Communication is Key: When talking with co-workers and employees, healthy communication can either build a strong foundation for teamwork or tear it down. Avoid using criticism, humiliation, judgment, and contempt. Have empathy and compassion for others. Listen without interrupting, be willing to compromise, and stand up for your own wants and needs while respecting the […]

Suspecting I was struggling with a touch of compassion fatigue, my husband recently convinced me to head up to northern Michigan for a few days to stay at our family’s cottage. I was long overdue for some much-needed self-care, so I packed a small suitcase and hit the road. It was officially fall, which meant […]

Feelings of sadness, lack of motivation, loss of interest – these and other symptoms of depression sound a lot like compassion fatigue, don’t they? It’s a question I often get when I present compassion fatigue workshops to animal caregivers. So what exactly is the difference between compassion fatigue and full-blown depression? The first thing to […]

Several years ago, while working at the local animal shelter, a co-worker of mine came bursting through the door screaming, “I can’t fucking take this anymore!” I suggested we go outside and get some air. As he lit up a cigarette, he began to sob. “If one more person surrenders an animal today, I’m going […]

“You’re just too sensitive!” It’s what I’ve heard my whole life, as if sensitivity was a bad thing. If you love, care for, or work with animals chances are you may have heard this as well. Sensitivity, in my humble opinion, is a wonderful personality trait and is actually highly valued in some cultures. But […]

If there was a way to ward off depression, keep anxiety at bay, reduce stress, and help you sleep better by doing one simple thing each day, would you believe me? What if I told you that it didn’t involve a pill or sitting on a therapist’s couch? Even better, what if this “remedy” was […]

My heart filled with sadness and anger today when I learned that the animal welfare community lost Dr. Jian Zhicheng. According to reports, the veterinarian and director of a Taiwanese animal shelter recently took her own life after being cyber bullied because of her role as a euthanasia technician. Zhicheng, a vocal advocate for adoption, […]

As a mental health therapist and former animal welfare worker, I have a deep interest in helping those struggling with the emotional pain that sometimes comes with this unique, rewarding, and challenging career or lifestyle. The reality of pet overpopulation, animal abuse, dog fighting, factory farming – the list goes on – can take a […]

When we live with, care for, work with, and protect animals, we often find ourselves forming deep attachments to them. This special connection, known as the human-animal bond, is described by the American Veterinary Medical Association as a “mutual beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and other animals that is influenced by behaviors that are […]

From hamsters to horses, more than 60 percent of Americans share their home with at least one pet. As a nation, we spend more than 50 billion dollars on our animal companions each year, which is more than double the amount spent just 15 years ago (American Pet Products Association, 2013). Pets provide us with entertainment, protection, […]