Do You Care Too Much? Do you Have Compassion Fatigue?
(Room B Ballroom)
19 Oct 18
3:00 PM
-
5:00 PM
Everyday dog trainers and other animal professionals give their heart's and soul's to the animals they work with. Often this passion is unappreciated and unrecognized. Over time this can lead to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue, is an occupational hazard in animal related fields and is becoming an epidemic. People who care for animals often become emotionally exhausted, which can lead to depression, substance abuse and even suicide. Because people who work with animals are often passionate about their profession, they will give more to the animals and their clients than they do to themselves. Everyone who is an animal care professional needs to be aware and understand compassion fatigue, can be treated and prevented, but awareness comes first. Common symptoms are exhaustion (mentally, physically and emotionally), isolation, poor self-care, bottled up emotions, depression and excessive complaining.