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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
7 days ago
7 days ago
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:
4 days ago
Great episode!
6 days ago
This was a great podcast to be a part of!