Child Life Wild Life
Jessica Lewin, CCLS & The Child Life Mentor, sits down with Certified Child Life Specialists, students, and professionals to talk about topics surrounding the field of child life. Come and gain tangible next steps and confidence as you learn how to use your child life skills, protect your mental health, and glean inspiration, hope, and ideas. I'm so happy you're here!
Child Life Wild Life
The Wild Life of Navigating Toxic Positivity in Child Life with Shani Thornton
Certified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and seasoned CCLS, Shani Thornton, about how child life specialists can understand the differences between toxic positivity, burnout, and compassion fatigue.
Together, Shani and Jessica peel back the curtain on the child life profession's hidden struggle with toxic positivity. Shani, with her 16 years of experience, offers a wealth of knowledge, encouraging a shift from a culture of false cheerfulness to one that embraces genuine emotion and fosters deep, empathetic connections with both children and their families.
The reality of burnout and compassion fatigue in our field is a silent crisis many of us face. Shani and Jessica share personal stories and professional insights into how these instances can chip away at our passion. They dissect the fine line between momentary stress and the long-term effects of emotional labor, providing strategies for resilience. The discussion goes beyond identifying the problem, offering listeners a lifeline in practices that prioritize authentic connections and self-awareness, both crucial for maintaining mental well-being in the emotionally charged atmosphere of child life work.
This episode is a tribute to the courage it takes to stay true to oneself and the children we serve amidst the rise and fall waves of the work we do .
Articles talked about in the episode:
https://www.griefworkcenter.com/compassion-fatigue-vs-burnout/
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/compassion-fatigue-vs-burnout
https://www.dvm360.com/view/compassion-fatigue-often-unavoidable-adapting-critical
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-toxic-positivity-5093958
You can follow Shani on Instagram as @childlifemommy.
Track: Odessa — LiQWYD & Scandinavianz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/jNy-Dp3lgcgFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/odessa