WHEELING, IL— Funeral service professionals are helpers—empathetic, and dedicated. Which means they’re also tired and facing compassion fatigue and burnout. On August 15, Brian Waters, co-host of Undertaking: The Podcast, joins Funeral Professionals Peer Support and the Cremation Association of North America to share his journey to improve his own self-care and to facilitate a discussion about wellness in the profession.
Brian Waters grew up in the apartment above Waters Funeral Home in Hartford City, Indiana, which is owned and operated by his parents. Brian became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in 2005, but he’s been immersed in the culture of funeral service his whole life. He understands that tuning in to others’ emotions and opinions is ingrained in the profession. But he also knows how important, and how hard it is, to draw the line and remain separate.
“I think for years I was treading water—doesn’t matter the depth of the pool, I suppose, knowing me at that time it was probably rather shallow,” Brian explains in one of his Brain Break episodes on Undertaking: The Podcast. “I was so worried about fixing every little problem that came my way and anticipating the problem so I would know what to do when the time arose. That’s a recipe for anxiety for me. But, when I figured out that I’m not the collection of other people’s opinions, or how the way I perceive the world does not have to be affected by the moods of others around me… it seems like a superpower now. I know who I am now. I know what I want to do. And the journey to fix myself of what other people thought I was has come to an end.”
Join Brian Waters for a meeting of funeral professionals’ peer support to explore your own journey. Brian can share how he has been inspired by the guests on his podcast to point out the good, to discover what he wants to do, and find the opportunity to do it more.
Whether or not you have a particular pressing issue to discuss, the meetings are a valuable place to offer support to your colleagues, too. If you work for a funeral home, cemetery, or crematory serving the public or supporting those who do—connect with us on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT via Zoom link at goCANA.org/peersupport. Students, apprentices, and interns are welcome.
About Funeral Professional Peer Support
Funeral Professional Peer Support Group is committed to providing support, healing, education and knowledge to funeral professionals. They promote wholeness and wellness by uniting funeral sector professionals through a Canada-wide network of regional organizations offering support, information and resources within their community.
About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,500 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
