Overcoming Compassion Fatigue

Rayna Neises, your host, speaks with Dr. Edward M. Smink, Ph.D.  Dr. Ed is a speaker, coach, and author of The Soul of Caregiving: A Caregiver’s Guide to Healing and Transformation.  He holds multiple degrees including two M.A.s and a Ph. D in Psychology.  In addition, Dr. Ed holds a title as a Board Certified Chaplain and an Associate Coach. He attributes his skills to his experience at the bedside as well as to overcoming severe compassion fatigue and burnout.  Dr. Ed offers hope now to caregivers suffering from similar issues.  He provides the following insights:

• (3:34) Often times caregivers feel guilty when they ask for help.
• (6:33) Compassion Fatigue is not a mental illness, but instead something we all experience when we care to the point of exhaustion.
• (10:23) Three cultural taboos that prevent caregivers from seeking help:
  • (10:26) If you just keep trying harder, you can get it done.
  • (11:23) Don’t talk to anyone about your experiences.
  • (12:35) Don’t show emotion.
• (16:40) Compassion Resilience means you are able to absorb a situation and not have it take you off-balance.
• (20:18) It is important to be able to find the boundary to take on what you need to, but allow the rest to come off.
• (22:38) Self-Care is the ability to reflect and take care of yourself.
• (25:04) Contact Dr. Ed at his website soulofcaregiving.com and order his book there or on Amazon.
• (25:33) When you find yourself overwhelmed, do the easiest thing.
• (27:11) This episode is brought to you by the Encouragement Series: Hope Over Regrets. This free faith-based series will be coming in November.  If you would like to receive updates, visit EncouragementSeries.com.

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Rayna Neises understands the joys and challenges that come from a season of caring. She helped care for both of her parents during their separate battles with Alzheimer’s over a thirty-year span. She is able to look back on those days now with no regrets – and she wishes the same for everyone caring for aging parents.

Rayna is the author of No Regrets: Hope for Your Caregiving Season, an ICF certified coach, the host of “A Season of Caring” podcast, Positive Approach® to Care (PAC)Independent Certified Trainer and speaker who is passionate about offering encouragement, support, and resources for regret-free caring aimed at preventing family caregivers from aimlessly wandering through this important season of life.

Rayna lives on a farm in southeast Kansas with her husband, Ron, and small pack of adorable dogs. She is the baby of her family, but most would never guess that. She is a former teacher who enjoys crafts of all kinds and spending time with her grandkids most of all.