Before you burn out, listen to this episode!
The Rut of Compassion Fatigue
It may have been your dream to be a nurse, a physician, a mental health professional, or even a police officer. You expose yourself to the trauma of others when you work in a caring profession.
Your mind fails to distinguish between what is happening to others and what is happening to you.The trauma of others eventually becomes your trauma. That is one of the drawbacks of having empathy towards others.
Compassion fatigue wears us down over time. It creeps in, and we may not realize it is happening to us. Vicariously experiencing trauma changes our minds, our outlook on life, and it may even sabotage our health.
Amy Cunningham shares with us her experiences and knowledge of compassion fatigue. We will learn how it appears, and how to build the five resiliencies within us every day.
Amy Cunningham Bio
Amy is a certified Compassion Fatigue Educator through Green Cross Traumatology. She has traveled throughout the nation advocating a balance between work and life through proven techniques for self-care.
Amy has developed and implemented several assistance programs for organizations to enhance the care of their employees. Her recent TEDx San Antonio Talk, “Drowning in Empathy: The Cost of Vicarious Trauma”, has raised awareness of compassion fatigue and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Her 18-year journey working with nonprofits and mental health organizations includes work in assisting adolescents overcome trauma, and redefine their lives.
Cunningham currently serves as a leadership consultant for CHRISTUS Health facilitating training on effective communication. She has also taught hundreds of leaders within CHRISTUS Health about the importance of self-care and addressing compassion fatigue.
Resources
TEDx San Antonio Talk, “Drowning in Empathy: The Cost of Vicarious Trauma”
Amy Cunningham bio on TEDx San Antonio page
