Relaunching with Purpose: Strategic Thinking and Compassionate Leadership

One of the greatest perks of being a public health professional isn't the title or paycheck but the culture of lifelong learning. Over the years I have been fortunate to attend a lot of conferences, workshops, and training. A few stayed with me long after the training ended.

One was a diversity training that focused not on the usual conversations about race or gender, but on financial diversity and how our socioeconomic backgrounds shape how we think and relate. Another was Suzanne Koepplinger's training nearly a decade ago about vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and ways individuals and organizations can address and mitigate their impact.

Earlier this year, after losing grant funding and a major program, I found myself at a crossroads. I set out to relaunch my consulting business. I knew I couldn't simply go back to business as usual with funding priorities shifting, institutions destabilized and many of us experience moral injury as our professional values clashed with new priorities.

Many of us in overdose and suicide prevention already experience compassion fatigue. Adding the stress of layoffs, uncertainty, and the loss of control and burnout becomes a real and urgent concern.

That realization drove me to reconnect with Suzanne. Within half an hour of connecting, I felt lighter, grounded, and reminded there is a way forward - collectively.

I shared with Suzanne how I felt like people were starting to get their elbows out with all the new federal administrations cuts and shifting of priorities. That in a rapid stream, I didn't want to elbow others to cling to slippery rocks and roots on the edges. I didn't want to "barely hang on." Instead, I wanted to build my own raft and navigate the churning chaos on my own terms. I would either float or sink, rather than cling out of fear.

Recent family kayaking trip in Decorah, IA. Photo taken before I went down some rapids and tipped my kayak and lost my newly purchased glasses.

She smiled and replied, "There is a Hopi poem I use in some of my trainings. It starts with

"Here is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid, who will try to hold on to the shore.  They are being torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know that the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore. Push off into the middle of the river and keep our heads above water…."

I got chills. I felt seen and understood. I realized that letting go of control, fear, and attachment was not failure but was a risk worth taking. It was at this point that I knew I needed to bring her wisdom and understanding to others.

That conversation sparked the idea of an upcoming session that I'm honored to co-host with Suzanne:

Fostering Strategic Thinking and Compassionate Leadership on November 20th.

If this story connects with you, if you have been clinging to the shore or feeling swept away by the current, this training is designed for you. I hope you join us. Let's find a new way forward together.