In our M.Ed. and Humane Education Certificate Programs, students often struggle with the content of the courses in human rights, animal protection, and environmental preservation. In order to teach about the problems we face and to perpetuate and foster creative solutions and consciouschoicemakers among our students, we must expose ourselves to the atrocities and grave challenges in the world. This is painful. And the people who are drawn to our programs usually already come with a hefty dose of empathy. It’s part of why they enroll in our program,  versus other M.Ed. programs. But some find exposing themselves to cruelty, injustice, and destruction overwhelming.

Here’s a powerful, beautiful and important speech on compassion fatigue. It inspires, enlightens, and plumbs the depths of human kindness, even as it reveals human evil; and, it offers ideas for those caregivers — and I would include activists — who face the challenges of compassion fatigue in their work.

~ Zoe

Filed under: changemakers, citizen activism Tagged: | activists, atrocities, caregivers, changemakers, citizen activism, compassion fatigue, empathy, humane education, injustice, speeches, suffering