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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 Dec 05, 2025
Friday Dec 05, 2025
In this solo episode, I get real about one of the most common struggles in animal welfare work: guilt. Whether it’s skipping a shelter shift, saying no to fostering one more animal, or simply taking a much-needed day off, many of us feel like we’re somehow “not doing enough.”
I share my own story about missing a volunteer day and how quickly guilt crept in, even though I was already balancing work, home, and countless other responsibilities. I explore the toxic cycle of guilt and burnout, how to recognize it, and, most importantly, how to break free from it.
With this episode, you’ll learn practical ways to release guilt and honor your limits, so you can continue showing up for animals without losing yourself in the process.
Topics Covered
- The guilt trap: “I should be doing more.”
- Why animal welfare workers and advocates are especially vulnerable to overcommitment
- How guilt can spiral into burnout and resentment
- The importance of reframing “I can’t do it all” as self-awareness, not selfishness
- Simple mindset and grounding techniques to let go of guilt
- How to set realistic boundaries and redefine what “enough” really means
Additional Resources
- Visit beyondcompassionfatigue.com for free resources, worksheets, and tools to help you manage compassion fatigue.
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