The Art of Compassion Dr Janet Childs AAETS

The Art of Compassion Dr. Janet Childs, AAETS Diplomat Director, Bay Area CISM Team Centre for Living with Dying program of Bill Wilson Center

Love knows no time… Love knows no limit…

43 percent of U. S. adults suffer adverse health effects from stress, according to an American Psychological Association (APA) study.

Love, given and received, An antidote to stress.

INTERNAL EXTERNAL RESOURCES

Love Can Heal! n n OOC: Out of Control Isolation In Control In Team/Community

Change creates trauma/stress n Stress is the natural response to any change or loss n Emotional trauma is similar to physical injury

Stress and Change n 3 types of landmines Triggered by Senses, Time or Memory

PTSD now is PTSI Post Traumatic Stress Injury With response, can be Post Trauma Growth

Stress n Individual and unique n Normal, universal human experience n Natural response to any loss or change even positive change n Unpredictable waves n The body remembers n No timetable

Stress Dynamic Crash Wall Tired/Wired Stress Baseline for Responders/ Spiritual caregivers

Fight Flight Freeze R D E S P O N

Types of Stress Acute Delayed Cumulative Occupational

What’s in your Backpack ? Present Stress

Stress and Change Magnitude of change Transformed by CISR…

What does this mean for you the responder? Infinity of giving and receiving.

The Earth is n Your mother and your child ……. . Your heart and your community

New Normal Build a new normal with grounded love.

Heart Hotel

Perceptions & Beliefs Stress: 80% perception, 20% event n Beliefs: n n I will make a difference vs. I can make a difference by my presence Building the new normal n Changing and adjusting world view n Love power can help! n

Love is ACTION Love and Loss hold Both & And in equal measure

Daily Gratitude Connect with the earth n Seven Senses n n Sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, intuition, connection with Spirit/Creator/All Be in present moment n Honor your truth n Be gentle with yourself and with others… n

Offering Support

How to support Need Don’t Need n n n n Honesty Acknowledgement Listen Presence Choice Space Validation Empowerment n n n n Pity Advice Judgment/critique War stories Platitudes/cliches Ignored Fix-it Personal Power taken away

Walk Talk • Moving Forward. Breathing. • Equal Relationship: Balance of power. • Out in Nature/Fresh Air. • Neutral Environment. • Less ‘Counseley’. More natural.

Support Tips Stay in the present moment n Reassure stress response is normal n Focus on most difficult issue RIGHT NOW n Assess what is needed RIGHT NOW n No easy way over stress, but moment by moment, we get through and build the NEW NORMAL n

Tools for Survival n Acknowledge impact of stress n Express details n Act – take steps to create as much meaning & completion to the stressful event n Reconnect to what’s good in your life

Action Step Plan Identify elements Meaning Making Group involvement?

Grounding: Internal Resources n The body never lies n The ‘Village Within’ n Personality Types: What do YOU need?

Internal Resources The Village Within Your Support Team

Connect with THE WISE ONE THE ANCESTOR THE INNOCENT

Recovery Triage Breathe. n Drink plenty of water. n Move. n Eat. n Give yourself a break. n Ground in the present moment. n Identify. n All in the energy of love. n

Remember n Be easy with your own process. n We have today. n Savor what’s good in your life now. n Your presence is powerful. n You can make the choice for you!