As camp professionals, we are often drawn to this work because we love humans and have a strong desire to support and to serve. With this good intention at heart, we sometimes find ourselves in situations where it becomes difficult to say “no” and hold emotional boundaries. Commonly referred to as “compassion fatigue,” what happens when the stress of working in the midst of others’ stress and emotions begins to affect our ability to empathize with others? This workshop helps camp professionals learn the causes and effects of compassion fatigue and offers coping strategies, warning signs and action plans to help minimize compassion fatigue. The workshop will also help professionals personally answer the question: How do I balance my ability to empathize and be compassionate with my campers and staff with my need to protect and sustain myself this summer?
Learning Objectives:
- Know: Professionals will be able to define and understand compassion fatigue, the symptoms associated with it, and their personal and professional trigger points
- Do: Professionals will build skills to support campers and staff while maintaining healthy emotional boundaries
- Feel: Professionals will feel empowered to say no and ready to ask for support when they need it