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Why Did You Write a Horse Book?

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The answer isn’t as simple as “Because you love horses.” While it's part of the answer, it doesn’t tell the whole story. It was May 2018. I had just submitted my Spring semester grades as a psychology instructor teaching a subject and students I adored. However, a few days later, without any warning, my teaching contract was not renewed, despite a positive end-of-year performance evaluation. I was shocked, hurt, angry, devastated, confused, and lost—which is how many of us feel when we’re grieving. Metaphorically, I had been not only bucked off a trusted horse, but dragged and trampled on as well.  In the midst of my fog, a fellow author and dear friend treated me to lunch where we discussed our WIPs. Although the details are still fuzzy from my bereft brain, I briefly mentioned that I although I had already fleshed out my second book, including a strong outline and completely written end scene, at some point, I wanted to write a horse-focused book.  I went on to say th at tha...
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When COVID-19 began to wreak havoc on our daily lives, my thoughts and concerns went to the caretakers, particularly those in the helping professions.  And my heart fell into my stomach. They were about to be overwhelmed professionally and emotionally, blindsided with compounding trauma. Compassion fatigue would rear its ugly head, potentially leaving atrocities in its wake. With the recent news stories about professionals’ suicides due to the pandemic, my hope is to shed light on this overlooked phenomenon. Compassion Fatigue, also known as secondary traumatic stress, or vicarious trauma, is the  consequence of working with traumatized individuals if the professional was exposed to significant numbers of them and had a strong empathic orientation. (Figley, 1995)      In other words, the professional who is most vulnerable often is a highly empathic and compassionate person exposed to trauma, especially on a routine basis. Who is ...