Compassion Fatigue: our achille’s heal

Caring too much can hurt. When caregivers focus on others without practicing self-care, destructive behaviors can surface.  Compassion Fatigue can affect anyone who is working in the helping profession.  Vicarious Trauma, Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cumulative Traumatic Stress, Burnout, all amount to feeling worn down and unproductive with our clients and work. This presentation will give participants preliminary CF assessment tools and discuss ideas related to finding wellness factors that are attainable for all of us.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR:

Barton Erickson, Coordinator of Cornerstone’s PAVE (Preventing Abuse and Violence through Education) program is currently in his 12^th year of service in South Hennepin Middle and High Schools.  Cornerstone provides an array of services for those affected by family violence in the communities of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Richfield, St. Louis Park, and Edina.  PAVE is Cornerstone’s school-based violence prevention program.  Through a combination of direct student services and classroom presentations PAVE works with youth to create environments of respect, responsibility, and positive change.