Lawyers, in certain practice areas such as criminal law, family law, immigration law, and juvenile law may be highly susceptible to compassion fatigue. In these practice types, lawyers are required to view crime or accident scenes, listen to victims’ stories and view or read reports of graphic evidence of traumatic victimization. Compassion Fatigue, also called “vicarious traumatization” or secondary traumatization, is the emotional residue or strain of exposure to working with those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events. It differs from burn-out, but can co-exist. Listen in as Bill Slease, Rebecca Kitson, and Sarah Armstrong discuss their thoughts and experiences with compassion fatigue and offer some tips on how to manage a better sense of well-being in what is seen as some of the more difficult areas of law practice.
Presented by:
William Slease, Professional Practice Program Director for the State Bar of New Mexico and member of the NM Well-Being Committee; Sarah Armstrong, Armstrong, Roth, Whitley, Johnstone (ARWJ) Family Law, LLC; Rebecca Kitson, Rebecca Kitson Law, PC.
Thank you for listening! This episode was produced by the State Bar of New Mexico’s Well-Being Committee and the New Mexico Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program. All editing and sound mixing was done by BlueSky eLearn. Intro music is by Gil Flores. The views of the presenters are that of their own and are not endorsed by the State Bar of New Mexico. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment or legal advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.