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A raw and authentic podcast for those who work or volunteer in animal care, welfare, or activism, who are struggling with compassion fatigue, burnout, grief and loss, secondary traumatic stress, and other mental health concerns. Through both solo and guest episodes, I blend science, psychology, spirituality, and even a touch of "woo woo" to help you manage compassion fatigue, build resilience, and make your passion for helping animals sustainable. If you're involved in animal caregiving, rescue, trap-neuter return (TNR), sheltering, animal control, cruelty investigations, veterinary medicine, fostering, wildlife or marine rehabilitation and conservation, animal law or lobbying, ethical veganism, or any other role in animal care, welfare, or activism, and struggling with the consequences of caring so much that it hurts, this podcast is for you!
The host, Jen Blough, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor, compassion fatigue coach and speaker, and author with more than 35 years of experience in animal welfare and activism. She is the author of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior and the upcoming book, Beyond Compassion Fatigue.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
In this eye-opening episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I sit down with veterinary receptionist and animal advocate Sam Anderkay to explore the often-overlooked emotional toll carried by veterinary support staff.
Sam shares her journey from volunteering at Valley of the Kings Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat, where she cared for abused and neglected tigers, wolves, bears, and farm animals, to spending nearly eight years on the front lines of veterinary medicine as a customer service representative.
We dive into the unique ways compassion fatigue impacts veterinary receptionists, who are often the very first and very last point of contact for distressed and grieving pet parents. Sam opens up about the emotional weight of euthanasia appointments, absorbing client grief, balancing constant multitasking, and the anxiety and depression that nearly pushed her out of the field entirely.
We also explore:
- The differences between compassion fatigue in wildlife rehabilitation versus veterinary medicine
- Why veterinary support staff are often overlooked in mental health conversations
- The emotional impact of witnessing client grief day after day
- How compassion fatigue affected Sam’s mental health, relationships, and daily functioning
- The importance of boundaries, identity outside of work, and sacred time off
- The growing movement advocating for veterinary receptionist education and mental health support
- Continuing education and professional development as protective factors against burnout
- The role of compassion satisfaction in sustaining long-term animal care work
- The animals who changed Sam’s life, including a blind tiger named Siva and her beloved German shepherd, Hera
Resources:
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
Interested in becoming certified in compassion fatigue? Learn more here!
Follow on social media:
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Thursday Jun 11, 2026
Thursday Jun 11, 2026
Today’s episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue is a guided meditation designed specifically for those of you in animal care, rescue, welfare, veterinary medicine, and activism to help you regulate your nervous system.
This meditation is meant to be listened to in a safe, quiet place where you can fully relax for about ten minutes. So if you’re driving or in the middle of something that requires your full attention, I invite you to come back to this episode when you can truly be present with it.
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
Follow on social media:
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Thursday Jun 04, 2026
Thursday Jun 04, 2026
In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I explore a powerful mindset shift that can dramatically reduce burnout in animal care, rescue, veterinary medicine, and advocacy: dialectical thinking, also known as both/and thinking.
If you’ve ever felt like you had to choose between being hopeful or being realistic, strong or struggling, this episode challenges that belief.
We discuss:
- What dialectical (both/and) thinking is and why it matters
- How black-and-white thinking fuels compassion fatigue and burnout
- Why emotional complexity is not weakness—but resilience
- How to hold space for both pain and purpose in your work
- A simple, practical way to start using this skill immediately
Additional resources:
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
Follow on social media:
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Thursday May 28, 2026
Thursday May 28, 2026
In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I sit down with Lisa Beggio, Executive Director of Columbia Humane Society, to discuss her deeply personal journey through primary trauma, PTSD, and healing after surviving a life-threatening dog attack while working in animal rescue.
Lisa shares what it was like to return to shelter work after trauma, the reality of PTSD triggers in a field built around exposure to suffering, and how therapy helped her reclaim her life and career.
Together, we explore the intersection of compassion fatigue and PTSD, the importance of speaking openly about mental health in animal welfare, and why protecting the people who protect animals must become a priority.
This conversation is raw, honest, and hopeful—and an important reminder that healing is possible.
We discuss:
- How trauma can reshape your nervous system and identity
- What PTSD symptoms looked like after Lisa’s dog attack
- Why returning to work required intentional exposure and support
- The power of therapy, accountability, and learning trauma tools
- Breaking stigma around mental health in animal welfare
- How leadership can normalize self-care and psychological safety
- Finding purpose and meaning after trauma
- Why “being selfish” is sometimes essential for survival in helping professions
Resources mentioned:
Columbia Humane Society website
Columbia Humane Society Facebook
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
Follow on social media:
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Thursday May 21, 2026
Thursday May 21, 2026
Last week, we explored the external risk factors of compassion fatigue—the systems, environments, and conditions surrounding animal welfare work.
This week, we turn inward.
Compassion fatigue doesn’t just come from what you’re exposed to, it’s also shaped by who you are: your personality, your experiences, and the traits that likely drew you to this work in the first place.
This episode takes an honest look at the internal factors that can increase vulnerability to compassion fatigue, without blame or shame.
We talk about:
- Why empathy and compassion are both essential traits as well as risk factors
- The difference between empathy fatigue and compassion fatigue
- How being other-directed can quietly lead to self-neglect
- The impact of tying your identity and self-worth to your work
- What it means to be a highly sensitive person (HSP) in animal welfare
- How past trauma can both motivate and increase vulnerability
- Why compassion fatigue develops through the interaction of internal and external factors
Resources & Links
- Listen to last week’s episode on external risk factors
- Sign up for my free monthly newsletter for tips on managing compassion fatigue
Thursday May 14, 2026
Thursday May 14, 2026
In part one of this two-part mini-series, I talk about some of the external risk factors that can make people in animal care, welfare, rescue, vet med, and activism more vulnerable to developing compassion fatigue.
We'll explore:
- How our environment, workplace, community, culture, and other outside risk factors make us more susceptible to developing compassion fatigue.
- The problem with "too much and not enough."
- My own struggles with compassion fatigue and what I've learned
- What we need to change
- A sneak peek at my new forthcoming book and compassion fatigue certification!
Resources mentioned:
CFPAW certification info and waitlist
Thursday May 07, 2026
Thursday May 07, 2026
In this episode, I sit down with Rob Leinberger, a long-time animal control officer and current manager of Prince George County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Virginia. Rob brings years of frontline experience and leadership insight into the often-overlooked emotional realities of animal control work.
We talk about how Rob was first introduced to the concept of compassion fatigue—and what it looked like before he even had a name for it. He shares the unique emotional toll of animal control, where the job requires constant balance between enforcement, empathy, and exposure to difficult situations.
Rob opens up about how compassion fatigue can show up in this field, including the role anger can play—and how he learned to better understand and manage his own responses over time.
We also dive into how to better prepare new officers for the realities of the job, not just tactically, but emotionally. Rob shares both short-term and long-term coping strategies that have helped him sustain a career in this work, as well as the importance of recognizing and naming emotions rather than pushing them aside.
You’ll also hear how Rob and his team intentionally create space to let off steam, allowing them to reset so they can continue showing up fully for the work ahead. As a leader, Rob emphasizes modeling healthy behaviors, leading by example, and creating a culture where staff feel supported.
Finally, we explore the concept of compassion satisfaction—why celebrating wins matters, and how those moments can anchor you in the midst of challenging work.
Resources Mentioned:
Box breathing guided video
Learn more or join the waitlist for CFPAW here
Prince George County Animal Services and Adoption Center:
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
In part two of this mini-series, we move beyond nervous system regulation and into practical, in-the-moment communication strategies for handling conflict with the public.
If you work in animal care, welfare, rescue, vet med, or activism and you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, frustrated, or even unsafe during a tense interaction, this episode gives you tools you can actually use right in the moment.
These are the skills that help you stay grounded, protect your energy, and navigate difficult conversations without escalating the situation, and protecting you from burnout.
We explore:
- Reflective listening
- How to hold boundaries without escalating
- Body language, positioning, and personal space
- Using empathy and validation effectively
- Offering choices to reduce conflict
- And more
Missed the first part of this mini-series? Check it out here.
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
Follow on social media:
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.