The Ethics of Compassion (Hybrid)

Does compassion have limits? At its Latin roots, compassion -- com-passio -- means to suffer-with. The Dalai Lama tells us that our happiness, as well as the happiness of others, flows from the practice of compassion. As we practice, we learn -- and learning necessarily involves discovering what doesn't work. Practicing compassion inevitably involves encountering its necessary nuances and unintended effects. If compassion is empathy for another's suffering that evokes the intention to alleviate it, what happens when the actions we take do not help? When they actually cause harm? Can an unbounded empathy leave little room for our own feelings, and cause unintended damage to ourselves? While new Christian theological arguments about empathy itself being toxic and evil are obscene, we need to pay attention to the complexities of experiencing and exercising compassion. In this workshop, we will explore how compassion drives the practice and ethical codes of mental health and other healing professions, and we will articulate principles to guide us in practicing our compassionate work sustainably and ethically.

Sean Fitzpatrick, PhD LPC, holds master's degrees in religious studies (Rice University) and clinical psychology (University of Houston Clear Lake) and received his doctorate in psychology through Saybrook University's program in Jungian studies. Sean is a psychotherapist in private practice and has been employed at The Jung Center since 1997. His book, The Ethical Imagination Exploring Fantasy and Desire in Analytical Psychology, is available in The Jung Center bookstore. His research interests also include the intersection of psychology and spirituality and vicarious trauma and the selfcare needs of helping professionals and social service providers. He is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum and serves on the boards of the Houston Museum District Association and the Network of Behavioral Health Providers. His local and national teaching schedule can be found at his website http://sfitzpatrick.com/.

This program is being offered both IN-PERSON and ONLINE. Please select how you will attend when registering. Recordings will be distributed to registered participants only, and will not be available for individual purchase.

All times are CT. Please contact onlinelearning@junghouston.org with any questions.

Please register early. Programs with four or fewer participants are subject to cancellation, 48 hours prior to their start.

*The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC) has stopped pre-certifying ANY Continuing Education or Professional Development for mental health providers. The Jung Center cannot guarantee that the programs we provide will qualify for continuing education or Professional Development, nor can any other agency. The Jung Center uses high educational standards when selecting to designate events as "potentially appropriate for CEs", and in evaluating the outcomes of our educational services, and we believe them to meet the requirements of state licensing bodies. To find out more about the TBHEC changes to Continuing Education and Professional Development, click here: https://junghouston.app.neoncrm.com/np/viewDocument?orgId=junghouston&id=40288ab689aaa0f10189ada9005e0073