Beyond Compassion Fatigue: Make Your Passion for Helping Animals Sustainable!

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In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I get real about one of the hardest parts of working in animal welfare and activism: intrusive thoughts. Whether it’s replaying images of suffering animals, obsessing over cases, or feeling stuck in grief, these thoughts can haunt you, especially at night.

I break down why our brains struggle with intrusive thoughts, especially when empathy and repeated ...

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In this episode, we’re exploring the healing art of Reiki with Dr. Alexia Mellor: what it is, how it works, and why it can be such a powerful support for both humans and animals. Whether you’re brand new to Reiki or simply curious about how it might help with stress, grief, or compassion fatigue, this episode is for you!

Here’s what we cover:

• An explanation of Reiki and how energy healing work...

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Are you ready to manage your compassion fatigue? In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I introduce you to the Stages of Change model, a therapeutic framework originally developed to help people quit smoking.

We’ll explore how these six stages: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance, and Relapse (or Reset!) show up in the lives of animal welfare workers and advoca...

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Sleep struggles are common among animal welfare workers, rescuers, and advocates—especially those facing chronic stress, grief, and secondary trauma. In this powerful conversation, we explore why sleep doesn’t always come easy when your mind is racing with thoughts of suffering or your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.

Whether you’re lying awake with insomnia, haunted by nightmares, or simpl...

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Ahoy, maties! In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, we’re setting sail into the stormy seas of stress, trauma, and overwhelm that so many in animal care, welfare, and activism face daily. Together, we’ll explore how to recognize and regulate your nervous system when compassion fatigue takes the wheel. Using the metaphor of a sailboat at sea, I’ll guide you through three common nervous system...

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I'm joined by book coach Stephanie Mitchell as we explore how writing can be a powerful outlet for healing emotional wounds. She shares how writing can be a form of self-expression and recovery, and offers insight into why writing is such a transformative tool for working through trauma, grief, and compassion fatigue. Whether you're a seasoned writer or not, this conversation offers something for ev...

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In this episode, we’re tackling a struggle that every animal advocate knows all too well: feeling stuck, frustrated, or helpless when facing situations outside of our control. It can feel like banging your head against a wall—painful, exhausting, and ultimately unsustainable.

Drawing from my work as a therapist and my own lived experience in animal welfare, I share a simple but powerful framework wi...

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Feeling a little crispy around the edges? You’re not alone—and you’re in the right place.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into burnout—what it is, how it uniquely shows up in animal care, welfare, and activism, and most importantly, what you can do about it (whether you're a frontline worker, volunteer, or in a leadership role).

We break down:

• The three core symptoms of burnout

• How burn...

In this episode, I sit down with Becca Shaw, a gifted intuitive and Akashic Records practitioner, to explore how this ancient spiritual resource can support those in animal care, welfare, and activism. Whether you’re brand new to the Akashic Records or just a little “woo-woo curious,” Becca offers grounded insight into what the Records are, how they work, and how they differ from other intuitive tools or practices. More importantly...

Are you someone who feels everything—sometimes too much? Do you absorb the emotions of others, often without realizing it? In this solo episode, I explore what it really means to be an empath. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re an empath (or know someone who is), this episode is for you.

We’ll dive into the defining traits of empaths, how empathy differs from being an empath, and why so many empaths are drawn to helping profess...

On today's show, we talk with Kelly Bremken, a veterinary social worker from Oregon Humane Society. Kelly sheds light on: 

• What is a veterinary social worker and what her role looks like day to day.
• How veterinary social work is similar to and different from traditional social work. 
• How veterinary social workers can support staff and volunteers with managing compassion fatigue, trauma, grief, or burnout.
• How Kelly personally ...

In this episode, I talk with Jo-Anne Barklay of Running Rabbit Farm to explore the often-overlooked emotional toll of rabbit rescue. While most people associate animal rescue with dogs and cats, rescuing bunnies comes with its own unique heartbreaks—and rewards.

Jo-Anne shares what inspired her to dedicate her life to rabbit rescue, the kinds of emotional challenges rescuers face after Easter and beyond, and how public misconceptio...

In this solo episode, we’re diving deep into a topic that touches nearly everyone working or volunteering in animal care, welfare, and activism: trauma. More specifically, we explore the difference between Big T trauma (major, acute, often life-threatening events) and little t trauma (chronic, cumulative stressors that wear you down over time)—and why both deserve serious attention.

Whether you’re on the front lines of rescue, work...

In this episode, we’re joined by Hermence Matsotsa, the Founder of uBuntuSpeaks®, a global leadership coach, Positive Intelligence expert, and speaker who helps us understand the importance of psychological safety—what it really means, why it matters, and how it can transform workplaces that are emotionally intense and trauma-exposed. Whether you work or volunteer in animal rescue, animal care and control, veterinary care, or any o...

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to turn for support? You’re not alone—and today’s episode is here to help.

In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I break down one of the most common questions I'm asked: What’s the difference between therapy and coaching—and which one is right for me?

Whether you’ve tried therapy and still feel stuck, or you're just starting to explore your options for support, this episod...

Happy National Boundaries Awareness Day! On today's episode, we'll explore: 

• What are boundaries and why they're important in animal care, welfare, and activism
• Soft, rigid, and healthy boundaries
• How boundaries can impact your personal and professional lives
• How different boundaries might show up in your work with animals
• Time, emotional, mental, communication, physical, energy, and professional boundaries
• Practical strategie...

In today's episode, we explore the different types of trauma that can be common in animal care, welfare, and activism. We'll learn about: 

• What is trauma?
• Why trauma is actually subjective
• Primary and secondary trauma
• Secondary traumatic stress
• Symptoms of trauma
• How trauma contributes to compassion fatigue
• Collective trauma
• Perpetration Induced Traumatic Stress
• Acute and chronic trauma
• Acute stress reaction

Grab your fr...

Today I talk with Val Ellsworth, the founder of Nothing But Love Canine Foundation to explore the mental health impact of working in animal rescue and the importance of peer support. 

We explore

• Her journey into animal welfare work

• Early signs that her mental health was suffering

• Why isolation is so common—and dangerous—in this field

• The life-changing power of peer support and safe spaces

• Letting go of guilt and embra...

In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, we dive deep into the topic of disenfranchised grief—the kind of grief that often goes unrecognized and unsupported by society. We'll explores how disenfranchised grief manifests in the world of animal care, welfare, and activism. Whether it's mourning a euthanized shelter pet, grieving a wild animal lost to environmental destruction, or feeling heartbroken over animals you've never eve...