Resources

National Victims of Crime Awareness Week 2012

Included in the two days are 2 Keynote Speakers:

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Here is an interesting new blog post by Dr Robert Muller of York University which explore the ways in which professional interpreters (aka translators) can be deeply impacted by their work, particularly with trauma survivors and refugees. I remember being told the same thing by a sign language interpreter last year. She said (and I quote loosely) “you know when the signer is angry? Well I have to express that anger to the listener, I am the channel through which the anger, or whatever other emotion is being expressed, passes through. It can be very draining work from that perspective.”

Walking the Walk: Creative tools for transforming compassion fatigue with Françoise Mathieu, February 23, 2012 9:00-4:00. The Westin, downtown Halifax.

If you are a Halifax resident, please consider coming to this one day compassion fatigue workshop. This event is being sponsored by Connections Halifax.Early bird rate $120.00 (before Feb 14) and regular rate $150.00 To download a registration form, please click here. 

I didn’t give much thought to the fedex notice on my door on Monday. I was busy with the realities of returning to work after two blissful weeks in winter wonderland. Read more ›

This is a two page self awareness check-in for helpers. It was written by Dr Lee Lipp, a San Francisco-based psychologist (www.leelipp.com) who gave me permission to share it with you. Why not print it out and post it on your desk, somewhere visible? Click here to download.

Lawyers and Compassion Fatigue/Vicarious Trauma

The Wisconsin Lawyer recently published a study of public defenders and their CF/VT rates. Very interesting. Unfortunately, they are using VT and CF interchangeably which doesn’t help with future research wishing to tease out the difference between the two. But the good news is that they are using the definition of burnout accurately! Hopefully at some point we will get agreement on these terms. Click here to read the article. 

CF in Aids Workers

Here is a recent article on Compassion Fatigue in AIDS workers. They have a slightly different twist on CF and burnout and how they relate to each other. Click here to read.

Chronic stress in the workplace costing companies billions

The Globe and Mail published an article on December 8th on the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health which recently published its final report. To quote the Globe: “The roundtable’s final report, which is being released Thursday in Toronto, calls for a 10-year, $10 billion effort by companies and governments to find a cure for depression and improve workplace mental health in Canada, the United States and Britain.” The report provides some shocking statistics on the impact of mental illness on company bottom lines: “The roundtable puts the annual toll at $51 billion (U.S.) in Canada, or 4% of gross domestic product, and a staggering $1.1 trillion across North America and Europe. Four percent of GDP is roughly equal to the combined outpout of Canada’s mining and oil-and-gas industries.” The Globe continues: ”The report found that 18-25 per cent of Canada’s working population likely suffers from depression, or between three million and 4.2 million people.” Click here to view the Roundtable’s reports.

Peer Groups for Physicians

Also in the Globe and Mail, an interesting article about family physicians who have created support groups to reduce the impact of chronically stressful jobs: “As it is, surveys suggest that on-the-job stress and burnout are common among Canadian doctors. A 2001 study of rural family physicians found a self-reported burnout rate of 55 per cent; in a 2008 survey of urban family practitioners in southwestern Ontario, researchers found between 45 and 50 per cent had high scores for burnout symptoms – emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, with a low sense of personal accomplishment.” Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the online version of this article which was published on September 5, 2011 and was entitled “Doctors seek the Rx for burnout” by Sheryl Ubelacker. If you find it, please let me know and I will post a link to it.

Update: Ok I found it! It was originally published by the Canadian Press. Here is the link.

 A handout on Self Awareness and Self Care practices

Dr Lee Lipp is a San Francisco-based psychologist who specialises in working with individuals struggling with depression and anxiety, using mindfulness as one of her key tools. I came across a lovely handout which she wrote: It invites helpers to slow down and reconnect with our self-awareness when we are starting to feel overloaded. She very graciously gave me permission to share it with you here. Thank you so much Dr Lipp! Click here to visit Lee Lipp’s website and click here to view her handout. 

If you have a few minutes, take a look at this captivating scientist practitioner talk about the connection between your endocrine system and the four phases of your body in a monthly cycle. Fascinating.

Alissa Vitti on Tedx FiDi Women

If you still have time and want to watch a wildly entertaining video on the need for women to reconnect with pleasure (yes, that kind, but also other kinds of pleasures), watch Mama Gena’s Ted talk. She’s a vibrant, inspiring whole lot of woman! Imagine if I made my entrance at one of my workshops like she does!

TEDxFiDiWomen – Regena Thomashauer

Let me know what you thought of those two inspiring videos.

Wishing you a happy, sane enough, full enough, calm enough week.

Click here to view a few images from last June’s event!