11/06/2026
May day. Who is helping the helpers?
The term COMPASSION FATIGUE was not something many of us learned while being educated in a helping profession.
Understanding the damage of pouring from an empty cup can create a perspective of FILLING yours, so that it may effortlessly overflow to others.
Compassion fatigue can look like:
• Feeling emotionally drained after a day of caring for others
• Less patience than you used to have
• Dreading things you used to love about the job
• Feeling like nothing you do is enough
• Thinking about work excessively when at home
• Checking out, feeling out of body
It’s common in caring professions, and it’s not a personal failing.
Three small things schools can do:
1. Build a quick reset into staff meetings or make it part of your day privately. A brisk walk, a few intentional deep breaths or stepping outside can make a big difference.
2. Make it okay to say “I’m running low.”
3. Give staff practical tools, not just a pep talk. Energy shifts, perspective sharing and connection are good places to start.
When staff feel supported, students feel it too. My “Help the Helper” session is built for school staff. Message me if you’d like to talk about a PD day.
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