Prevent Compassion Fatigue

Compassion fatigue has been referred to as "the cost of caring" for others in several fields of work -- notably healthcare, social work and other professions in which empathy and hands-on human assistance can lead to something close to burnout. Compassion fatigue is described as a "…stress response that emerges suddenly and without warning and includes a sense of helplessness, isolation and confusion" (Slocum-Gori, 2011, p. 173). The difference between compassion fatigue and burnout is that a person who is experiencing compassion fatigue can "…still care and be involved" with clients -- albeit in a way that is somewhat "compromises" (Slocum-Gori, 173). But on the other hand, a professional suffering from burnout is in danger of becoming ineffective; and burnout can happen in any profession, while compassion fatigue relates specifically to those in the helping profession.

Area 2: My Personal Self-Care Plan

The literature on compassion fatigue...
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