06/12/2026
It's Friday, & while we'd usually offer up a safety-related fast fact, we'd instead like to talk about compassion fatigue. We believe in building resilient communities, & that also includes emotional resilience.
Compassion fatigue is the exhaustion that many first responders, medical / veterinary professionals, & those in other helping professions like animal rescue face after continual exposure to the trauma of others.
People choose these fields because they want to help others. They care about making a difference, & that's what makes them good at their jobs. However, it's also what can make their jobs exhausting.
The ones who are most likely to help others are also often the least likely to help themselves. They don't want to be selfish, they don't want to waste time caring for themselves when they could be caring for others, they feel like they can & should always be doing more.
We're here to tell you that taking care of yourself doesn't take away from the care you give others.
No one is an endless well. Consistently giving & giving & giving kindness, compassion, grace, full effort? It's beautiful...but it's impractical & impossible.
If we don't take care of ourselves, that well of compassion can run dry due to lack of sleep or too many losses in a row or personal struggles or something that's technically an operational success but still bears an emotional toll.
You can't draw from an empty well, & you can't pour from an empty cup. The care you give others is better when you also care for yourself. Protect your work & you by giving yourself permission to rest & refuel.
Preventing & overcoming compassion fatigue requires intentional actions. Here are common tips that may or may not work for everyone:
-Set healthy boundaries; determine when you're being caring & when you actually may be overextending yourself. It's okay to say no sometimes or take time off if you're able. Rest is restorative & respectful, not a reflection on your worth.
-Do things that make you happy. Self-care is often seen as resting & doing a face mask in a fluffy robe, & more power to you if that's something you enjoy! But self-care can also be spending time with loved ones, getting outside & being active, or participating in hobbies or events that you genuinely enjoy.
-Seek support. Choosing to seek support is brave. Asking for help is brave. You are not alone. Confide in peers or seek professional treatment as needed. Hearing from people who understand can be really helpful, but so can therapy if you think it might. Seek out the type of therapy that helps YOU. Therapy is not a one size fits all; there are many different kinds of therapy.
-Look for beauty & humor wherever you can find it, no matter how small. That could be something as simple as a flower blooming, a good steak, your favorite song on the radio, a sunset, connecting with someone over a shared interest, or a goofy photo. Noticing the small joys, beauties, & funny moments in life help build emotional resilience & balance out any focus on the negatives.
-Try to find a bit of time to focus on "compassion satisfaction." That doesn't mean to be overly positive & ignore any negative feelings; you're just taking a moment to acknowledge the meaningful & rewarding aspects of the job. When we let fulfillment & validation exist at the same time as grief & anger instead of focusing only on the bad or only on the good, it helps decrease the sense of overwhelm.
-Remind yourself of your "why." Why do you do what you do?
You are not a machine - you are allowed to grieve, to struggle, to feel fatigue, to need time off or to process hard things. But please take care of yourself the way you'd take care of others. You are just as worthy of care as they are, you are not alone, & you are incredibly needed & valued, even if it doesn't always feel like those things are true.
The bottom line is that you matter. What you do matters. And you deserve peace.
For online resources, check out these & more:
First Responder Center for Excellence
SAMHSA
First Responders Foundation
Not One More Vet, Inc
The Emotional PPE Project
