Ep # 197 Compassion Fatigue & The Holidays
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
Release Date: 12/08/2022
Ep# 274 My Summer Awakening
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
In this episode I share with you what I'm calling my Summer Awakening or my Mid-Life Awakening. And I want to invite you to join me in it. It's a simple approach to summer that will result in an overall improvement in your wellbeing and mental health.
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Ep# 273 Lessons From My Mentor
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
I've been thinking a lot about all the things I learned from my veterinary mentor Dr. Skip Leighton and wanted to share that with you. He's even partially responsible for the work I do today. Listen and find out how.
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Ep#272 Dysregulated Clients
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
Whether you serve veterinary clients, the general public or someone else, you need to be aware of how your policies and procedures may be creating (or adding to) nervous system dysregulation in others. What I'm about to say in this episode may not be agreed upon by everyone but hear me out. It just might have the potential to help!
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Ep# 271 Motherless Daughters:A Heartfelt Chat with Kelly Burich
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
The "club" we never wanted to be in, being a motherless daughter. Join me as I welcome back to the pod, the fabulous, spunky and always witty dynamo Kelly Burich, for a conversation about love, loss and grief. In honor of Mother's Day, we talk about our beloved mom's Pamela and Nancy. You won't want to miss this as we laugh and cry about our mama's.
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Ep# 270 Best Of: The 5 Chapters of Your Life
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
Today's episode is from the archives of 2022. An Autobiography in Five Chapters by Portia Nelson Chapter 1 I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost….I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. Chapter 2 I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the side walk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out. Chapter 3 I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I...
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Ep# 269 Conscious Compartmentalization
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
"Compartmentalization is a defense mechanism in which people mentally separate conflicting thoughts, emotions, or experiences to avoid the discomfort of contradiction" according to Psychology Today. I believe compartmentalization can be an effective coping strategy for people who work in the emotionally charged fields of vet med, animal welfare and lab animal research. But it has to be conscious. Listen and learn what I mean by that.
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Ep# 268 Mindset & CBT
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
Understanding the interconnectedness of your thoughts, feelings and behavior is the key to self-awareness and empowerment. We all just want others to behave differently so we can feel better. That's the long way.
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Ep#267 Different Brains: A Conversation with Nicole Clausen CSSGB, CCFP
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits. (Harvard Health Publishing) Understanding that not everyone's brain works the same is the crux of this interview I have with Nicole Clausen, founder of Veterinary Care Logistics, an inventory management company. You can find out more about Nicole's company, Veterinary Care Logistics at: Book recommendations by Nicole: Here are my 3(ish) book recs: (extra one...
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Ep# 266 "Just" A Mouse
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
Euthanizing animals brings up a plethora of emotions including compassion, guilt and doubt. What your relationship is with the animal also tends to dictate what emotional path you may go down. Pet owner, veterinary professional and animal welfare personnel may all feel a different level or attachment or detachment. But what about lab animal professionals? These folks work with research animals to find cures, therapies, discoveries and innovations that extend lives to humans and animals. So how do the folks that dedicate their lives to lab animal research cope with the levels of euthanasia they...
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Ep# 265 Professionals Don't Cry...Or Do They?
Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions for Animal Workers
This week I'm sharing two of my favorite readings. One's that speaks to why as an animal professional you need to make space for grief. This is from Dr. Rachel Remen's "Kitchen Table Wisdom" book and this chapter is aptly named "Professionals Don't Cry". Also in the episode I read from John Roedel's "Remedy", poem #37. Registration is currently open for my 6-month online group for women veterinarians, Living A Life You Love. This group runs April-September and you can get all the info Registration closes on March 29, 2024 at 11:59pm ET.
info_outlineThe holidays are tough for many people and can be even more so if you work with animals. Euthanasia rates seem to increase right around the holidays, stress and obligation seem to rise as well. It's no wonder that so many animal workers tell me they feel higher levels of compassion fatigue this time of year. It makes sense.
I have some suggestions in this episode of things I think can help you.
My two favorite charities I mention in this episode are:
Catskill Animal Sanctuary (where I was a tour guide for 6 years and am still a supporter of) https://casanctuary.org/
and Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary (H.E.E.F.S), home of Esther the Wonder Pig https://www.happilyeveresther.ca/
Your money goes directly to helping rescued farmed animals!
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