InSession Magazine- April 2022

Page 47

Compassion Fatigue An exhaustion of the Frontline Worker Professional Experience Article

As a licensed professional counselor (LPC), I hear the struggles and tragedies of others on a weekly bases. I have done this work for 20+ years and the increase in mental health services has seen a sharp increase in the year 2020 and has carried into 2021/2022. Clinicians are having to create waitlist and increase their caseloads at the same time they are juggling changes in their own personal lives due to the pandemic. I write this article for my fellow colleagues in the mental health profession as the need for services continues to increase and compassion fatigue becomes a possible reality. I am reminded of this quote “The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet.” Dr. Naomi Rachel Remen It is no surprise that under the current stressors created during the pandemic the CDC (Center for Disease Control) reports elevated levels of symptoms of anxiety & depressive disorders, substance use and suicidal ideation. Identified populations that are at increased risk include caregivers and essential workers. As our world experiences an increase in mental health needs, hence the demands on helping professionals increases. Frontline workers in the mental health crisis are not just limited to

licensed counselors, this group includes teachers, medical personnel, law enforcement, paramedics, social workers and other 1st responders. Individuals that gravitate towards “helping professions” often posses an extra dose of empathy for those that are hurting and struggling. In addition, many of these professions undergo a great deal of clinical training in the area of empathetic engagement. Even with these added skills and training the weight and increased demand of emotional support needed over this past year can take a toll on even the most highly trained professionals. This toll can be seen as compassion fatigue. After years of research in early 1990’s this term was coined by Charles Figley, Ph.D. His term, compassion fatigue (CF) is different then burnout. Compassion fatigue is defined as profound emotional and physical erosion that takes place when helpers are unable to refuel or regenerate. In contrast to burnout, compassion fatigue can come on more suddenly verses over a long period of time. Another important distinction is that CF occurs with strong levels of job satisfaction verses low job satisfaction like burnout. The key difference for those experiencing CF is being overwhelmed with job demands.


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