Self-Assessment

Identifying Strengths and Stressors

Compassion Satisfaction & Compassion Fatigue

 

Those who serve others in demanding environments often carry both the deep rewards and the hidden costs of caring. Compassion fatigue can develop over time, showing up as emotional exhaustion, reduced capacity for empathy, or a diminished sense of purpose. The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) helps you reflect on both the positive (compassion satisfaction) and challenging (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) aspects of your work, offering insight into your current well-being.

 

Professional Quality of Life

See ProQOL website for other languages.

Resilience

 

Resilience is not about avoiding stress but developing healthy ways to respond to it. The Coping and Resilience Evaluation Scale (CARES) invites you to explore your current coping patterns, emotional resources, and areas of strength. This assessment helps highlight how you adapt to challenges, where you may need additional support, and practical pathways toward sustained resilience in your work and life.

 

 

Sources of Stress

 

Ongoing stress is a common experience for those working in cross-cultural, humanitarian, or high-demand contexts. The CHOPS Stress inventory provides a simple way to assess your current stress load across different areas of life and ministry. By identifying pressure points and patterns, this tool can help you recognize when stress may be building and encourage timely, healthy responses to maintain balance and well-being.

 

 

Taking Time for Self Reflection

In times of crises, multiple sources of stress are usually compiled, including practical demands, complex logistics, high levels of need, and frequent lack of resources. Caring for others overwhelmed by the crisis can also be physically and emotionally draining. Seeing tragedy around us can be painful, particularly in the midst of our limitations and frequent inability to meet all the needs being presented. It is important to make room for REST, RENEWAL, and REFLECTION.