Combatting Compassion Fatigue

BY JANET VANDERZANDEN

The practice of law is unique in that it allows us as lawyers the opportunity to have a direct impact on the lives of our clients. For those of us working in the arena of public-interest law, the stakes can be especially high. The populations we serve are often disenfranchised and illequipped to navigate our complex and unforgiving legal system.

Compassion fatigue is secondary trauma caused by the repeated exposure to the trauma that our clients face.

The challenges and issues our clients face can be overwhelming. And as the person trying to make sense of the chaos, the responsibility for their well-being can similarly feel overwhelming. Over the past month alone, I navigated a client’s unsuccessful discharge from her residential drug treatment program, supported a client through the travails that come with her chronic homelessness, and faced the reality of a client’s devastating suicide. It is intense and at times, unrelenting.

Law is a helping profession, and no matter who the client is (be it a corporation, a criminal defendant, or a struggling parent), the goal is to get the result the client wants and needs. That is our job. However, in the pursuit of that goal, we—as the professionals—have to be extraordinarily aware of how to protect our own interests… and sanity.

Compassion fatigue is a real thing and can be an occupational hazard in the legal field. It is not only physical and emotional exhaustion, but an actual decrease in our ability to empathize and feel compassion professionally and personally. It can impact our ability to connect not only with clients, but also with co-workers, friends, and even family. It is secondary trauma caused by the repeated exposure to the trauma that our clients face. The physical and psychological impact of being in the trenches of someone else’s traumatic life can result in depression, anxiety, detachment, disinterest, and even the physical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Preventing compassion fatigue (or dealing with it, if it is already happening to you), is hard and strikes a different balance for each individual. It is a matter of identifying if and when you are at risk, and finding what works for you personally to make it better. That being said, consider the following:

Set boundaries. In my own practice, my job is to prevent my clients’ parental rights from being terminated by the State. A big part of that effort is helping them find the tools to address the issues that brought their children into care in the first place. That means tackling heavy issues like drug addiction, mental illness, poverty, domestic violence, and child abuse. Our job is to provide effective legal representation, and the challenge is to remain supportive without taking on the emotional burden of our clients’ pain or the responsibility for their decisions. It is paramount to find that human connection while respecting that we, as professionals, are independent people with needs of our own.

Focus on physical health. This is so much easier said than done. But eating a clean diet, exercising, and getting a decent amount of sleep have a tremendous impact on our ability to effectively separate emotion from legal advocacy, and to focus on the task at hand.

Do not go it alone. If you are lucky enough to have colleagues (and even luckier to have colleagues you respect and adore), use them. Use them to vent, to collaborate, and to strategize. And if you are a solo practitioner—FIND colleagues. Join bar associations, mentoring groups, and professional organizations. The internet has opened a whole new world for collaboration. There are dozens of Facebook groups dedicated to specific practice areas, which provide a unique way to connect with people doing similar work.

Find an outlet. We all need something outside of work to fill us up. This has to be more than sporadic “self-care,” but instead something tangible that feeds your soul. For me, it is active involvement with my kids, their school, and extracurricular activities. For others, it might be a robust social life or dedication to a meaningful hobby. We all need an outlet outside of work that brings our life meaning, satisfaction, and joy.

The practice of law is a rewarding and meaningful way to contribute to the community and the greater good. But it is also really hard work and can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Recognizing these issues and taking the time to identify avenues of self-care and kindness are incredibly important and critical to both personal and professional satisfaction. When we make ourselves a priority, the quality of representation we give our clients can only get better. Be kind to yourself—you deserve it. AL

Janet VanderZanden is no stranger to compassion fatigue. She currently works as a staff attorney at the Travis County Office of Parental Representation, where she represents parents in termination of parental rights cases. Prior to her work in child welfare law, she practiced post-conviction capital defense in both Texas and California, representing clients on death row.