From empathy overload to supportive structures – Supporting Naistenkartano towards a thriving work community
Caring for the carers: Building sustainable practices at Naistenkartano
Naistenkartano supports the wellbeing of women through peer-led groups and easy to access psychosocial services. As client needs have been growing more complex, the emotional load on staff has also increased. To assist with this, the organization partnered with Empact to strengthen internal support structures and reimagine how their work is organized.
The growing pressures and complexities in society are increasingly reflected in the everyday lives of women – and this is also visible in peer support groups. Amid these changes, staff have at times felt overwhelmed and uncertain about whether the current model continues to meet the evolving needs of their clients. At the same time, internal structures such as goal-setting, communication, and role clarity have not always supported the work in the best possible way.
Goals of the project
- Reflect on the current state of peer group work and identify development needs
- Co-create concrete solutions and building sustainable practices for staff well-being, group structures, and internal collaboration
- Clarify responsibilities, expectations, and role boundaries
- Strengthen a culture of emotional safety, feedback, and continuous development
”I warmly recommend Anna and Michelle from Empact! They build up the development work with care and attention, create a good atmosphere and a clear way of working, and also take care of the follow-up in an exemplary manner. The whole process was handled from start to finish with great professionalism!”
– Anna Vuorio, Executive Director at Naistenkartano
Methods used
Co-creative workshops: Two full-day sessions brought together staff from across the organization to identify challenges, share experiences, and develop solutions in a collaborative, facilitated environment.
Facilitated dialogue: Safe and structured conversations allowed the team to voice concerns, surface unspoken tensions, and build a shared understanding of current realities and future direction.
Future visioning: Participants imagined a thriving Naistenkartano in 2030 – what it would feel like to work there, how it would be structured, and what values would guide the work. This inspired concrete ideas and long-term thinking.
Concept creation: Small groups prototyped new internal models for goal-setting, emotional sustainability, supervision, and support. These ideas were tested and refined together.
Reflection: Throughout both workshops, time was set aside for personal and group-level reflection. This helped make space for emotions, strengthen team cohesion, and translate learning into action.
Key findings and outcomes
Emotional sustainability
Empathy fatigue and the emotional load of client work require active joint structures, not just personal coping strategies.
Organizational alignment
A sense of relief and motivation emerged from working toward shared goals across cities and teams.
Clearer roles and support systems
Staff need shared understanding around expectations, responsibilities, and feedback.
Stronger culture of care
Emotional expression, reflection, and psychological safety were recognized as essential to sustainable work.
Strategic client work development
Group formats and client targeting must align with available resources and staff capacity.
”The most valuable aspect of your work was the warm and safe atmosphere you created at the event. Good structure and sticking to the agreed schedule.”
– Workshop participant
Why it matters?
When your mission is to care for others, your internal ways of working matter just as much. This collaboration created space for staff to reflect, realign, and reimagine how to do their work – without the risk of burnout. As one participant said: ”Now we’re finally rowing in the same direction.”