Working in the social services field is a rewarding endeavor. It is a job with a purpose, making things better for the community around you. It can also have its challenges.
Our case managers are the best at what they do, providing compassionate support to our guests and residents, yet, like many caregivers, they often think of others before themselves. This can lead to stress and burnout. At Compass, we are always looking for ways to alleviate this, and with the help of UW Nursing students, we’ve just concluded a pilot program that takes aim at burnout directly.
Sabrina and Nathanael are both graduating students from the UW School of Nursing and worked with long-time friend of Compass, Dr. Anita Souza, to craft and run a pilot program for our case managers called “Burnout Prevention Training for Frontline Staff.”
Nathanael and Sabrina pose in front of posters at the 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium
The program is specifically designed for permanent supportive social service workers. The program is split into one-hour talk sessions over five weeks that explore mindfulness, stress reduction, self-care, boundaries, grief, and acceptance.
“This project was really eye-opening,” said Sabrina. “Even though I’m a nurse, I could relate to a lot of the feelings that the case managers have. They are truly professional, and they took to this program so well.”
Even though the 14 case managers may have been at different points in their careers with differing needs, all of them embraced the work, asked questions, and took lessons from these sessions.
“What really touched me was how much the case managers cared for this work,” Nathanael said. “This work, these people are deeply meaningful and important to them, AND they understood that the best way to provide that care and take care of themselves is in building a stronger community among themselves.”
“Being able to focus on the people who are on the frontlines helping people was wonderful,” Sabrina said. “Being a caregiver, you are shining a light. I’m grateful to have been involved.”