What Spring Teaches us About Building Bridges and Compassion Fatigue

By Sharyn Fein, Executive Director

We have just wrapped up our Compassion Fatigue Symposium in Dallas County, which always occurs at an ideal time. The changing of the season invites new growth, spring especially. What better time to encourage and invite self-compassion into your life?

Spring cleaning is common practice in our living spaces, and the same should be true for our personal lives. If like me, you’ve been watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix, you’ll know that a de-cluttered room can also make for a decluttered mind. I would encourage us all to go a step beyond that in our spring cleaning. Find a few ways to work self-compassion and self-care into your daily routine. Look through your to-do list and identify items that you can ask for help on. If you are any sort of caregiver, as most of us are, make sure you are taking care of yourself first. That’s the only way you will be able to continue taking care of others. Let the beautiful weather and blooming wildlife be your inspiration!

At EDUCARE, our focus on growth extends beyond compassion fatigue. As part of our mission, our cultural competency training programs work to build a bridge between caregivers and those in need of care who are also part of a marginalized community. Only through extending a hand to one another can our understanding strengthen and grow. It is our vision to see compassionate care bloom around us.

In fact, I can’t wait to be able to share what’s in store for our Bridge Building Network program. Our education committee is working hard to bring the EDUCARE training programs all throughout the DFW area and beyond. While many facilities and organizations are open to the LGBT+ community, there are always differences and sensitivities within marginalized communities that need to be recognized. This is especially true for LGBT+ older adults, who have gone through experiences that most others could not imagine.

I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to speak with many of you at our recent events – whether it was the Compassion Fatigue Symposium, our Advanced Style Fashion Show fundraising event, one of our on-site trainings, or out in the community. It fills me with so much joy to see our mission spreading wider and wider. This spring will be a season of big growth for EDUCARE. I hope that through the healing power of self-kindness, it will be a season of growth for you as well.