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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
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.
1 months ago
What an awesome conversation! Thank you for this. So much good information in here! Very helpful.