¶ … Prevent Compassion Fatigue
Compassion fatigue has been referred to as "the cost of caring" for others in several fields of work -- notably healthcare, social work and other professions in which empathy and hands-on human assistance can lead to something close to burnout. Compassion fatigue is described as a "…stress response that emerges suddenly and without warning and includes a sense of helplessness, isolation and confusion" (Slocum-Gori, 2011, p. 173). The difference between compassion fatigue and burnout is that a person who is experiencing compassion fatigue can "…still care and be involved" with clients -- albeit in a way that is somewhat "compromises" (Slocum-Gori, 173). But on the other hand, a professional suffering from burnout is in danger of becoming ineffective; and burnout can happen in any profession, while compassion fatigue relates specifically to those in the helping profession.
Area 2: My Personal Self-Care Plan
The literature on compassion fatigue almost always refers to the possibility that professionals in the helping profession can also achieve "compassion...
Social workers and others in the helping fields "…feel a sense of return or incentive" when they witness a "change for the better" in their clients (Slocum-Gori, 173). Hence, this is what I will strive for; in order to avoid a deep dive into compassion fatigue; I will pay very close attention to the positives that are being offered to clients, the solutions that are found for clients, the problems that can be solved for clients.
In order to keep a perspective on the big picture and not get bogged down in tedium and compassion fatigue, I will learn to hypnotize myself. A peer-reviewed article in the journal Contemporary Hypnosis points out that hypnosis places emphasis on "…mobilizing positive resources and positive psychology," and can be very helpful at various levels of intervention (Ruysschaert, 2009, p. 159). For people in stressful jobs, including those in the helping profession, self-hypnosis can be integrated into a regular strategy "for self-care," for "setting boundaries…
