Help For The Helpers:
Unique Training Options Designed For Animal Welfare Organizations
The Compassion in Balance Program consists of 3 stand-alone training options.
Choose the training or a combination of trainings that works best for your organization.

The CiB Self-Study Course
An affordable, on-demand, training option to support staff at all levels.
In this 6 module online course, you and your staff will learn how to recognize Compassion Fatigue and develop new healthy skills to help manage the impact of stress and distress. The course allows ample time for everyone to learn and grow at their own pace. Staff can log-in on their own devices at work or home.

Building Resilient Teams Training
On-demand training series to help strengthen your teams.
Build trust, connection, and resiliency skills together with 6 one-hour trainings designed to be facilitated by your own staff. Coworkers will learn how to address common stressors together through structured lessons that include videos, discussions, worksheets, and action steps.

Live Custom Webinar
An engaging, live class designed to support your entire organization.
Come together as an organization to learn and practice strategies that can help everyone feel less stressed and more in control. Customized for your group's needs, a live webinar with Jessica can help your people to care for themselves and one another more effectively, so they can continue to make an impact.
Why choose CiB?
CiB is the only compassion resilience program designed specifically to address the unique challenges and joys of animal care and welfare organizations.
You’ll find unique strategies and guidance tailored to the field, created by someone who has decades of animal welfare experience.
OPTION #1: CiB SELF STUDY COURSE
This unique on-demand, online class is designed to help animal care workers better understand compassion fatigue, how to manage stress, practice self-care, and increase resiliency.
Participants have access to 6 online modules with videos and activities to help them learn the following resilience skills, so that they can feel better and perform more effectively:
- Self-awareness
- Stress management and self-regulation
- Self-care and healthy coping
- Self-compassion and mindfulness
- Intentional outlook and more!
Each participant receives:
- Comprehensive PDF workbook to download and keep
- Individual log-in and access to class from any device
- Individual assessments
- One year access to classroom
- Certificate of completion
Group discussion prompts are available for those who wish to learn and practice new skills together. A quiz and certificate of completion demonstrate participation.
Course enrollment can be purchased in packages of 5, 10, or 25 individual licenses (enrollments are licensed to individuals, not a shared location).
Launched in 2014, the self-study course has helped more than a thousand animal care and welfare professionals and volunteers to be well, while they do good work!

CiB Self Study FAQS
What are the the learning outcomes?
How much does it cost and are there discounts?
Who should take this class?
When does it start? Do we need to be in class at specific times?
How can we encourage and document participation?
Are there testimonials from students?
Can individuals takes this class?
Ready To Get Started? Enroll Now:
Megan, Volunteer Coordinator, U.S. Animal Shelter
"Compassion in Balance has helped me tremendously. I was on the verge of quitting last year and I feel like I’m finally in a better place now. We’ve had compassion fatigue training before, but none of it really focused on working with animals and it didn’t really make sense. You’ve bridged the gap for me and I truly appreciate it!"
OPTION #2: CiB TEAM TRAININGS
When it comes to wellbeing and performance, who we work with and how we work together matters.
Research has shown social support at work (caring, collaborative coworkers and supervisor) is the most significant factor associated with higher scores of compassion satisfaction.
These six structured team trainings are designed to help coworkers build new resilience skills together. Facilitated by someone within your organization, each training includes short videos, discussion prompts, worksheets, and action steps.
Together they'll learn how to:
- Reduce reactivity with self-regulation
- Shift their outlook towards realistic optimism
- Use zone of control thinking to cope with difficult emotions
- Express appreciation and gratitude
- Communicate constructively
- Create a values-based team culture and more!
Each organization receives:
- Access to all six trainings which include videos, discussion guidelines, worksheets, and logs
- PDF workbooks, including The Facilitator's Guide and a Planning Workbook, to download and keep
- Additional resources for managers to help them support staff
- PDF posters for your facility
- Up to 5 individual log-ins and access from any device
- One year access to the trainings
"Our Animal Control staff have really enjoyed the material so far - it’s been challenging but relevant and important. One employee commented, “This is actually good because you’re telling me helpful things and you’re not telling me to take a bubble bath.” So I am calling this a HUGE success. Thank you!" - Ashleigh Allen, Training & Development Specialist, Fairbanks North Star Borough

CiB Team Training FAQS
What are the learning outcomes?
Who facilitates the team trainings?
Is this a compassion fatigue training?
When does it start and do we need to be online at specific times?
How much time should we plan for these trainings?
How much does it cost?
Can we do the self-study AND the team trainings?
Ready to Get Started? Enroll Now:
Julie, Manager, Animal Health & Protection, Canadian Shelter
"After taking many compassion fatigue related trainings I can say that after all this time yours has provided me with the most valuable skills. What I learned has allowed me to continue my career in animal welfare for the last six years."
OPTION #3: LIVE WEBINAR
Join Jessica live for an engaging webinar for your entire organization! Webinars are designed to support staff and volunteers at all levels. In every webinar, your team will learn evidence-based strategies that can help them feel less stressed and more in control, so that they can more effectively care for themselves and continue to make an impact.
Included in each webinar:
• Online needs assessment to customize webinar for your group’s needs
• Live private webinar held on Zoom
• Recording of webinar for your group to keep
• PDF workbook for participants to download and keep
Presentation Topics Include:
Practicing Compassionate Badassery: Compassion Fatigue Foundations for Animal Care Professionals
Focus: Understand Compassion Fatigue (definitions, symptoms, contributing factors), along with other common occupational stressors. Participants will learn practical strategies everyone can implement to reduce work-related stress, build resilience, and increase job satisfaction. This is a comprehensive introduction to the key healthy changes individuals and leadership can make in order to better support staff wellbeing, so they can thrive in the challenging work they do. This webinar is a good fit for all staff.
Pump the Brakes! Reducing Reactivity with the 3 Rs
Focus: Understand how trauma-exposure and the stress response can impact our interactions with others, such as adopters, clients, and coworkers. Learn foundational self- regulation, zone-of-control thinking, and relationship skills that will help staff reduce reactivity to common workplaces triggers, respond intentionally, and work more effectively within their "window of tolerance." This webinar is a good fit all staff.
Download Current Topics

Live Webinar FAQS
When and where are the webinars held?
What happens if people miss the live event?
How long is it and much does the webinar cost?
We already had a webinar...what's next?
Can we book a webinar if we don't work with animals?
J. Gutierrez, COO Animal Legal Defense Fund
“I’m reaching out to let you know how pleased I was with the COVID session you put on for our team, and more importantly to share that I received numerous compliments about your session from staff – your work and style really seemed to resonate with them. I received more positive feedback for you than any other guest speaker we’ve ever had at ALDF. A heartfelt thank you from me and the team.”
General FAQs
Which training option is the best fit for our organization?
Is there customer service support for the trainings?
What does Compassion in Balance mean?
Can we combine 2 or more of these options?
Is this counseling or therapy?
Do you offer CEUs?
Who can I contact for more information?
Want some help choosing?
Schedule a free 20 minute call with Jessica and she'll help you figure out the next best step for your organization!
Schedule Your Call