There is a reason you have chosen this degree path. Most likely, you want to qualify for helping positions/roles that help people on a higher level. With advancement in this field also comes great responsibility, and sometimes emotionally heavy work! It is critical that you learn how to check in with yourself in terms of your level of self-care, and compassion. We are typically the worst at taking care of ourselves, so much so that NASW has added a section to the Code of Ethics regarding self-care. Simplified, self-care is the art of proactively taking care of yourself to ensure that you can keep doing what you love to do for years to come! Ever look at a social worker, or talk to one and wonder how they are still so passionate about their work when others seem to be bitter and resentful of their work? The key to happiness in this field, and the key to remaining effective for our clients, is self-care! Oftentimes, you will hear people talk about burnout, or compassion fatigue. These are real threats in our world and can be dangerous for ourselves, as well as our clients. Not sure what we mean by these? Before you dive into the lecture materials, take a moment to complete the Life Stress Test and the Compassion Fatigue Self-Test: An Assessment to increase your own self-awareness. Be sure to keep a copy of your completed assessments for your own records. You may see these again in later courses, as it is important to use these at different points in your life. Think about it, the stressors of the past year may be totally different 6 months from now. 
Once you have completed these, watch the lecture and review the NASW PowerPoint to learn more about Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, & Self-Care.
2021 Revisions NASW to the Code of EthicsDownload 2021 Revisions NASW to the Code of Ethics
Compassion Fatigue AssessmentDownload Compassion Fatigue Assessment
Life Stress TestDownload Life Stress Test
Answer the following in the Discussion Board:
1. What did you learn about yourself after completing the Life Stress Test and the Compassion Fatigue Self-Test?
2. What are 3 things you do, or could do, to practice self-care?
3. Talk about your experience with compassion fatigue or burnout. This could be about you, or someone, or something you have witnessed.