Many individuals in helping roles, whether in their professional career or personal lives, often find themselves in a constant state of caring for and supporting others. This support can take on many forms like managing complex health issues, serving as a caregiver, providing financial assistance, or offering emotional support during times of deep distress or trauma. While this kind of work is deeply meaningful, selfless, and vital, it can also carry a significant emotional and psychological burden.

In her powerful TEDx Talk, Amy Cunningham, a talent management consultant for CHRISTUS Health and creator of Compassion Fatigue training, sheds light on this often-overlooked reality. With over a decade of experience working with non-profits and mental health organizations, particularly in supporting adolescents overcoming trauma, Cunningham has dedicated her career to advocating for those who serve others.

In 2011, she developed a Compassion Fatigue training program for the Center for Health Care Services, Bexar County’s community mental health agency. In her talk, Cunningham explores how caregivers, therapists, emergency responders, and other empathetic individuals are especially vulnerable to compassion fatigue—a condition often misunderstood or misdiagnosed as burnout. While burnout typically stems from prolonged workplace stress and dissatisfaction, compassion fatigue is more akin to a form of secondary PTSD (or vicarious trauma). It results from the emotional aftermath of exposure to the pain, suffering, and trauma of others, and can deeply impact one’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Cunningham also draws attention to a common yet often overlooked behaviour in individuals experiencing compassion fatigue: the tendency to justify maladaptive habits under the guise of doing meaningful or important work. For example, a healthcare worker might rationalize working long, consecutive shifts, or a social worker might stay up all night on a case, because the cause feels justifiable. While these actions appear commendable on the surface, they often come at the expense of one’s physical and mental well-being.  

Cunningham emphasizes that compassion fatigue can be identified and treated at any point, It’s never too late to begin the journey toward post-traumatic growth. But the process begins with prioritizing your own well-being. As the saying goes, you must put on your own oxygen mask before helping others with theirs. You can’t pour from an empty cup; caring for yourself is a necessity if you want to continue caring for others.

Watch the TEDx Talk here

Image Credit: Photo by madison lavern on Unsplash