Supporting ourselves

Abstract

Compassion fatigue, also known as secondary traumatic stress, can result from a social worker working with traumatized clients in all areas of social work. If affected by compassion fatigue, the social worker will begin to experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-like symptoms, which can have a deleterious effect on his/her personal and professional life. If the symptoms of compassion fatigue are left untreated, it could lead to ethical concerns with the client or leaving the social work profession. It is extremely important for the social worker to seek individual help to treat the symptoms and effects of compassion fatigue; however, it is also important to seek out the assistance of therapeutic support groups. This paper will discuss various strategies that can be employed in therapeutic support groups for social workers to help them ameliorate the effects of compassion fatigue.

Sociological conceptualizations of compassion fatigue: Expanding our understanding

“…For instance, Adlerian therapy, focusing on internal factors related to the worker, might be a useful tool for compassion fatigue as reported from a case study example with firefighters (Garner, Baker, & Hagelgans, 2016). Bourassa and Clements (2010) found group support is efficacious for social workers experiencing compassion fatigue. Similarly, outcomes from a small survey of military health care providers who took part in a Care Provider Support Program (CPSP) reported improved resiliency and reduced compassion fatigue (Weidlich & Ugarriza, 2015).…”

Overview of Guidance and Counseling Teachers’ Compassion Fatigue and its Correlation With Empathy in Individual Counseling Service

“…In the role of a social worker, individuals often confront and address issues tied to the enduring suffering of others over extended periods, making it inevitable to encounter fatigue in offering compassion or experiencing compassion fatigue. (Cartagena, 2022), This is supported by several studies that link compassion fatigue to social workers, including teachers, nurses, doctors and counsellors (Adams et al, 2006;Bourassa & Clements, 2010;Cartagena, 2022;Jalan, 2023;Kapoulitsas & Corcoran, 2015;Raudhoh & Krisnawati, 2019;Robino, 2019;Stanley & Sebastine, 2024;Theses et al, 2021) Counsellors, especially those who work in schools, are called guidance and counselling teachers (BK), who are really needed to help students achieve their potential and solve their problems. Just like social workers, counselors are susceptible to compassion fatigue, which could be linked to the varying degrees of empathy demanded during individual counseling sessions.…”