THE COST OF CARING
Renee Branson, MA, NCC
Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

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Anytime someone in the helping profession is exposed to a primary victim’s experience, that person experiences
Secondary Traumatic Stress. This is normally short-lived.
Compassion Fatigue is a term that refers to a helper’s reaction to long term exposure to
Secondary Traumatic Stress.
Left untreated, compassion fatigue can lead to a state of physical, emotional & mental exhaustion known as
Burnout. Burnout can be career ending.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

(or, “Come on, but I’m the helper not helpee!”)
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Those who work with child abuse survivors have the highest rates of compassion fatigue.
Untreated, compassion fatigue can result in burnout, depression and anxiety.
Burnout is a leading cause for helping professionals to leave their careers.
In short….YES! It is a problem and
YES, even the helper needs to ask for help!
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

What makes us susceptible?
Empathy/ Mirroring
What makes us good at what we do, also makes us more vulnerable to
Compassion Fatigue.
can work for us or against us.
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Empathic concern allows us to feel
for another person; “I am often touched by the things I see happen.”
Empathic contagion makes us feel
with a person; “I cannot continue to feel ok if people around me are depressed.”
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

What makes us susceptible?
Countertransference
Specifically, this relates to our own personal connection to our clients’/ families’ success.
The Counter-transference
Litmus Test
What is your reaction to a clients’ setback?
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“I wonder if there is another approach I could have used to help my client succeed?”
“I fail at everything I do! Why doesn’t that mom like me enough to listen to my advice!”
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

What makes us susceptible?
“Self” of therapist/ social worker/ helping professional
We are always affected by our own personal situations.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

What makes us susceptible?
Situational Factors
The environment around us—everything from our relationship with our colleagues to the space in which we work—affect our resilience to
Compassion Fatigue.
How does it physically and emotionally feel to be at work?
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Do you have appropriate work space that is comfortable?
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Do you have the ability to seek privacy during the day?
Does your team and supervisor show their support?
Are you able to voice concerns and feel heard?
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

Assessments
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There are no formal assessment measures at the organizational level.
This makes is all the more important for management to selfassess
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training
Intervention
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Maintain adequate staffing levels
Comfort, privacy, safety in workplace
Respectful environment
Team building
Acknowledgement that
Compassion Fatigue is an occupational hazard.
Creation of agency-wide
Standards of Self-Care
Guidelines.

Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

Assessment
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Self care/ basic needs assessments-how well do you already take care of yourself?
Life stress measurementwhat events are going on in your life that cause stress?
Stress vulnerability/ resiliency measuresidentifies behaviors that influence how stress affects us.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training
Intervention
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Physical self care: exercise, nutrition, adequate breaks.
Self-soothing: mindfulness exercises, relaxation, quiet time
Support systems: family, friendships, community
Personal psychotherapy.

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T A K E A M O M E N T T O F I N D A P A R T N E R
C O M P L E T E T H E P E R S O N A L A S S E S S M E N T S :
A S M U C H A S Y O U F E E L C O M F O R T A B L E , D I S C U S S
T H E F O L L O W I N G W I T H Y O U R P A R T N E R :
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D O E S Y O U R S C O R E A C C U R A T E L Y R E F L E C T T H E
L E V E L O F S T R E S S I N Y O U R L I F E A S Y O U S E E I T ?
D O E S Y O U R C U R R E N T L E V E L O F S E L F C A R E
E N H A N C E Y O U R R E S I L I E N C E O R L E A V E Y O U
V U L N E R A B L E ?
W H A T S U R P R I S E D Y O U M O S T A B O U T Y O U R
R E S U L T S ?
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

Measuring Life Stress
If the current level of stress continues, physical outcomes can occur:
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Score 150-199: You have a
37% of a minor, stress related illness.
Score 200-299: You have a
51% chance of developing a major illness.
Score over 300: You have a
79% chance of a major health breakdown.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching &
Training
Vulnerability to Stress
To calculate, add up the figures and subtract 20.
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Score below 10=excellent resistance to stress.
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Score over 30 = some vulnerability to stress
Score over 50 = serious vulnerability to stress.

Assessment
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Professional Quality of
Life (ProQoL) Scale.
Checking your basic needs at work
Identifying personal
“early warning signs”
Intervention
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Supervision
Continued professional development
Work-life balance
Goal & motivation awareness.
Peer support
Time management
Assertiveness skills
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

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T A K E A M O M E N T T O F I N D A P A R T N E R
C O M P L E T E T H E P E R S O N A L A S S E S S M E N T S :
A S M U C H A S Y O U F E E L C O M F O R T A B L E ,
D I S C U S S T H E F O L L O W I N G W I T H Y O U R
P A R T N E R :
W H A T , I F A N Y T H I N G , S U R P R I S E D Y O U
A B O U T Y O U R R E S U L T S ?
H O W D O Y O U D E F I N E S A T I S F A C T I O N ,
B U R N O U T A N D F A T I G U E I N Y O U R O W N
L I F E ? D O E S I T S E E M T O M A T C H W H A T
Y O U ’ V E A S S E S S E D Y O U R S E L F O N ?
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

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Where do YOU fit?
Low Burnout, Low Compassion Fatigue, High
Satisfaction= Enjoy Your Job!
High Burnout, High Compassion Fatigue, Low
Satisfaction= Change Careers
High Burnout, Low Compassion Fatigue, High
Satisfaction=Change Jobs
Low Burnout, Low Compassion Fatigue, Low
Satisfaction=Change Population Served
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

Reviewing your results
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Review the Self-Assessments you have taken today.
Identify the areas for which you are at risk.
In Part A of Setting Goals, list all the areas in which you want to make changes.
After you have made your list, rank items with 1 being the highest priority.
Discuss your list with your partner.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

SMART goals are:
S pecific
M easureable
A ttainable
R ealistic
T ime-based
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training
Examples:
“During the next 30 days, I will go to the gym three times per week for one hour each time, beginning this Saturday.”
“Beginning next week I will turn off my work phone from 6pm-8am.”

Maintenance Goals
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Those who currently have minimal stressors or high resiliency may choose maintenance goals.
“I will continue to take the hour lunch breaks that help me recharge, without feeling guilty.”
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training
Growth Goals
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Those who currently have minimal coping strategies or multiple stressors may choose growth goals.
“I will practice mindfulness by doing deep breathing exercises at least once a day.”

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Based on your priorities listed in your Self
Assessment Part 1, create three SMART Goals for personal self care.
Identify the resources available to you for the implementation of your goals.
Identify the loved one/ friend to whom you will turn for support in the implementation of your goals.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

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Based on your priorities listed in your Professional
Self Assessments, create three SMART work-related self care goals.
Identify the resources available to you for the implementation of your work related goals.
Identify a person at work to whom you will turn for support in the implementation of your goals.
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

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Are there resistances/ obstacles to the implementation of your plan?
These can be internal or external.
If yes, what are they?
Will any of your resources you have listed help you overcome the obstacles?
If not, how will you overcome your obstacles to self care?
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

T U R N A W A R E N E S S I N T O A C T I O N
W O R K Y O U R P L A N
H E L P O T H E R S S T A Y A C C O U N T A B L E
A S K F O R A N D S E E K A D D I T I O N A L S U P P O R T & T R A I N I N G
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training

RENEE BRANSON, MA, NCC
C E R T I F I E D C O M P A S S I O N F A T I G U E E D U C A T O R
7 2 0 - 2 2 0 - 1 1 5 2
R E N E E _ B R A N S O N @ H O T M A I L . C O M
Renee Branson, MA, NCC--Lotus Coaching & Training