Empathetic Overwhelm: Identifying and managing compassion fatigue in lawyers

Due to the nature of their work, legal professionals are at one of the highest risks for compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue, also known as vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, secondhand shock, and secondary stress reaction, is the cumulative physical, emotional, and psychological effect of exposure to traumatic stories or events when working in a helping capacity, combined with the strain and stress of everyday life. This panel will explore compassion fatigue, the ways it impedes and negatively affects lawyers’ work and mental health, and share tips on how lawyers can avoid and/or treat compassion fatigue.

Panelists:

• Hon. Bruce Peterson, Senior District Court Judge, Minnesota Judicial Branch
• Jon Tynjala '95, Client Services Director, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers
• Roxanne Thorelli '17, Senior Associate, Fredrikson & Byron
• Dr. Stephanie (Stevi) Shively, Teaching Faculty, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing