Compassion in Action

Compassion in action encompasses all the ways we practice caring for the suffering of others with hopes to lessen it. As a Child Abuse Medical Professional, there are some actions that may seem counter to compassion, but actually are not. When our actions, such as mandated reporting or perhaps giving court testimony, stem from our sincere hope for less suffering in this world, then we begin to see compassion in action in all we do. Some may call this fierce compassion, that is actions taken with a positive intention to protect others.

An example of compassion in action in child abuse work is practicing trauma-informed care. Another example is practicing Trauma Stewardship—our daily practice of paying attention to the challenges of child abuse work, acknowledging both the joys and pains, and ultimately working toward meaningful growth.