Ep12 Jessica Dolce on Compassion Fatigue, Self Care versus Institutional Care, and stories of healing

Jessica Dolce is a Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator via the Green Cross of Traumatology, receiving her training through The Figley Institute and Tend Academy. She brings seventeen years of experience working with and for companion animals to her online classes, workshops, and coaching.

Jessica is an adjunct faculty member at The Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida and has worked with organizations such as the ASPCA, Maine Medical Center, Maine Department of Agriculture, Southern Maine Community College, and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

Jessica shares her personal stories of connecting with dogs and how she came to work in her education and communication company with 

Jessica discusses the importance of focusing on healthy boundaries and letting go, and taking good care of oneself, and reaching out for support. 

Jessica zooms in on the individual aspects of care and self-care, as well as the need of being heard and seen, and being validated of the experiences and the risks of the job. Jessica also discusses the aspects of providing support and resources. 

Identifying and understanding on an institutional level, and to focus on risk and resilience assessments, and shifting to by identifying occupational hazards and mitigating these, to decrease risk, and increase resilience. 

Jessica and Sabrina discuss similarities and differences between different animal care facilities and the need for psychological safety in the workplace. 

Jessica is the founder of the Compassion in Balance Program which is a year-long, online resilience-building educational program created specifically for animal welfare organizations.

Find out more about Jessica and her company HERE

Listen on your favourite player or directly HERE

Become a member of PAWS HERE