About Our Founder

Patricia Smith is the Founder and Director of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project©. As a certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist with more than 20 years of training experience, she writes, speaks and facilitates workshops in service of those who care for others in all caregiving professions.

With a background in journalism, Patricia's writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the San Jose Mercury News where she was a freelance journalist for nearly 20 years. As training and development manager for the Humane Society Silicon Valley, she created and implemented a critical shelter-wide compassion fatigue project. Her work in this field led to presenting workshops nationwide as a consultant for American Humane, a national organization advocating children and animal rights. 

Patricia has authored two training manuals, a presenter's guide and a student workbook:

Healthy Caregiving: A Guide to Recognizing and Managing Compassion Fatigue: Presenter's Guide Level 1

Healthy Caregiving: A Guide to Recognizing and Managing Compassion Fatigue: Student Guide Level 1

Her new book, To Weep for a Stranger: Compassion Fatigue in Caregiving, is a comprehensive look at compassion fatigue, its causes and symptoms, and how to begin the healing process.

Patricia is the recipient of the “Excellence in Writing Award,” presented by the National League of American Pen Women. Under her direction, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford received the 2005 “Best Bets” award for its “Healing Arts” program. She was awarded the 2006 Telly Award for her script “Invaders of the National Parks,” a documentary on invasive species created for the National Parks Service. 

Her clients have included the University of California, Santa Cruz; Dominican Hospital; O’Connor Hospital; Jacob’s Heart; Hospice Caring Project; Indianapolis Animal Shelter; Veterinarian Oncologists; Ronald McDonald House at Stanford and the Health Projects Center, a State of California social services agency.