Are You Feeling Too Much? The Hidden Cost of Empathy at Work | Tanya Cooper

Is your empathy helping you—or wearing you down?If you’re in a helping profession, this conversation will speak to your heart and your nervous system.In this episode of Compassion in a T-Shirt, Dr. Stan Steindl speaks with Tanya Cooper, a Melbourne-based clinical psychologist, Motivational Interviewing trainer, and longtime member of MINT. With over 25 years of experience, Tanya offers profound insights into the emotional cost of care work and how to sustain compassion without burning out.Drawing from her personal journey during Melbourne’s intense lockdowns and the work of thinkers like Jamil Zaki, Babette Rothschild, and Kristin Neff, Tanya explores the concept of an "empathy ecosystem"—and how understanding the balance between experience sharing, cognitive empathy, and compassion can help us stay grounded, regulated, and truly helpful.Whether you’re a therapist, social worker, nurse, teacher, or carer, this conversation is packed with wisdom, warmth, and practical strategies to protect your empathy and nurture your wellbeing.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Compassion in a T-Shirt00:06 Meet Tanya Cooper: A Deep Dive into Empathy01:44 The Emotional Toll of Being a Psychologist02:52 Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health04:11 Navigating Empathy During Lockdown07:30 The Concept of an Empathy Ecosystem18:45 Personal Stories and Professional Insights26:27 Exploring the Three Modes of Empathy26:50 Empathy in Competitive and Compassionate Contexts28:31 Individual Differences in Empathy29:55 Empathy and the Pandemic38:44 Self-Care and Regulation During Crisis41:36 The Power of Small Gestures48:20 Taking in the Good52:02 Final Reflections on Empathy and Self-CareIf you would like to learn more about compassion focused therapy, you can find Dr Stan Steindl's book The Gifts of Compassion here: https://www.ausapress.com/p/the-gifts-of-compassion-how-to-understand-and-overcome-suffering/ Say hi on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstansteindl Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/StanSteindl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_stan_steindl/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-steindl-150a5264/ Website: https://www.stansteindl.com/ YouTube Video URL: https://youtu.be/s7YkWnUX9qo *Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in no way obligated to use these links. Thank you for your support! Video hashtags:empathy burnout, compassion fatigue, motivational interviewing, mental health professionals, nervous system regulation, Tanya Cooper, Compassion in a T-Shirt, Dr Stan Steindl, self-compassion, cognitive empathy, Jamil Zaki, Babette Rothschild, Kristin Neff, polyvagal theory, vicarious trauma, emotional resilience, pandemic mental health