Compassion Fatigue: Getting the Word Out

The word is getting out…compassion fatigue awareness is spreading!  It’s interesting, when I speak at conferences I always start by asking who has heard of compassion fatigue…very few hands go up. Then I ask who has heard of burnout…and all hands go up!  (Then I ask who HAS burnout, and most of them stay up, lol.)  I then proceed to explain that they are similar, yet different in important ways, and we need to diagnose before we can properly treat.

The interesting thing is that even though most of them have NOT heard of compassion fatigue, they come to the session anyways. It must be that the words alone strike something inside, that even without knowing the definition, the words touch something internal. At open admission conferences, where attendees can choose any topic and any track to attend, the topic of compassion fatigue draws an audiences with a majority of technicians. As a technician myself since 1992, I can understand how these professionals feel drawn to a topic like this…they feel their passion stretched thin on a regular basis. Then there are a handful of managers, front office team members, and occasionally, a veterinarian or two. My hope is that as the word spreads, professionals in EVERY position will realize that compassion fatigue affects their personal and professional lives, and they will strive to learn more.

In the meantime, my webmaster is building a page on this website to list my speaking engagements so that you can see if compassion fatigue is coming to your location or a conference you’re planning to attend. So far these are confirmed engagements: (Stay tuned for more!)

IVECCS in San Antonio, TX, September 14, 2010 on Compassion Fatigue Workshop for Technicians

Colorado VMA in Loveland, CO, September 23-26, 2010 on Organizational Compassion Fatigue for Practice Management

North Dakota Veterinary Technician Association in Fargo, ND, October 1, 2010 on Burnout and Compassion Fatigue

North Carolina Veterinary Conference in Raleigh, NC, November 6, 2010 on Compassion Fatigue and Client Communication

American Association of Equine Practitioners in Baltimore, MD, December 5-8, 2010, on Compassion Fatigue

NAVC in Orlando, FL, January 16 & 17, 2011 on Compassion Fatigue Master Class for Technicians, Client Communication for Technicians, Human Resources for Management

Michigan Veterinary Conference in Lansing, MI, January 28 & 29, 2011 on Compassion Fatigue, Client Communication, Managing the Front Lines and Medical Team, and Creating a Client-Centered Position

AAHA in Toronto, Ontario, March 24-27, 2011, on Compassion Fatigue for Management and a Human Resources Intensive Day-Long Workshop

AVMA in St. Louis, MO, July 16-19, 2011, on Compassion Fatigue, and Technician Management and Professional Development

Southwest Veterinary Symposium in San Antonio, TX, October 1, 2011 on Compassion Fatigue, Client Communication, and Professional Development for Office Personnel

Hope to see you soon!

~Katherine