March 2022

Ann Renn - BHS

Stacey Endicott - BHS

Joe Bavlnka - BHS

Christina Olson - JYMS

Laurie Kowalke - JYMS

John Davies - East and West

Rylee McCarthy - GLW and NF

Brianna Capesius - ABE

In this section of the toolkit we will delve more deeply into the concept of compassion fatigue; how it connects to our understanding of trauma, the stages that one might experience if compassion fatigue is not addressed, and how to assess our levels of secondary trauma, burnout and compassion satisfaction. As we grow in our understanding of the extent and impact of trauma on the students we teach, their families and our communities, our ability to maintain an open and compassionate approach can be challenged. Compassion fatigue can develop slowly overtime and go unrecognized. This section gives us insights that can guide us to take proactive measures to prevent its progression.

We know that being in the field of education can be rewarding and also challenging. Teaching and acquiring knowledge is hard work in and of itself; however, it can be more difficult when students present with obstacles, such as homelessness, community violence, physical and emotional abuse and domestic violence in the home environment. These trials often impede the learning process.

Staff that work with students who experience traumatic events are often deeply affected. Some staff may suffer from secondary trauma. Secondary trauma can happen to us when we come to know the traumatic events that the students we serve have experienced. While it is uncommon, some helpers experience some of the same symptoms of trauma as if the experience had happened to them.

Secondary trauma is one aspect of compassion fatigue. Ross Greene, clinical child psychologist and respected author and trainer in the education field, refers to compassion fatigue quite simply as a decrease in a person’s capacity to empathize with those who are suffering. Adding the concept of burnout creates a more inclusive understanding of why some educators may experience compassion fatigue.

Burnout can be the outcome when educators face unrealistic job expectations or do not know how to successfully meet typical expectations. Very few staff come to a job in a school setting knowing fully how to address multiple academic expectations as well as all of the behavioral challenges that are presented to them by their students. These expectations can be overwhelming and can lead to burnout if measures are not taken to build skills, support resilience and alleviate the symptoms.

What does compassion fatigue look like? What are the symptoms to look for early on to be able to minimize its impact and create (or return to) a path of resilience? Eric Gentry, PhD, offers a way to understand compassion fatigue in his staged model. Cat pictures were added to Gentry’s work by some of the authors of this toolkit to add some fun and assist with memory.

The ProQOL is a 30 question, self-administered, self-scored, free assessment.

When you help people you have direct contact with their lives. As you may have found, your compassion for those you help can affect you in positive and negative ways. Discover your personal levels of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress by taking the assessment linked above.