Interview! Dr. Linda Harper, Clinical Psychologist, Compassionate Heart Specialist and Author

"Feeling compassion fatigue isn't really a matter of if, it's a matter of when. We naturally put ourselves on the back burner over the animals we help."

Dr. Linda Harper is a lifelong animal lover advocate, Author and Clinical Psychologist in the Chicago area. She is passionate about helping people help animals. She works to ease the compassion fatigue that animal lovers face in the animal welfare world and facilities pet loss support groups, as well. She is also the author of 4 books, her latest being "The Power of Joy in Giving to Animals." This book looks at the unique challenges people face who work with animals and contains many interviews with people involved with animals. She works to keep the joy within people who do this type of work, to make it as fulfilling as it was when they started!

When looking at burnout and compassion fatigue, there are many signs that can be present to watch for. It's important to note that it's not because a person is weak or has a personality deficiency, it's simply because of the unique challenge we face in the animal world. Feeling tired, not wanting to get up in the morning, getting sick more often, and experiencing more negativity are just a few signs that someone may be experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout.

So what is the first step to improve our feelings of being overwhelmed? We want to be able to share how meaningful and joyful this work is, so we have to work on taking care of ourselves! But the main step? Find compassion for yourself! We all need to remember that we're only human. How to find that compassion? Simple things by meditating for a few minutes every morning or turning off your phone after a certain time at night. Maybe going to bed earlier or finding an accountability partner will help. It is a matter of what YOU can commit to RIGHT NOW and you can do everyday. You know what you need, so only you can figure out what would be personally right for your lifestyle to find that compassion you need! Sometimes, the compassionate choice is simply saying no to adding on more to your plate.

We also need to watch for signs for the people we work with on a daily basis. If you're noticing a volunteer burning out, maybe it's a choice of not scheduling them for a bit to let them recharge? Many volunteers forget to take a "vacation" from their volunteer work. We need to remember that in order for compassion to flow naturally, it has got to come back to us!

Find out more at drlindaharper.com.