ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Working in animal welfare and behavior can be incredibly rewarding—but it can also take a significant emotional toll. In this episode, I sit down with Carol Sumbry, a Certified Behavior Consultant, Force-Free Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Trauma-Informed Approach Professional, Therapy Dog Evaluator, and Family Dog Mediator™, to discuss the realities of compassion fatigue in behavior work and the importance of finding sustainable ways to care for yourself while caring for others.
Carol shares her journey into animal welfare, the emotional impact of working with aggression and trauma cases, and the lessons she's learned after decades of helping dogs and the people who love them. We also explore how movement, creativity, hobbies, and other self-care practices have become essential tools in helping her navigate the challenges of this work.
We discuss:
- Carol's path into animal welfare, rescue, and behavior work
- The hidden emotional costs of working with trauma and aggression cases
- Recognizing the signs of compassion fatigue
- How trauma affects both animals and the humans trying to help them
- The connection between movement, exercise, and emotional resilience
- The role of yoga, creativity, hobbies, and other restorative activities
- Finding meaning and purpose in difficult work
- Lessons learned from a lifetime of helping animals
Resources:
Carol's website
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