Compassion Fatigue—Building Resilience

Have you ever felt overwhelmed, burdened, or simply fatigued by the job? We have all felt ‘that feeling’ at some point in our career. Some more than others; however, the importance is awareness and the ability to recognize compassion fatigue and then have the tools to overcome it. The importance of recognizing these signs and symptoms of oneself and their peers cannot be overstressed. The good news? Compassion satisfaction is characterized by the feeling of fullness and gaining joy in what we do. There are risk factors that go along with compassion fatigue. Many have negative coping skills, pre-existing high levels of stress, poor or absent social support, and most have spent years neglecting themselves to take care of others. With a combination of risk factors and providers giving themselves to others, we experience compassion fatigue to the point of offering their customers sub-par care. Building resilience is so very important. Taking care of ourselves, spending time for ourselves, and resting for not only our physical health, but our mental health will ensure we are offering our best each and every day to those we serve.