compassion fatigue · •i’m so tired! - me •"compassion fatigue is a state experienced by...
TRANSCRIPT
Compassion Fatigue
Laura StillmunkesExecutive Director
Capital Adoptive Families Alliance
Agenda
Compassion Fatigue
What it is
What it does
Who gets it
What to do about it
Definitions
• Indifference to charitable appeals on behalf of those who are suffering, experienced as a result of the frequency or number of such appeals. - dictionary.com
• I’m so tired! - Me
• "Compassion Fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper.” - Dr. Charles Figley, Professor, Director Tulane Traumatology Institute, Tulane University
Burnout or Compassion Fatigue
Compassion Fatigue:
Affect well-beingSleep disturbanceIsolation and loss of moralLoss of hope and meaningIdentity, worldview and
Spirituality are impactedLoss of self-worthDepression and PTSD
Burnout:
EnthusiasmStagnationFrustrationApathy
Who Gets It?Nurses up to 70%
New doctors up to 90%
Therapists and social workers up to 70%
Child welfare workers 1 in 2 - extreme STS
Parents- ??
• Compassionate
• Empathic
• Taught to care for others first
Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project
Professional Quality of Life (ProQol) Self Test
Life Self Test
Empath Test
What To DoRecognize, don’t ignore it.
Be kind to yourself.
You do you, first. Always!
Clarify your boundaries, express your needs.
Eating, sleeping exercise, self care…
Don’t isolate.
Get help.
Resources
healthycaregiving.com
compassionfatigue.org
What you do today can improve your tomorrowsRalph Marston
Only I can Change My Life………Carol Burnett
Taking Care of Your SelfParents and Children for Wellness
WELCOME•Introductions•Housekeeping
Taking Care of Yourself
Life Stress TestThis scale show the kind of life pressure that you are facing. Depending on your coping skills or the lack there of, this scale can predict the likelihood that you will fall victim to a stress related illness.
Life stress scores• 0-149 Low susceptibility to
stress- related illness
• 150-299 Medium susceptibility to stress related illness
Learn to practice relaxation and stress management skills and a healthy well life style.
• 300 and over High susceptibility to stress related illness
Daily practice of relaxation skills is very important for your wellness.
• Take care of it now before a serious illness erupts or an affliction becomes worse.
• Compassion Fatigue awareness project 2008-9
So…Are you feeling stressed out?
• Connect with others• Stay positive• Get physically active• Help Others• Get enough rest• Joy• Eat right• Take care of your spirit• Dealing better with hard times
Here are some tools that can help you to cope better:
How to Cope with Stress & Burnout• Accept that the situation itself is stressful
• Share your feelings with a trusted friend, co worker or family member acknowledge other who are experiencing the same
• Enhance your communication skills to lessen feelings of being unheard
• Initiate positive action to change your environment
• Suggest solutions to proper management
• Care for your personal needs, ( good nutrition, hygiene, exercise)
• Take time away from your stressful situation. Allow others to help
DID YOU KNOW?Research suggests that people who feel connected are happier and healthier and may even live longer.
GOOD NEWSPeople who regularly focus on the positives in their lives are less upset by painful memories.
Stay PositiveThinking negatively can drag your mood down and your health
Hey! but don’t worry, experts say that you CAN learn to be less gloomy!
Here are some ways to stay positive
Don’t assume the worst
Keep a gratitude journal
Remember your achievements
How to connect with others
Join a book club Hiking club Bowling league
Or any type of club or activity you might be interested in.
Boost Your MoodExercise can help prevent heart disease, relieve insomnia, reduce anxiety and depression.
Our bodies are built to move, especially when they are pumping out stress-induced hormones.
Here are some ways to help you remember to exercise:
Put it on you calendar, schedule physical activity as you would a Dr’s appointment
Work out with a friend Really run your errands, you can
still find small ways to get active. Park your car further away from the store and walk
Create joy and satisfaction Listen to a humorous CD Do something you loved as a kid
1. Finger paint2. Run through the sprinklers3. Swing on a swing at the playground
JUMP FOR JOY
When you do good You feel good
Some research has shown that those who consistently help others experience less depression, greater calm and fewer pains.
Help others
If you help your neighbor, it is good for them as well as for you
Volunteer with a community organization Volunteer a smile Tell someone what you admire about them
Get enough rest
Sleep may seem like a waste of time when there is so much to do, but you will be more successful at your task if you are well rested
Helpful Hints:1. No more caffeine2. De-stress yourself before going to bed3. Avoid frustration: if you can’t fall asleep within
10 or 15 (minutes) go ahead and get up.
Eat Well Our bodies as well as our brains need fuel
to function to their fullest potential Eat regularly With eating healthy snacks (nuts, fresh
vegetables etc) Strive for balance your brain needs
stimulation also. So give it some positive stimulation with positive thinking
Tasty Tidbit
Eating healthy can boost your energy, which can lower your risk of certain diseases and help put in you in a good mood.
Take care of your spirit
Taking care of your spirit means connecting to whatever you consider meaningful and holy, whether that’s God, nature, art or something deep within yourself.
Ways to connect with your spiritualside are
Talk with others who share similar spiritual beliefs and learn from each other
Read inspiring texts for insights that can enrich your life
Pray, focus on your notion of God, with a prayer book or your heart
Inspiring tip
People who have strong spiritual lives may be healthier and live longer. Spirituality seems to cut the stress that can contribute to disease.
Deal better with hard times
Most of us will face some particularly tough times in our lives, like a loss or divorce or a child with mental health and or behavioral challenges. Having ways to cope with these challenges can protect your health and well-being.
Ways to tackle the problem
Instead of just worrying about it, make a list of possible solutions
Get support from others who know what you are going through. They may be able to give you advise on how they worked things out
Write out the problem. Sometimes seeing it in black and white can help you to processes the situation more clearly
SUCCESS!!
We can begin to fight burnout/stress by creating Building Blocks to change.
Walk every day for 15 minutes
Take a nutrition course at the community college in the Spring
Talk to my boss about my workload and suggest ways to lighten it
Talk to my family about ways to lighten my load at home
The six pillars of Self-Esteem Live consciously
Accept yourself
Take responsibility
Be assertive
Live purposefully
Maintain your integrity
Healthy self-esteem is
A blend of self-confidence and self-respect that must be firmly grounded in good character and individual accomplishments.
7 Ways to build self confidence Be careful about comparing yourself to
others Make a list of your past successes Inventory your positive qualities Face a challenge and conquer it Learn something new Pursue activities that you love Take action
7 Ways to Earn Self-Respect
Clarify your values Be true to your self Strive for self-efficacy Give more of yourself Everyday do one specific thing to make the
world a kinder, gentler place Moderate perfectionist tendencies Persevere
Setting Goals
Setting goals can help you to do, be, and experience everything you wan in life
Successful and happy women have an idea of how their life should be and they set lots of goals. Long term goals and short term goals to help them reach their vision
Tips for setting goals
The six P’s of goal setting:1. Positive2. Present tense3. Personal4. Precise5. Possible6. Powerful
Positive
Goals must be stated in positive rather than negative terms.
Present Tense
Goals must be written as though they are happening now or have already happened. If you create goals in the future tense, your subconscious will never get there.
Personal
Goals must be about you, and under your control, not about someone else and what they may want for you.
Precise
Goals must be clear and describe exactly what you want to do.
Possible
Goals must be realistic and within the certain realm of possibility to achieve
PowerfulUse words that convey action and emotion
Write these goals down where you will be able to see them at least twice a day
As you read them visualize what you are saying
Activity
• List 5 things you must do on any given day
• List 5 things that would energize you that you want to fit into every given day.
• Write a commitment to accomplish that goal
Reference
www.mentalhealthamerican.net
www.heartmath.com
www.womensmedia.com
Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project 2008-9
Permission to reprint the life stress test received from DrTim Lowenstein
Created by: Cindy ClaflinPC4W,
Acknowledgments