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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 episode, I sit down with Kelly Motter for an honest conversation about sustainable fostering, boundaries in animal rescue, and the emotional weight that comes with caring deeply for animals in need.
If you’ve ever struggled with guilt for saying “no,” felt overwhelmed by the endless need in rescue, or wondered how to continue helping animals without completely burning yourself out, this episode is for you.
Kelly shares the realities of fostering, the lessons she learned about emotional limits, and the boundaries that helped her continue showing up for animals in a healthier and more sustainable way.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
- The moment Kelly realized she could not save every animal
- Why boundaries are essential in fostering and rescue work
- Navigating guilt when saying “no” to an animal in need
- The emotional pressure within rescue culture to always do more
- How fostering can impact marriages, friendships, and family life
- Practical boundaries that help prevent burnout
- How to decide when to take in another foster
- Managing the emotional toll of constant exposure to suffering
- Small changes rescuers can make immediately to reduce overwhelm
- Creating a sustainable approach to advocacy and animal welfare
Resources mentioned:
Listen to The Foster Files on your favorite platform or watch on YouTube
Kelly’s Instagram
Other 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.
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