Our Farm’s First Compassion Fatigue Retreat: How Did it Help?

The Compassion Fatigue Retreat was sponsored by:

On May 13, Our Farm facilitated its first, and highly successful, compassion fatigue retreat, dedicated to supporting those who serve others with unwavering dedication. Designed to address the emotional and psychological toll of caregiving and service-oriented professions, the retreat provided participants with several well-structured and reflective modules focused on mindfulness and self-reflection, aiming for renewal. The event fostered meaningful dialogue, personal restoration, and a renewed sense of purpose among attendees, underscoring the critical importance of intentional self-care in sustaining compassionate work.

Our Farm’s Compassion Fatigue Retreats consist of five key components: Pro-generative Gardening and analogies with stress relief, Nature Immersion and Creative Arts, Equine Interactions, Health and Fitness, and Stress Relief Techniques. As the participants moved through the modules, they were surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the farm and the calming sounds of nature. Each module was held in a different area of the farm, allowing attendees to experience the site's overall natural beauty and healing properties. 

Health and Fitness

Our instructor emphasized the importance of a balanced diet combined with regular exercise to maintain good physical and mental health. She was able to share healthy meal options that should be eaten throughout the day, as well as lead the group through a series of stretching and strengthening exercises. All of her expertise was in teaching participants good health practices, with a focus on maintaining both physical and mental well-being.

Equine Interactions

Horses, known for their sensitivity, offer a unique therapeutic experience. They are capable of sensing a person's emotions through the bonding process. The participants had the opportunity to experience a supervised introduction to friendly and gentle horses. Through touch and stillness, they discovered that bonding with horses can lead to a profound healing process.

Quote: “Horses are amazing animals. I could

definitely feel the stress and anxiety leave my body.” 

Stress Relief Techniques

Our specialist in stress relief techniques is well-versed in understanding how to reset patterns of reactions learned throughout life. With her instruction, participants learned how reactions are established and physical ways to help interrupt and reframe negative or unhelpful thoughts, as well as to pause reactions. This allows time for reflection and reframing of thoughts and reactions, hopefully leading to more positive outcomes. All of these techniques enabled the participants to understand the importance of healthy responses to life's stressors in reducing stress and negative thoughts.    

Quote: “You gain great ideas on how to reduce stress and get in touch with your feelings.”

Nature Immersion and Creative Expression

The Nature and Creative Arts module invites participants to explore the importance of the healing properties of nature and the therapeutic benefits of creative expression. The facilitator led the participants on a walk through the wooded area of the farm, teaching them about the grounding properties of the earth and trees. She helped them understand that taking time in nature, being still, and remaining mindful of our relationship in the natural world is a potent stress reliever. Participants also explored their sense of creativity through art or written expression while being immersed in nature. This unique process not only releases stress but nourishes the spirit and reinforces the process of self-care. 

 

Quotes: “I learned the importance of connection with nature, it helps reduce stress.” 

"It was a great time for reflecting, connection, and healing.” 

Pro-generative Gardening and Analogies with Stress Relief

Led by an expert in the field of pro-generative farming, participants had the opportunity to learn about the importance of caring for the soil to produce high-quality fruits and vegetables. Nurturing a garden for positive results has a strong analogy with self-care. Attendees learn to be mindful during the gardening process as a way of thinking about how we also need to nurture ourselves, caring for the foundations of our well-being to achieve productive outcomes. 

 

Quote: “I had no idea how much goes into gardening! Taking care of the soil, the microbes are so important.” "The retreat helped me to be mindful in all areas of my life.” 

Final Statistics to Share

Throughout the day, three physical assessments were completed with the attendees. Once in the morning, at the lunch break, and again at the end of the day. The evaluation consisted of a blood pressure check, a heart rate check, and the individual's self-rating of their current stress level, which was rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 indicating the highest sense of stress. The final data correlation resulted in the following data: 

• Blood Pressure: 66.67% showed improvement in BP following the retreat

• Heart Rate: 75% showed improvement in HR following the retreat

• Reported Stress Level: 91.67% reported improvement in their stress level following the retreat

This data indicates that the participants experienced clear positive improvements in blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels following the retreat. 

Final Quote: 

”Thank you so much for the wonderful retreat at 'Our Farm'. I learned so much and have already shared things I learned with others. Thanks to all the staff and volunteers for sharing their time and knowledge with us. I will visit again!”

Our Farm would like to thank Greenwood Women Care for their generous sponsorship, which made this first Compassion Fatigue Retreat possible. We are committed to offering more opportunities like this in the future. We intend to continue supporting all who work with others in a caring capacity, providing retreats to ease compassion fatigue, teach and promote self-care, and help sustain the vital work they do every day.