stress in others. how to show empathy to others in the child welfare field. self-care techniques that help to reduce stress.

DEFINITIONS COMPASSION FATIGUE: Deep emotional and physical exhaustion. When a person is unable to refuel and renew. A gradual lessening of compassion over time. SELF CARE: An action or activity done deliberately to manage or safeguard our mental, emotional and physical health. SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS: The emotional distress felt as a result of hearing a firsthand account of trauma experienced by another. EMPATHY: The ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT MY CHILD WELFARE WORK? Compassion Fatigue in Social Work: "...state of exhaustion and dysfunction (biologically, psychologically and socially) as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress" (Figley, 1995). Working with the children and families in dependency is demanding for individuals employed with the judicial system, attorneys, child protective investigators, case managers, Guardian ad Litems, substance abuse providers, domestic violence advocates, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist and many more. We become exhausted by the exposure to clients who look to us for help through difficult situations. We want to assure we are not adding stress to one another, but that we remain empathetic to the challenging conditions of the work we do in child welfare. Do I love my work? If the answer is" NO," it is most likely that you are suffering from burnout. If the answer is "YES!" you are more likely suffering from compassion fatigue.

STATISTICS IN CHILD WELFARE In a study done among child protection staff in Colorado, approximately 50% of the staff was found to be suffering from “high or very high levels of compassion fatigue,” yet 70% reported “high or good potential for compassion satisfaction” (DePanfilis, 2006). In a study done by Bride (2007), “70.2% of Child Welfare Professionals experienced at least one of the core symptoms of STS in the previous week” (Siegfried, 2008). (DSM-5) was released in May 2013 and for the first time included vicarious trauma defined as “repeated or extreme exposure to details of the event(s).” Exposure through pictures or media to someone else’s trauma did not qualify unless it was related to work. This is exactly what happens in a court every day. The repeated exposure to detailed accounts, pictures, and videos of traumatic events that affected someone else is a daily occurrence for judges and other court personnel.

SYMPTOMS Losing sleep over a client/child and their family's traumatic experiences. Feeling trapped by work/caregiving. Feeling a sense of hopelessness associated with working with clients/children/families. Feeling weak, tired or rundown as a result of work. Being unsuccessful at separating work/caregiving from personal life. Feeling little compassion toward co-workers or clients.

SYMPTOMS Feeling unsuccessful in regards to life goals. Depression as a result of work or caregiver role. Working/caregiving for the money rather than for personal fulfillment. A sense of worthlessness/disillusionment/resentment associated with work/caregiving. Feeling preoccupied with a client/child or their family.

SELF-CARE

COMPASSION FATIGUE SYMPTOM SUMMARY Cognitive - Lowered concentration, apathy, rigidity, disorientation, minimization, preoccupation with trauma Emotional - Powerlessness, anxiety, guilt, anger, numbness, fear, helplessness, sadness, depression, depleted, shock, blunted or enhanced affect. Experiencing troubling dreams similar to a patient’s dream. Suddenly and involuntarily recalling a frightening experience while working with a patient or family Behavioral - Irritable, withdrawn, moody, poor sleep, nightmares, appetite change, hyper- vigilance, isolating Spiritual - Questioning life’s meaning, hopelessness, loss of purpose, questioning of religious beliefs, loss of faith/skepticism Somatic - Sweating, rapid heartbeat, breathing difficulty, aches and pains, dizziness, impaired immune system, headaches, difficulty falling or staying asleep

REALISTICALLY… “The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to walk through water without getting wet.” – Rachel Naomi Remen

COMPASSION FATIGUE AND YOUR DAILY WORK/CAREGIVING It is no secret that a child welfare professional’s work load is enormous and can be overwhelming at any given time… Is compassion fatigue impacting my daily work/caregiving? Has the quality of my work/caregiving gone down? Is my conversation with partners/providers rude or harsh in tone? Do I complain about my job/caregiving most of the time? Remember: Your partners and co-workers can also be experiencing compassion fatigue – please be kind. If you fail to deal with your secondary trauma it can negatively impact what you do with children and families.

ABC’S OF COMPASSION FATIGUE PREVENTION A = Awareness B = Balance C = Connections

AWARENESS What contributes to your stress level? What increasing your vulnerability to compassion fatigue? What are three of your signs/symptoms lacking self-care?

BALANCE Practice excellent self-care. Nurture yourself by adding activities to your schedule that are a sources of pleasure, joy and diversion. Allow yourself to take mini-escapes. These breaks relieve the intensity of being a caregiver. Be honest about your feelings and the difficulties associated with being involved with the child welfare system.

CONNECTIONS Talk about your stress-process, including your thoughts and reactions, with someone else. Examples: (co- worker, counselor, therapist, clergy, friend, another caregiver or family). Build a positive support system that empowers you instead of fuels your stress.

SELF-CARE MOTIVATING ENVIRONMENTS Positive Affirmations Colors Types of Snacks Driving Routes Utilization of Electronic Devices Music

SELF-CARE BREATHING EXERCISE Close your eyes Relax Deep breathing

SELF-CARE MEDITATION EXERCISE Relax Listen Release

Self-care is a priority and necessity – not a luxury – in the work that we do.