R Scott Boots MPA
As a caregiver who has experienced compassion fatigue and burnout firsthand, I founded HCEI at Boston in 1992. As a result of our first-ever nationwide focus groups with paid and non-paid care providers, we developed a dynamic, empowering and unique self-care skills building seminar that has been adapted for and delivered for a variety of audiences across the US and UK. Our initial focus was paid care providers, administrators, and family/volunteer care providers, and our audiences have also included research administrators, educators, persons living with chronic illness or addiction, persons living with minority stress, clergy, social workers and others. Burnout creates huge and costly caps in healthcare access and delivery, employee absenteeism and resignations, preventable workplace errors, and even patient (and employee) mortality.
This wellness seminar helps participants to understand their unique journeys and needs, identifying stressors and responding in healthy ways. Through a series of pairs discussion, writing, and experiential exercises participants come to better understand how they can better care for themselves and others – but prioritizing selfcare. When we care for ourselves first and foremost, everybody wins.