Description
Compassion is a relatively new area of research, largely driven by fMRI studies showing that compassion is a positive state of mind and associated with feelings of warmth, concern, reward and affiliation. Compassion and empathy are now known to have different neural pathways. Although most healthcare workers have been trained to have empathy, empathy can accidentally turn into empathic distress, which is personal distress. This happens when a worker overidentifies with the suffering of another or becomes distressed by the other’s suffering. The term “compassion fatigue” is now considered to actually be “empathic distress fatigue”. It is important for healthcare workers to have training in compassion so they can learn to avoid empathic distress.The perception of common humanity has been proposed as a prerequisite for compassion and training in common humanity helps healthcare workers have compassion towards anyone else. Compassion training programs have been developed in the USA, the two main ones being the Stanford Compassion Cultivation Training program and the Emory Cognitively Based Compassion training program. This half day compassion training program focuses on the core components of the Stanford Compassion Cultivation Training program.
This event will cover:
- To learn about the latest research on compassion
- Understand the difference between compassion, empathy, pity and sympathy
- Learn strategies to enhance compassion and avoid empathic distress
- Strengthen the perception of common humanity which boosts worker wellbeing and assists in sustaining a compassionate stance in d
- Learn strategies for managing when compassion is challenged
Trainers
- Debbie Ling — Monash University
Eligibility criteria
people who work in the Alcohol and Other Drug sector and/or allied health professionals who work with clients with Alcohol and Other drug problems.
Categories:
Capability 6 - Understanding and responding to substance use and addiction,
Capability 13 - Enabling reflective and supportive ways of working
Disciplines:
Allied Health,
Lived Experience Workforce,
Other
Levels:
Introductory,
Intermediate
Lifespans:
Adolescent,
Youth,
Adult
09:30 to 12:30 Add to calendar
Richmond
Payable by credit card only
