Protecting the Rescue Worker Chery F. Kendrick, DVM, MPVM, MLT, CFS Kendrick Technical Services, LLC © Copyright 2012 Chery F. Kendrick & Kendrick Technical.

Protecting the Rescue Worker

Chery F. Kendrick, DVM, MPVM, MLT, CFSKendrick Technical Services, LLC

© Copyright 2012 Chery F. Kendrick & Kendrick Technical Services, LLC

Taking Care of YOU

• You Cannot be an effective rescue worker Unless you first and foremost provide for your own needs• Physical = rest, hydration, food

• Psychological = rest, hydration, food, education and support services

• Respite for YOU© Copyright 2012 Chery F. Kendrick & Kendrick Technical Services, LLC

Hoarding

Is a Disease = OCDObsessive Compulsive Disorder


Understanding

• Understanding the causation is essential

• Understand the statistics: 100% recidivism even with therapy

• Scope: understand it is a pervasive psychological disease not a typical abuse case


Peace, Love & Understanding


Team Approach

• Team effort is required for any hope of successful resolution

• Police and Code Enforcement• Social Welfare: adult services• Psychologist trained in OCD/hoarding behaviors• Family• Community

Without Team Approach….

You are left pretty much on your own…..Feeling like you are banging your head against a wall….


The Statistics


So While Others Run Away


We can stay and take care….as long as we take care of ourselves….

So let’s talk about taking care of you

While Achieving Your Dream to help the critters ….


Dealing With Difficult People

Dr. Chery F. KendrickKendrick Technical Services, LLC

865-405-4255

© 2012 Chery F. Kendrick & Kendrick Technical Services, LLC

A Day in the Life…..

• In a typical day we have multiple interactions with many different personality types.

• Sometimes multiple personalities in the same individual

We Deal With:

• Colleagues• Clients• Salesmen• Delivery people• Pickup people• Personal relationships


Some People are Susie Sunshine


And Some Are … Not


Dealing with People is Like a Beautifully Synchronized Dance….


Timing is Everything


Dealing With “Types”

• Some say “different strokes for different folks”

• In actuality a few tools, one approach works well for all types of people and situations you may encounter


Let’s First Look at a Few Types


The Water Cooler Guys…..the ones who always seem to be on a break especially when there is work to be done

The In-Your-Face Sales Reps Types


The Gossip Mongers


The “I Just Don’t Want to Hear It” Manager


The Overachiever


The Blamers….


it is Always someone else’s fault

The “Never Happy With the Bill” Client


And of Course the:“But I Read It On The Internet” Client


Bottom Line: People are Varied

• There are those whose personality rubs you the wrong way. They may not be difficult for someone else, but they are for you.

• And then there are those who are difficult for everyone


Depends on the Day….

• Some days none of those types will bother you…

• Other days even Mother Teresa will bug the heck out of you


The Important Thing is YOU!

• Taking care of you is essential

• Learning to deal with difficult people is part of taking care of YOU


Dealing Effectively with Difficult People

• Become adept at handling difficult people, and you’ll feel much more confident in your own abilities.

• If you can handle this, you can handle anything. • While any one can work with the easy people, it

takes a real professional to be successful with the difficult people.

• Your confidence will grow, your poise will increase, and your self-esteem will increase.


Problem Escalation

• On the other hand, if you mishandle it, and watch the situation escalate, then you may find yourself upset for days.


The How To……

• So, how do you handle an angry, complaining client? A pain in the neck colleague? The annoying sales person?

• Let's begin with the basic tools you can use in any of these situations.


Tools: Key Actions/Reactions

And the tools we use :• Respect• Listen• Empathy• Identify the Problem• Avoid Blame• Discuss Solution/Resolution


Let’s look at this pyramid

Empathy…..


Change, Acceptance and Balance

• Change the things you can• Accept Responsibility• Refuse to Accept Responsibility


Do Not Reward Bad Behavior


Be Sure to AcknowledgeReward Good Behavior

• Don’t forget to also acknowledge the good work

• Acknowledge the good client• Acknowledge the helpful

colleague



Protect Yourself

• Once again I want to reiterate you cannot nor should you have to solve everyone else’s problems

• Karma is a beautiful thing• Keep yourself balanced• And don’t forget your

Self-Care Exercises…let’s take a look at them


Keeping the Candle LitWithout Getting Burned

Chery F. Kendrick, DVM, MPVM, MLT, ASCP, CFS

Compassion Fatigue Specialist

Kendrick Technical Services, LLC


About This Presentation

We will explore the following: • Compassion Fatigue Definitions• Signs and Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue• Preventing Job Burnout• Preventing Compassion Fatigue• Healing From Within• Healing With Your Team• Sharing Ideas and Resources


Our Compassion Fatigue Workbook


Working Through The Exercises

The Workbook contains relaxation exercises that you can easily practice in the peace and privacy of your own home until they become second nature to you, and allow you to draw on them as coping tools throughout your day (and night)


Let’s Start With Some Definitions


What IS Compassion Fatigue?

•Compassion Fatigue is also known as: Secondary Traumatic Stress•It is a part of a the developing field of traumatology •Most often this phenomenon is associated with the “cost of caring” for others in emotional pain•In the animal welfare industry we are especially vulnerable to Compassion Fatigue and job burnout

Compassion Fatigue, also known as a Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a term that refers to a gradual lessening of compassion over time. It is common among victims of trauma and individuals that work directly with victims of trauma


Caring May Come With a High Cost

“People continue in the field because they love their work; this love causes them terrible pain.”

- - Figley & Roop, p46.

But it Doesn’t Have to….


PTSD

• Primary Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): firsthand experience of trauma or traumatic events

• PTSD symptoms directly related to traumatized individual or animal

STSD

• Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder (STSD): secondary experience of trauma or traumatic events

• STSD symptoms are associated with secondary person or person helping traumatized individual and/or animal

Comparing PTSD – vs. - STSD


Job Burnout

The total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal.


More on Job Burnout

A general feeling of exhaustion that develops when an individual simultaneously experiences too much pressure and has too few sources of

satisfaction.


Symptoms of Burnout

• Alcohol, drugs, food, or sex to escape feelings• Irritable with patients or colleagues• More time alone or felt withdrawn• Depressed/emotionally drained• Not accomplishing anything with patients• Lost interest in or resented patients• Preoccupied with images of death- - Furman, 2002


Here Is An Interesting Statistic:

People reflect and think about events inducing negative emotions 5 times as long as they do about events inducing strong positive emotions.

- - Robbins


Emotional Reactions to Working

with the Suffering

• A sense of powerlessness or ineffectiveness• Anxiety or fear when thinking about the animal• Guilt – self doubt; thoughts of hurting people or self• Anger or rage• Shutdown or numbness – silencing response


More Emotional Reactions to Working

with the Suffering

• Sadness• Depression…insomnia, loss of appetite, thoughts of death, self-

medication• Emotional rollercoaster – happy to sad• Overwhelmed• Depleted as a helper


Compassion Fatigue Burnout Symptoms - Cognitive

• Confusion• Spaciness• Loss of Meaning• Apathy• Rigidity• Disorientation• Self -doubt

• Trauma imagery• Whirling thoughts• Perfectionism• Diminished

Concentration• Minimization• Thoughts of self-harm


Compassion Fatigue Burnout Symptoms - Physical

• Shock• Sweating• Rapid heartbeat• Breathing difficulties• Aches and pains• Dizziness

• Increased number and intensity of medical maladies

• Other somatic complaints• Impaired immune system• Helplessness


Compassion Fatigue Burnout Symptoms – Work Performance

• Low morale• Low motivation• Avoiding tasks• Obsess details• Apathy • Negativity

• Detachment• Poor work commitments• Staff conflicts• Absenteeism• Exhaustion• Irritability• Withdraw from colleagues• Lack of appreciation


Compassion Fatigue Burnout Symptoms – Interpersonal

• Withdrawal• Loss of interest in intimacy or sex• Mistrust• Isolation from friends• Overprotective as a parent• Projection of anger or blame• Intolerance• Loneliness


Impact On Professional Functioning

• Performance of Job Tasks• Decrease in quality/quantity• Avoidance of tasks

• Morale• Detachment• Decrease in confidence

• Interpersonal• Impatience• Staff conflicts

• Behavioral• Absenteeism• Overwork• Frequent Job Changes


“Just because someone brings you a problem doesn’t mean you're automatically in charge

of fixing it.

Learn to detach yourself from drama.”

Drama Avoidance 101


Effects of Toxic People

• Happier people when making real-life decisions may be smarter more productive decision makers than unhappy people.

• Lisa Aspinwall, University of Utah

• A chilly negative mood activates a battle-stations mode of thinking: The order of the day is to focus on what is wrong & then eliminate it.

• Martin Seligman, Ph.D.•

• A positive mood buoys people into a way of thinking that is creative, tolerant, constructive, generous, un-defensive and lateral. This way of thinking aims to

detect not what is wrong, but what is right. • Martin Seligman, Ph.D.

Just Say “NO!” To Toxic People


Symptoms vs Disease

• Compassion Fatigue is a set of symptoms, not a disease


Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue?

• Burnout• Depression• Sadness• Physical Illnesses

Irritable BowelUlcersHigh Blood PressureInsomnia


Recognizing Signs

• The outward signs we experience are displays of stress resulting from giving care to others.

• Compassion Fatigue is the name that has been attached to these symptoms so that we have a

way of identifying it in ourselves and in others.


Identify

• Once identified, we are able to take

action to manage the distress this disorder is causing in our lives.


Coping with Emotions

• In working with traumatized or suffering people or animals, the most common method of coping with the discomfort we experience is to stifle the emotions that arise.


Stifling Emotions

• Sometimes it is the only way we can continue to do the care-giving work that we want to do.


Effects of Compassion Fatigue

• Once we are open to accepting the fact that Compassion Fatigue is creating

our emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms, we can look at our pain and learn new ways in which to react to them and channel them into positive, healthy actions.


What is the Basic Message ofOf Compassion Fatigue?

• Recognize the signs• Take care of you the caretaker• Follow the Rules of Eight


Satisfaction derived from the work of helping others.

- - Charles Figley, Ph.D.

Compassion Satisfaction is What We Aim For


Now What


Our Goal Is To Prevent Compassion Fatigue

“To Enable Us to

Keep the Candle Lit

Without Getting Burned”


We Do This By Practicing Self-Care


You need your own foundation for self esteem.

You will be unable to accept the positive things people say about you if you don’t

believe them yourself.

Self Esteem and Caring


Self-Care Exercises Include

• Relaxation Techniques• Healthy Lifestyle• Recreation• Balance Between Work and Play• Learning Self-Care Techniques• Asking For Help When Needed• Learning to Detoxify Your Life


Follow The Rules of Eight

• The Eight Rules Governing Healthy Change• The Eight Rules Governing Healthy Care-giving• The Eight Rules Governing Healthy Self-Care• The Eight Rules Governing A Healthy Workplace


The Eight Laws Governing Healthy Change


Breaks and Saying “No”

• #1 Take frequent breaks from what you are doing.

• #2 Weigh your options carefully and learn the word “no.” Use it whenever necessary.


Sharing, Humor

• #3 Share the load with others.

• #4 There is humor in every situation. Find it and laugh.


Help and Credit

• #5 Recognize when you need help. Ask for it.

• #6 Give yourself credit when credit is due.


Credit, Breathing

• #7 Give others credit when credit is due.

• #8 Breathe deeply as often as possible.


The Eight Laws Governing Healthy Care-giving


Compassion, Skepticism, Release

• #1 Sustain Your Compassion

• #2 Retain Healthy Skepticism

• #3 Learn to Let Go Puppy BreathCan Be Healing


Optimism, Insight & Solutions

• #4 Remain Optimistic

• #5 Be part of the Solution

• #6 Trust Your Insight


Self-Care, Acknowledgement

• #7 Practice Sustainable Self Care

• #8 Acknowledge Your Successes


The Eight Laws Governing Healthy Self Care


Validation

• #1 By validating ourselves, we promote acceptance. • #2 By validating others, we elevate ourselves.


Healthy Self Helps Healing Role

• #3 By meeting our own mental, physical and emotional needs, we can then give care from a place of abundance, not scarcity.

• #4 By practicing self-goodwill, we manifest it throughout our lives.


Honoring Past Freedom & Power►

• #5 By honoring past traumas and hurts, we allow ourselves freedom from the pain that controls us.

• #6 By “doing the work,” we reclaim the personal power that is rightfully ours.


Healing Our Emotional Pain

Allows Us To Be Better Healers© 2012 Chery F. Kendrick & Kendrick Technical Services, LLC

Ownership, Authenticity, Happiness

• #7 By naming and taking ownership of the core issues that limit our growth, we create authenticity.

• #8 By managing our self-care, we welcome happiness into our lives.


The Eight Laws Governing A Healthy Workplace

• #1 Employer provides a respite for staff following any traumatic event.

• #2 Employer provides continuing education

for staff.


Benefits, Tools

• #3 Employer provides acceptable benefits to aid staff in practicing beneficial self care.

• #4 Employer provides management and staff the tools needed to accomplish their tasks.


• #5 Management needs to monitor workloads.

• #6 Encourage team-building activities to promote strong social relationships between colleagues.

Workload, Team Work


Support, Planning

• #7 Employers encourage “open door” policies to promote good communication between workers.

• #8 Employers have grief processes in place when traumatic events occur onsite.


For More Help and

Information on Our Workshops

Please Visit Our Website:www.KendrickTechServices.com


Working Through the Exercises in the

Compassion Fatigue Workbook

• The Compassion Fatigue Workbook has exercises designed to help you relax and refocus your energy

• These exercises are the tools to help you relieve the stress in order to prevent Compassion Fatigue

• Let’s take a moment to walk through some of them


Breathing

• Sounds simple right?• Let’s talk about breathing: • Emotions change breathing

patterns• Deep breathing exercises help

to clear the mind and relieve stress

• Walk through the Breathing exercise in your workbook


Creative Visualization Exercise

This is a relaxation technique that uses guided imagery.


Self Hypnosis Exercise(Self-Talk, Self-Advice)

The purpose of this exercise is to evoke a relaxed consciousness and focus that will help you

overcome stress linked to various stressors


Dealing with Violent People Bottom line is: •Do not get caught alone with a potentially violent person •Get Help! Never hesitate to call 911 or to press a panic alarm. •Run, kick, scream, do whatever you need to do to stay safe and get away from danger•No job is worth endangering your life for. •Talk to your Safety Coordinator about other ways your clinic protects employees from potential workplace violence such as panic alarms or secret alert words.


Giving Credit Exercise

We all like to be appreciated. Take a moment to think about ways to give

yourself and others credit where credit is due.


Learning To Say “No” Exercise

Just Say “No!” True this is much easier said than done sometimes. However it may help you to choose wisely if you actually take a moment to think of the consequences of saying “yes” before you agree to take that next project on.


Healing Touch Self Care Program

• A self-care tool• Uses energy fields

(chakras)• Realignment of energy

fields• Allow the body to self

heal


Healing Touch

• Healing Touch = Energy Medicine

• Like Acupressure it uses the bodies energy fields known as chakras

• HT used for dogs and cats


Healing Touch is also used for Horses


Healing Touch for Humans

• A powerful tool for you to use

• Self healing• Self Chakra

Connection


Self Chakra Connection


The Wellness Wheel

It’s All About Balance• Balancing the:

– Physical– Emotional– Spiritual– Work /Career– Play/Recreation– Family– Friends

While Maintaining Mindfulness


Practice Makes Perfect

• Be sure to work through the exercises in your workbook until you feel comfortable.• Soon they will become so second nature that you can use one of your exercises to take a quick

de-stressing moment any time throughout your work day• Encourage all team members to work on these exercises for the good of the team as well as

the individual

Thank you for all you do


And Don’t Forget to Say….


Thank you for spending your Valentine’s day evening with

meDoc Chery

www.KendrickTechServices.com 865-405-4255

Protecting the Rescue Worker Chery F. Kendrick, DVM, MPVM, MLT, CFS Kendrick Technical Services, LLC © Copyright 2012 Chery F. Kendrick & Kendrick Technical.

Documents