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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
Jul 9, 2026
Jul 9, 2026
13 min
In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I open up about a recent emotional meltdown that left me overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts, painful memories, and a dysregulated nervous system. After struggling to calm down, I finally turned to a surprisingly simple grounding technique called cognitive shuffling, a science-backed tool that helped me settle down.
I explore how intrusive thoughts, trauma memories, grief, chronic stress, and secondary traumatic stress often intensify at night, especially for those working in animal care, welfare, rescue, veterinary medicine, sheltering, and activism. I explain why the harder we try to suppress distressing thoughts, the stronger they often become, and how cognitive shuffling works differently by gently redirecting the brain into a more relaxed, sleep-friendly state.
You’ll learn:
- What cognitive shuffling is and how it works
- Why intrusive thoughts and memory loops are so common in animal welfare work
- How trauma and hypervigilance affect the nervous system
- Why anxious brains struggle to “shut off” at night
- A step-by-step guide to practicing cognitive shuffling
- How this technique can help both with insomnia and emotional overwhelm
- Important reminders about using coping skills without self-judgment
- Ways to pair cognitive shuffling with other calming nervous system practices
More resources:
Sign up for my free monthly newsletter here.
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.
Jul 2, 2026
Jul 2, 2026
29 min
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.
Jun 25, 2026
Jun 25, 2026
15 min
In this solo episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I talk about my rescue goat, Gracie, and how she represent compassion satisfaction—the joy, meaning, and fulfillment that comes from helping animals and making a difference.
I share Gracie’s rescue story and explore how animal welfare professionals and advocates can experience both burnout and deep fulfillment at the same time. Drawing on research, personal reflection, and the wisdom of Viktor Frankl, this episode examines why compassion satisfaction matters and how it can serve as a protective factor against compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress.
I discuss:
- What compassion satisfaction actually is
- Why meaning and purpose protect against burnout and secondary traumatic stress
- The emotional impact of animal welfare work
- How optimism contributes to resilience
- The importance of social support and community
- Practicing self-compassion in caregiving professions
- Positive reframing versus toxic positivity
- Post-traumatic growth in animal advocacy work
- Leadership’s role in supporting staff well-being
- The dangers of martyr mentality in animal welfare
- Sustainable advocacy and long-term resilience
More resources:
Sign up for my free monthly newsletter here.
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.
Jun 18, 2026
Jun 18, 2026
34 min
In this eye-opening episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I sit down with veterinary receptionist and animal advocate Sam Anderkay to explore the often-overlooked emotional toll carried by veterinary support staff.
Sam shares her journey from volunteering at Valley of the Kings Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat, where she cared for abused and neglected tigers, wolves, bears, and farm animals, to spending nearly eight years on the front lines of veterinary medicine as a customer service representative.
We dive into the unique ways compassion fatigue impacts veterinary receptionists, who are often the very first and very last point of contact for distressed and grieving pet parents. Sam opens up about the emotional weight of euthanasia appointments, absorbing client grief, balancing constant multitasking, and the anxiety and depression that nearly pushed her out of the field entirely.
We also explore:
- The differences between compassion fatigue in wildlife rehabilitation versus veterinary medicine
- Why veterinary support staff are often overlooked in mental health conversations
- The emotional impact of witnessing client grief day after day
- How compassion fatigue affected Sam’s mental health, relationships, and daily functioning
- The importance of boundaries, identity outside of work, and sacred time off
- The growing movement advocating for veterinary receptionist education and mental health support
- Continuing education and professional development as protective factors against burnout
- The role of compassion satisfaction in sustaining long-term animal care work
- The animals who changed Sam’s life, including a blind tiger named Siva and her beloved German shepherd, Hera
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.
Jun 11, 2026
Jun 11, 2026
11 min
Today’s episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue is a guided meditation designed specifically for those of you in animal care, rescue, welfare, veterinary medicine, and activism to help you regulate your nervous system.
This meditation is meant to be listened to in a safe, quiet place where you can fully relax for about ten minutes. So if you’re driving or in the middle of something that requires your full attention, I invite you to come back to this episode when you can truly be present with it.
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
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.
Jun 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
10 min
In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I explore a powerful mindset shift that can dramatically reduce burnout in animal care, rescue, veterinary medicine, and advocacy: dialectical thinking, also known as both/and thinking.
If you’ve ever felt like you had to choose between being hopeful or being realistic, strong or struggling, this episode challenges that belief.
We discuss:
- What dialectical (both/and) thinking is and why it matters
- How black-and-white thinking fuels compassion fatigue and burnout
- Why emotional complexity is not weakness—but resilience
- How to hold space for both pain and purpose in your work
- A simple, practical way to start using this skill immediately
Additional resources:
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
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.
May 28, 2026
May 28, 2026
32 min
In this episode of Beyond Compassion Fatigue, I sit down with Lisa Beggio, Executive Director of Columbia Humane Society, to discuss her deeply personal journey through primary trauma, PTSD, and healing after surviving a life-threatening dog attack while working in animal rescue.
Lisa shares what it was like to return to shelter work after trauma, the reality of PTSD triggers in a field built around exposure to suffering, and how therapy helped her reclaim her life and career.
Together, we explore the intersection of compassion fatigue and PTSD, the importance of speaking openly about mental health in animal welfare, and why protecting the people who protect animals must become a priority.
This conversation is raw, honest, and hopeful—and an important reminder that healing is possible.
We discuss:
- How trauma can reshape your nervous system and identity
- What PTSD symptoms looked like after Lisa’s dog attack
- Why returning to work required intentional exposure and support
- The power of therapy, accountability, and learning trauma tools
- Breaking stigma around mental health in animal welfare
- How leadership can normalize self-care and psychological safety
- Finding purpose and meaning after trauma
- Why “being selfish” is sometimes essential for survival in helping professions
Resources mentioned:
Columbia Humane Society website
Columbia Humane Society Facebook
Got a suggestion for a future topic? Reach out to me: jen@jenblough.com.
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.
May 21, 2026
May 21, 2026
12 min
Last week, we explored the external risk factors of compassion fatigue—the systems, environments, and conditions surrounding animal welfare work.
This week, we turn inward.
Compassion fatigue doesn’t just come from what you’re exposed to, it’s also shaped by who you are: your personality, your experiences, and the traits that likely drew you to this work in the first place.
This episode takes an honest look at the internal factors that can increase vulnerability to compassion fatigue, without blame or shame.
We talk about:
- Why empathy and compassion are both essential traits as well as risk factors
- The difference between empathy fatigue and compassion fatigue
- How being other-directed can quietly lead to self-neglect
- The impact of tying your identity and self-worth to your work
- What it means to be a highly sensitive person (HSP) in animal welfare
- How past trauma can both motivate and increase vulnerability
- Why compassion fatigue develops through the interaction of internal and external factors
Resources & Links
- Listen to last week’s episode on external risk factors
- Sign up for my free monthly newsletter for tips on managing compassion fatigue