Compassion Fatigue
In honor of Social Work Month, I wanted to take time to discuss compassion fatigue and how it applies to all the clinical professions. Compassion fatigue is defined by the American Institute of Stress as, ““vicarious traumatization” or secondary traumatization (Figley, 1995).” Additionally, it’s “The emotional residue or strain of exposure to working with those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events. It differs from burn-out, but can co-exist. Compassion Fatigue can occur due to exposure on one case or can be due to a “cumulative” level of trauma.”
Clinicians are looked to for answers, solutions, and comfort. This is a field where you will occasionally take the journey with someone who has experienced severe trauma and horror and you will tap into a part of your soul to show that person the purest form of empathy that can be shown. A beautiful therapeutic alliance can form after this and a clinician can gain the trust of that person very quickly. However, compassion is not endless. It does not mean that we stop caring or lose our ability to show empathy. It’s no different than a car which runs on fuel. Clinicians will reach a point where fuel is needed before we can continue.
Compassion fatigue can present as burnout. They are different things, but the symptoms are similar which include anxiety, fatigue, depression, disconnection from others, isolation, difficulty sleeping, disruption in appetite, and feeling dissatisfied in our work. When you pair this with working long hours, poor diet, lack of water, and continued stress from work, these symptoms can really escalate quickly.
It’s important to recognize these symptoms. It’s critical that we give ourselves some grace. Did we go through the trauma that our client’s did? Perhaps not. But, we did vicariously experience the aftermath with the client as they took us on their journey. And that can be taxing, and sometimes traumatic for clinicians. And you know what? That is OK! We are allowed to feel emotions and it should be expected. But, our profession is held to a high standard and it can be hard! We may not be the ones intubating a patient, providing CPR, or prescribing medications, but we are tasked with a significant job. We are here to help the client heal their minds, find their purpose, and be their advocates when they may not have anyone else. We are there to provide a listening ear and support, challenge cognitive distortions, and identify adaptive coping skills that will improve a persons quality of life. We have the tough conversations that they may not want to hear. And when the symptoms of compassion fatigue are present, it can be difficult to persevere to be truly effective for our clients.
It’s important to set boundaries. We need to use the coping skills we promote to our clients in our own lives. We need time ourselves to heal and to learn how to identify the symptoms of compassion fatigue. Our career is so rewarding and can be so powerful. But we have limits. To be the absolute best version of ourselves, we need to know when it’s time for a break. The following quote really encapsulates the message of what I am trying to say in this article:
“Put your own oxygen mask on before helping others,” says psychologist Amy M. Williams, PhD, of the Henry Ford Health System.
I am honored to work alongside so many kind, compassionate, and genuine therapists. Let’s normalize taking breaks, using our PTO for real relaxation, and living a healthier lifestyle because we deserve it! I am proud to be a member of this great community and I want to wish all of my colleagues a happy Social Work/Therapist Month!
