Treating and Preventing Compassion Fatigue
through Relaxation and Resiliency
By Mary Rose Remington
Part two in a two-part series
“That which is to give light must endure burning.”
Viktor Frankl 1963
We learned in last month’s column that compassion fatigue is the deep physical, emotional and/or spiritual exhaustion that causes a decline in one’s ability to experience joy or to feel and care for others. It is the cumulative result of actually absorbing and internalizing the emotions of patients, clients, co-workers even friends or family members. This column explores the good news about compassion fatigue. It’s treatable—even preventable—if we are open to learning healthier ways of working, living, and thinking to cope with the daily stressors.
Fruitful Friday
On a Friday in September, I was one of about a hundred health professionals and counselors who packed a crowded hotel room to participate in Dr. J. Eric Gentry’s workshop: Compassion Fatigue: Prevention and Resiliency. Dr. Gentry is an internationally recognized leader in the study and treatment of compassion fatigue, who with Anna Baranowsky and Kathleen Dunning, developed an Accelerated Recovery Program for caregivers suffering from compassion fatigue. Eric has worked with hundreds of helping professionals, including those who served the Oklahoma City Bombing survivors, first responders who helped on 911 and therapists in the state of Florida working with survivors of natural disasters. Although I can’t capture all the great learnings of the day, I can summarize his wisdom about treatment and prevention of compassion fatigue as well as ways to build resilience.
Five Phases
Dr. Gentry describes these five phases of the continuum of compassion fatigue:
1. Zealot/Idealist Phase:
We are committed, involved, available and ready to solve any problem. We put in extra hours, volunteer and willingly go the extra mile without prompting.
2. Irritability Phase
We begin to cut corners, avoid patient/client contact, mock our colleagues or patients, daydream or become distracted when clients speak with us. We find ourselves making mistakes and begin to distance ourselves from our friends and co-workers.
3. Withdrawal Phase
Our enthusiasm turns sour, patients become a blur and run together, we are tired all the time and the stress at work starts to creep into our personal lives. We neglect our family, co-workers, clients and ourselves.
4. Zombie Phase
Hopelessness turns to rage and we begin to hate people and view others as incompetent. We develop a disdain for our patients, have no patience, no sense of humor and have no time for fun.
5. Pathology and Victimization vs. Maturation and Renewal Phase
This is the stage where we may become physically ill, become overwhelmed and leave the job or profession, or we undergo a transformation, learn resiliency techniques and develop a healthy hardiness.
Assess where you may be at on the compassion fatigue continuum by going to my website (www.maryremington.com) and taking the compassion fatigue self-assessment by Charles Figley.
Treatment
In his Accelerated Recovery Program, Dr. Gentry helps professionals accept their compassion fatigue and teaches them anxiety management and relaxation techniques, which is the key to recovery and building resilience. He helps caregivers who are suffering from post-traumatic stress themselves, teaches them how to self-monitor, and demonstrates ways to live pro-actively with intentionality instead of responding in a reactionary mode.
Developing Resiliency- Fitness for Front Line Caregivers
For caregivers who wish to develop resiliency, Dr. Gentry has created a five formula plan including:
Self-regulation
Ability to switch from the sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous system (using relaxation techniques) after you have determined you are safe from threat.
Intentionality
Being able to follow your mission and developing an internal locus of control instead of operating from an external, reactive mode. This requires spiritual and professional maturation.
Self-validated Caregiving
Becoming resilient to judgment by clients and peers, feeling a sense of confidence, self-esteem and potency balanced with humility. Supervising ourselves with care and compassion instead of criticism and coercion.
Connection/Support
Taking responsibility to create your own personal and safe network of friends, family and/or colleagues where you can tell your story, act authentically and get support for what troubles you.
Self-Care
Finally it’s crucial we refill our bucket on a regular basis, including aerobic activity at least three times a week for a minimum of twenty minutes. Solitude, spiritual practices, nature, music, art and hobbies are examples of energizing leisure activities.
Career Implications
It’s important that helping professionals work on clearing up their compassion fatigue first, before they make a decision to change jobs. Otherwise they may jump out of the proverbial frying pan and into another fire, or needlessly leave a profession they love.
Remington’s Remedy
Kenny Loggins said, “Pain is intended to be a mover, not a permanent place of residence.” Our perceptions, habits and ways of working and living don’t budge until we’ve experienced enough pain. If you’ve had enough pain, move forward and confront compassion fatigue with the knowledge that it is treatable. For more information and helpful resources, see the list below.
Sidebar Statistics
54% of office based physicians report experiencing a time when they no longer had compassion, even after a restful weekend.
Family Practice Management, Pfifferling and Gilley
54% of U.S. employees report feeling ‘used up’ at the end of the day.
Ellen Galinsky, President of Families and Work Institute
Helpful Resources
Dr. Eric Gentry’s website www.compassionunlimited.com
For dates and locations of Dr. Eric Gentry’s workshops contact PESI Healthcare
Phone 1- 800-843-7763 or www.pesihealthcare.com
Books
1. Help for the Helper; the Psychophysiology of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma
2. The Body Remembers
Both by Babette Rothchild
3. Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatized
Bruner/Mazel
4. Rhythm of Compassion: Caring for Self, Connecting with Society
Gail Straub
5. Mindfulness
Dr. Ellen Langer
Audio Tape
How to Transform Compassion Fatigue
Karl K. LaRowe (www.pesihealthcare.com)
Mary Rose Remington, M.S.Ed. is a career counselor and life coach, motivational speaker and freelance writer from St. Paul. She is the author of Career Quest- a Practical and Spiritual Guide to Finding Your Life’s Passion. To schedule a consultation, presentation or to purchase her book, please visit www.maryremington.com, phone
651-457-1302or e-mail Mary Rose at mrose@maryremington.com
