Session III
Donald A Lichi, Ph.D.
See resources shared at bottom of this page (handouts, power points, etc.)
Our theme: ‘Balance, Boundaries and Being Ready’ – almost seem contrary to each other.
Shared testimony of ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ when he discovered that he had multiple mylema – cancer of blood plasma. It was a crisis. You never come out of a crisis the same. Life in 2012: week in hospital for chemo, weeek at home recovering, 2 weeks counseling. Killed all cells, did stem cell transplant with my own skin cells. Don’t waste whatever God brings into your life. We need the body of Christ. We are better together. No one is called to be Lone Rangers in the ministry.
Topic: Barriers to Balance
Mark 5: The lady felt the healing.
Proverbs 4:23 ‘ Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life’ (NIV).
What is ‘compassion fatigue’
• Secondary ptSD
• Vicarious traumatization
• = Burnout
Compassion Fatigue Trajectory
• The Zealot Phase
• The Irritability Phase
• The Withdrawal Phase
• The Zombie Phase
• Pathology vs. Renewal/Maturation
Menu of Misconceptions
* I will fix the problem
* I am responsible for outcomes
* If I care enough, everything will be ok.
First diagnosed in nurses in mid 1960’s
Sources of Compassion Fatigues
• Counseling
• Desperation of people
• Expectations
• Bad time management
• Financial pressures
• Family
• Volume of work
Symptoms
* Decreased productivity
* Feelings of incompentcy
* Cynical Attitude – ‘Helping the Crazies!’
* Resistant to helping others
*
There is a cost to caring. May feel similar because they care. Sometimes we feell we lose our sense of self to the clients we serve. Most effective missionaries, most mirroring to – more vulnerable to feeling, empathy.
When am I most vulnerable:
When I haven’t spent much time with God.
When I have not had enough rest
When life is difficult
During times of change
After a significant victory
When life is going too smoothly
I am most vulnerable when:
Hungry, angry, lonely, tired, bored, anxious, depressed.
Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Frustration, impatient, physical fatigue, hopelessness, resentment, anxiety, depression, loss of perspective, anger, withdrawal, lack of mission, discipline, sense of mission.
The Solution: God’s Rhythm of Life
Habits of my Heart
What does ‘balanced health look like?
Develop game plan for ideal week:
Devotional time
Physical exercise
Study
Meetings
Friends
Day Off
Healthy Balance
Staying Healthy in My Faith
Don’t confuse my work for God with my walk with God.
My walk with God will sustain me when my work for God falters or is discouraging
When I experience Compassion fatigue.
Auto Responses
Thought, feelings, action
Can run contrary to our will (Romans 7)
Don’t usually have to plan sin – comes naturally
Your body is the means God has chosen for expressing His presence on earth.
The uniqueness of yoru body makes it possible for you to develop an expression of Christ’s presence that ha not been duplicated by any other child of God.
Resources Shared:
Compassion Fatigue Self assessment
CompassionFatigueTheCostofCaring Rev 10.14
cost of caring.compassion fatigue
PUT OFF THE OLD SELF.PUT ON THE NEW SELF.doc
old self.new self.cont.