Yes, sometimes when an addict slumps into their probation counselor's office insisting that their urine sample was tampered with, their counselor wants nothing more than to tell them off.

At least a handful of probation workers admitted to such frustrations last week during a training session at Butler County Community College. The session, one of several in a two-day conference titled, “Butler County Faces Addiction” centered on combating an effect called “compassion fatigue.”

The idea is simple: endless numbers of strung-out clients can impact counselors' ability to empathize, getting in the way of their job. Read how they deal with “compassion fatigue” in Monday's Butler Eagle.