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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
6 days ago
6 days ago
In this episode, I put on my therapist hat and tackle the complexities of communication in the animal care, rescue, welfare, and activism fields. Recognizing that interactions with colleagues, volunteers, and the public can often become challenging, I draw upon John Gottman's Four Horsemen of Communication. It's a framework originally designed for couples counseling, to illustrate universal communication pitfalls and provide strategies for improvement.
We'll explore:
- The importance of effective communication
- The four horsemen of communication adapted to animal work
- Strategies for dealing with the four horsemen
- Bonus communication tips
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.
Check out my Compassion Fatigue Skills and Support Circle here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Friday Feb 20, 2026
Friday Feb 20, 2026
Animal welfare and veterinary professionals carry an extraordinary emotional burden, and yet many struggle to find mental health support that truly understands the unique demands of this work. In this episode, we explore Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and how it can support advocates who are navigating compassion fatigue, burnout, grief, and moral distress.
My guest, Dr. Amanda Weiss, shares why working with animal care and advocacy professionals became a calling, and how ACT offers a powerful, values-based framework for healing without asking people to harden themselves to suffering.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What ACT is and how it’s different
- ACT and compassion fatigue
- Values-based living and self-compassion
- What acceptance really means (and what it doesn’t)
- Finding meaning in emotionally exhausting work
- A simple ACT exercise for hard days
Amanda’s Resources:
Contact Info: amandaweisspsyd@gmail.com or 732-239-9446
Additional Resources from Jen:
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.
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
In this episode, I'm joined by coach and intuitive healer Lara Bokovay. We dive into the world of somatic practices and explore how tuning into the body can help regulate the nervous system, relieve stress, and restore balance—especially for those working in high-stress, emotionally intense environments like animal care and welfare. We discuss practical techniques, the science behind trauma in the body, and how somatic work complements traditional talk therapy.
We explore:
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What somatic practices are and how they help regulate the nervous system.
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What happens in the body during stress and trauma, and how somatic work approaches it differently than talk therapy.
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Simple, beginner-friendly somatic techniques you can use in the moment when feeling overwhelmed or triggered.
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How caregivers and animal advocates can reconnect with their own bodies and needs through somatic practices.
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The importance of body awareness in healing from chronic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue.
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Insights on how secondary trauma manifests in the body.
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Tips for those who feel unsafe in their body or struggle to notice physical sensations—where to start safely.
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Daily somatic rituals and grounding practices to build nervous system resilience over time.
Resources Mentioned:
Lara's website
Lara's socials:
Instagram and TikTok: @larabokovay
Jen's Resources:
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.
Friday Feb 06, 2026
Friday Feb 06, 2026
In this episode, I dive into a difficult, but very real, issue in animal care, welfare, and activism: infighting. From social media drama to competition between organizations, internal conflict can be just as exhausting as the work itself.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Aren’t we all trying to help animals?” or feeling burned out by conflict within advocacy spaces, this episode is for you.
I explore infighting through psychological, sociological, and philosophical lenses, helping listeners understand why these conflicts happen—and more importantly, how we can begin moving toward collaboration instead of competition.
Episode 30: Identity and Self-Esteem
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Check out my Compassion Fatigue Skills and Support Circle here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Friday Jan 30, 2026
Friday Jan 30, 2026
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is lifesaving work, but it can also be uniquely exhausting. In this episode, we explore why TNR can take such a heavy emotional and physical toll, how compassion fatigue shows up for volunteers and caregivers, and what it truly takes to stay in this work without losing yourself. This episode is for anyone involved in TNR who has ever felt overwhelmed, depleted, or questioned how long they can keep going.
In this episode, we discuss:
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What compassion fatigue in TNR looks like compared to other areas of animal welfare
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The realities behind the work
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Early warning signs of compassion fatigue
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The pressure to always say “yes”
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Coping skills that actually help
- The rewarding side of TNR and compassion satisfaction
Want to help out the kitties? Check out Stacy's Amazon Wishlist here.
Connect with Stacy on Facebook.
Friday Jan 23, 2026
Friday Jan 23, 2026
In today’s episode, we explore the intersection of spirituality, healing, and animal advocacy with mystic artist, author, and healer Susan Smith Cohen. Susan supports women recovering from trauma through creative and spiritual practices, including her unique modality of fire scrying. Together, we discuss how reconnecting with something larger than ourselves can help animal advocates navigate compassion fatigue, grief, and trauma.
We explore:
- What spirituality really means
- How a spiritual lens can transform compassion fatigue and grief
- An introduction to fire (or water) scrying
- Simple daily spiritual practices for animal advocates
Links mentioned in the show:
Susan's website
Susan's socials:
Susan's book:
Healing Through Nature and Animals: A Journey of Illumination
Susan’s artwork
More Resources:
Grab your free resources to help manage compassion fatigue here.
Visit my free virtual calming room here.
Check out my Group Coaching Program for Compassion Fatigue here.
Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Friday Jan 16, 2026
Friday Jan 16, 2026
In this solo episode, I explore ambiguous loss, which is a form of grief that lacks clarity, closure, or resolution. Common in animal care, welfare, and advocacy, ambiguous loss can leave us stuck between hope and sorrow, carrying unanswered questions long after an animal has left our lives. I break down what ambiguous loss is, how it shows up in animal work, why it’s so painful, and practical ways to cope while protecting your mental health.
Related Episode: Ep. 8: Disenfranchised Grief
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.
Have a show idea? Reach out to me at jen@jenblough.com
Friday Jan 09, 2026
Friday Jan 09, 2026
Fostering animals can be one of the most rewarding experiences in animal welfare—but it can also take an emotional toll. In this episode, we explore compassion fatigue in fostering, why it happens, and practical strategies to protect your mental health while still giving love and care to your foster animals.
We talk about:
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Recognizing the signs of compassion fatigue and burnout
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Understanding the emotional and physiological impact of repeated loss or stress
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Learning practical strategies to set boundaries and care for yourself
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Building resilience and sustainable fostering practices
Resources mentioned:
Other resources for managing compassion fatigue: