137 Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma in Vegan Activism – with Steven Dawson, LCSW

This week we’re talking to Steven Dawson, LCSW, about burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma within vegan activism and veganism in general. We managed to touch on additional related topics, including how to deal with the guilt of feeling like you’re not doing enough and how to build a better vegan movement through trauma-informed community building.

In This Episode

Y’all. Y’all y’all y’all. We are so excited to release this episode!!! We had a long and fascinating conversation with Steven Dawson, LCSW about the ills that befall many an activist: burnout, compassion fatigue, feeling like you’re not doing enough. The conversation took many interesting twists and turns along related topics and even though our discussion clocked in at nearly two hours, we could’ve talked to Steven for the rest of the day.

Please see below for several resources that related to the discussion we had in this episode!

Favorite Quote from Episode

The opposite of anxiety is curiosity

The Four S’s

Safety, Security, being Seen and being Soothed

Joke in the Middle

Why are bananas never lonely?

Online Assessment Tools

Burnout Self-Test (MindTools)

Compassion Fatigue Self-Assessment (Healthy Place)

Checklists and Measures – Vicarious Trama (Social Work Buffalo)

Help lines

In Defense of Animals

IDA’s Animal Activist Helpline

Operation Hours

Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time (11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

For support from fellow activists, please join our Animal Activist Online Support Group.

Helpline Contacts

Phone: (800) 705-0425

Email: [email protected].

The Helpline is available to activists in the United States and Canada

National Suicide Prevention Line

Phone: 1-800-273-8255

Available 24 hours everyday

For emergency support

1-800-LIFENET

Books

Trauma and Recovery

Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence–From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

by Judith L. Herman, M.D.

Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies, Revised Edition

by Dr. Sandra L. Bloom

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie;=UTF8&qid;=1496585757&sr;=1-1&keywords;=the+body+keeps+the+score

Mindfulness Resources

Transformation and Healing: Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness Paperback

by Thich Nhat Hanh

Online Mindfulness Tools

Stop Breathe Think

Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY)

Links and Information

News

* Impossible Foods’ CEO Speaks Out About Animal Testing (VegNews)

* USC Gets New “Hogwarts” Ve...