Beyond Compassion Fatigue: Make Your Passion for Helping Animals Sustainable!

Ep. 38: The Mind-Body Connection with Lara Bokovay

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:

• What somatic practices are and how they help regulate the nervous system.

• What happens in the body during stress and trauma, and how somatic work approaches it differently than talk therapy.

• Simple, beginner-friendly somatic techniques you can use in the moment when feeling overwhelmed or triggered.

• How caregivers and animal advocates can reconnect with their own bodies and needs through somatic practices.

• The importance of body awareness in healing from chronic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue.

• Insights on how secondary trauma manifests in the body.

• Tips for those who feel unsafe in their body or struggle to notice physical sensations—where to start safely.

• Daily somatic rituals and grounding practices to build nervous system resilience over time.

Resources Mentioned: 

Lara's website

Lara's socials:

Facebook

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. 

 

Ep. 37: Infighting: Can't We All Just Get Along?

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. 

Ep. 36: Managing Compassion Fatigue in TNR with Stacy Attenburg

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:

• What compassion fatigue in TNR looks like compared to other areas of animal welfare

• The realities behind the work

• Early warning signs of compassion fatigue

• The pressure to always say “yes”

• 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.

 

Ep. 35: Spirituality, Healing, and Animal Advocacy with Susan Smith Cohen

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: 

Facebook

Instagram 

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. 

 

 

 

 

Ep. 34: Ambiguous Loss in Animal Care and Advocacy

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

Ep. 33: The Emotional Cost of Fostering with Kirsten Peek

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: 

• Recognizing the signs of compassion fatigue and burnout

• Understanding the emotional and physiological impact of repeated loss or stress

• Learning practical strategies to set boundaries and care for yourself

• Building resilience and sustainable fostering practices

Resources mentioned: 

Humane World for Animals

Other resources for managing compassion fatigue: 

https://www.animalwelfarewellness.com/

Ep. 32: Using Humor as a Coping Skill

On today’s episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, we lighten things up a bit, while still keeping it real. We’re talking about humor as a coping skill in animal welfare, and why laughter is often a lifeline for those doing emotionally heavy work. Shoutout to Lisa for suggesting this topic!

We'll explore: 

• Why humor helps
• Shared humor = connection
• Dark humor in trauma-exposed fields
• When humor goes too far
• Using humor intentionally

Have a topic you want to suggest? Reach out to me at jen@jenblough.com.

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. 

Ep. 31: Using Breathwork to Calm the Nervous System with Clare Prichard

In this episode, we’re joined by breathwork expert Clare Prichard, who helps us explore the healing power of breathwork—a simple yet profound tool for calming the body and mind. Whether you’re recovering from a stressful day at work, grieving the loss of an animal, or feeling compassion fatigue creeping in, learning how to breathe with intention can be a lifeline.
Clare explains the science of how breathwork affects the nervous system, and offers practical techniques you can use anywhere, anytime.

Topics covered:

• What intentional breathwork is
• The neuroscience of breath and the stress response
• How breathwork helps regulate trauma and compassion fatigue
• In-the-moment techniques to calm a dysregulated nervous system
• Different styles of breathwork and how to choose one
• Gentle approaches for those who feel anxious when focusing on the breath
• A guided breathing exercise to restore calm and clarity

Resources mentioned:

Clare’s website

Clare’s Instagram