Compassion Fatigue & Burnout: What Works?
Repeated and chronic exposure to large volumes of difficult stories can erode our sense of empathy for others. We can become hardened and desensitized to suffering – or conversely, we can become swallowed up by empathic strain. Since the demand often outweighs what we can offer, we may also find ourselves experiencing moral distress when we cannot help everyone who turns to us. What is the impact of this on our physical and emotional well-being?
How can we stay well while providing support to others?
In this presentation, based on her popular Tedx talk, Françoise Mathieu will explore:
— Levels of Exposure: Assess what elements are risk factors for you
— Where Are You Now? Learn how to identify and recognize warning signs in yourself and others
— Assess your current strategies at home and at work
— Make a plan: Steps to address your vulnerabilities
Reading Recommendations:
- Tedx Talk
- Mathieu, F. (2012). The Compassion Fatigue Workbook: Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Traumatization. New York, NY: Routledge.
- Miller, B.C. (2022) Reducing secondary traumatic stress: skills for sustaining a career in the helping professions, Routledge.
- van Dernoot Lipsky, L. & Burke, C. (2009). Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
- van Dernoot Lipsky, L. (2018). The Age of Overwhelm: Strategies for the Long Haul. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Videos/Podcast:
- Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center: New video series on the impact of secondary traumatic stress in the workplace.
- A shift in perspective, why it’s time to stop using “Compassion Fatigue” Panel discussion with F. Mathieu, D. Tikasz, G. Sprang and B. Bride
- PH&S Canada Podcast- With Francoise Mathieu
- There is no one magic bullet – With Françoise Mathieu
About the Speaker:
Françoise Mathieu
Françoise Mathieu is the Executive Director of TEND, whose aim is to offer consulting and training to professionals on topics related to secondary trauma, empathic strain, burnout, self-care, wellness, and organizational health. Françoise is a Registered Psychotherapist and a subject matter expert on topics related to empathic strain and secondary trauma. Before becoming a specialist on stress and trauma, Françoise worked as a mental health provider doing both crisis management and employee support to military personnel, medical students, residents, law enforcement, 911 communicators and other community mental health professionals in need of psychological support.
Françoise has worked with the University of Southern California, the Los Angeles Police, Cirque du Soleil, the Chief Coroner’s Office and many other organizations that do high stress exposed work. Françoise is a TedX speaker and is one of the founding members of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Consortium. She is also the author of “The Compassion Fatigue Workbook” which was published by Routledge in 2012 as well as several articles and publications.
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Next Event:
- University of Greenwich, London
- 18/12/2022
