Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Recovery Lucy Hammond MA LPC http://www.ljhcounseling.com/ ljhammon@geneva.edu Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers 2015 Annual Conference and Clinical Summit

Lucy Hammond MA, LPC Community Mental Health Therapist 2002-2014 Office, school and community based treatment. Educator Adjunct faculty for Geneva College’s Masters in Counseling Teaching primary and intermediate grades 1-8 in New York and rural Maine. Director of Children’s programs in local Parish 1995-1998 Church work – inner city church in Pittsburgh’s Marshall Shadeland neighborhood. Recovered ‘Burned Out’ professional.

I try to take things ONE DAY AT A TIME But lately several days have attacked me at once.

Does this sound familiar? You MIGHT be suffering from compassion fatigue if … Adapted from Larowe K. (2005)

How do you know if you have compassion fatigue? Filly C. (2002)

Defining the terms: What is ‘compassion fatigue’? Compassion – Emotional Fatigue – Exhaustion ~ A form of emotional exhaustion that occurs after repeated exposure to the suffering of others while in a caring role. Skovholt T. (2001)

Defining the terms: How is that different from ‘Burnout’? “ Burnout is a process that involves a) gradual repeated exposure to job strains; b) the erosion of idealism and c) a lack of a sense of achievement.” Gentry (2007) “Burnout occurs when there is a chronic condition of perceived demands that outweigh perceived resources.” Baranowsky (2010). Untreated Compassion Fatigue can lead to burn out. Figley C. (2002)

Is there a test for it? opencourses.emu.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/9241/.../Burnout-self-test.pdf

Christina Maslach is best known as one of the pioneering researchers on job burnout. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the most widely used research measure in the burnout field. The MBI Surveys address three general scales: Emotional Exhaustion measures feelings of being emotionally overextended and exhausted by one's work Depersonalization measures an unfeeling and impersonal response toward recipients of one's service, care treatment, or instruction Personal Accomplishment measures feelings of competence and successful achievement in one's work. http://www.mindgarden.com/117-maslach-burnout-inventory

Who suffers from it? Often people in Helping/Caring Professions Nurses, Doctors and Medical professionals Social workers, case managers, counselors and those who help lower- income populations. Teachers, Head Start and Early Childhood Professionals Police, Firefighters, EMTs and Crisis Responders Full – time Caregivers of small children or the chronically ill. Skovholt T. (2001); Figley C. (2002); LaRowe, K (2005)

Why are SOME people with these jobs more vulnerable to compassion fatigue ? Personal Characteristics Task Characteristics Contentious Competent Compassionate Committed Significant Needs Limited Resources Time pressure and Deadlines Difficulties are common Skovholt K, (2001); Figley C. (2002)

What can be done to combat this phenomenon? Systemic Prevention is possible - Organizational policies and procedures can be evaluated and adapted to enhance the resiliency of employees and staff. Figley C. (2002)

Institutions can pay attention to Prevention Awareness!! Appropriate provision. Training Staff How to be supportive to each other. TEAM work. In house – debriefing for all staff. Critical Incident Stress Debrief when needed. Provide for closure rituals. Appreciation!! Am I making a difference? Does this work? Figley C. (2002)

What can we OURSELVES do to combat this phenomenon? Primarily individual responsibility rests with each individual to manage themselves (and their stresses) both in and out of the workplace!! SELF CARE is the KEY!! Figley C. (2002)

• Physical Strategies Self-Care is multi-dimensional!! Psychological Strategies Emotional Strategies Spiritual Self-care Work strategies Baranowsky A. (2010)

Do your own self-assessment!

What areas of your life need attention to protect you from compassion fatigue and burn out?

Make your plan! Find the resources. What do you need to succeed?

Sources Skovholt, T. (2001). The Resilient Practitioner. Allyn & Bacon. Figley, C. (2002). Treating compassion fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge. LaRowe, K. (2005). Breath of relief: Transforming compassion fatigue through flow. Boston, Mass.: Acanthus Pub. Gentry, PhD LMHC, J. E. (Director) (2007, September 27). Compassion Fatigue: Prevention & Resiliency. Training session. Lecture conducted from PESI Healthcare LLC, Pittsburgh, PA. Baranowsky, PhD C Psych., A. (Director) (2010, April 24). Compassion Fatigue Specialist Training. Traumatology Certification. Lecture conducted from Traumatology Institute, Toronto, Ontario CANADA. MBI-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS): The original measure that was designed for professionals in the human services. Copyright © 1981 by Christina Maslach & Susan E. Jackson

Lucy Hammond MA LPC www.LJHcounselimg.com ljdhammond@hotmail.com