Santa Fe Animal Shelter teams up with Hatching™ to Provide Staff and Volunteers with Compassion Training Course
SANTA FE – Santa Fe Animal Shelter (SFAS) has partnered with Hatching–a social impact organization focused on increasing compassion–to offer The Más Compassion Experience™ to its staff and volunteers in an effort to support overall wellness.
The workshop–provided for the first time in a bilingual format for SFAS–is designed to help individuals and teams build the capacity to care while also caring for themselves. Through the workshop, participants underwent guided reflection and honest conversations and learned practical tools rooted in emotional awareness. As a result of the experience, participants strengthened connection, navigated burnout, and reconnected to the purpose behind their work.
“Our volunteers and staff serve countless hours helping animals in need across our community,” said Lex Gowans, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications for Santa Fe Animal Shelter. “It’s common for those in caregiving professions to overwork themselves at the expense of their own needs. This workshop helped to break up that burnout and infuse all of us with a healthy dose of self-care and self-reflection. We’re incredibly grateful to Hatching for the partnership and look forward to the positive impacts this will have on our team.”
In addition to the immersive workshop, SFAS volunteers and staff enjoyed music from Indigenous flutist Sky Redhawk, who opened the workshop, accompanying a guided meditation led by Hatching CEO José Ocaño. A foundational part of the workshop, the music mindfulness experience invited participants to reflect on the question, “What is it like to be me?” The music helped participants slow down, become present, and connect with honest answers, often creating a meaningful and emotional experience.
“One of the most powerful moments came at the end of the workshop when a participant, with tears in her eyes, shared that she was leaving knowing she wasn’t alone in the struggle,” said José Ocaño, CEO of Hatching. “That realization can make all the difference. For Hatching, that’s what this work is really about: helping people feel seen, heard, and connected to one another as they navigate the challenges that come with caring for others.”
About Santa Fe Animal Shelter
Since 1939, Santa Fe Animal Shelter has been dedicated to its mission to support animals, save lives, and spread compassion. As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, we are northern New Mexico’s largest no-kill animal resource center serving Santa Fe county. Visit us online at sfhumanesociety.org.
About Hatching™
Hatching™ is a social impact organization helping people and organizations move from survival mode to compassion mode. Since its founding in 2023, Hatching has partnered with more than 100 organizations across the United States and Canada, supporting leaders, teams, and helpers in animal welfare, healthcare, education, and other mission-driven fields. Through consulting, workshops, live learning experiences, and digital education, Hatching equips people with practical tools that strengthen self-awareness, deepen connection, and build more compassionate communities. For more information, visit hatching.me
