There is an analogy I use with my compassion fatigued clients and workshop participants to try and conceptualize the \u201cburnout\u201d process.\u00a0 I tell them it is like standing in the hot sun, for hours, with no hat, sunblock or shade, and willing yourself not to get sunburned.\u00a0 \u00a0Eventually, despite your mental efforts, your body will pay the price.\u00a0 And so, unfortunately, can it be with helping others.<\/p>\n
This blog will hopefully arm you with some tools and techniques that will act as your sunblock.\u00a0 Like the sun, our clients\u2019 issues are not \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad\u201d.\u00a0 Also like the sun, extended exposure can have a significant impact on our health.\u00a0\u00a0 Therefore preparing ourselves prior to meeting with clients can help ensure ongoing enjoyment of the work we do.<\/p>\n
Step 1:\u00a0 Educate yourself<\/strong>.\u00a0 Learn everything you can about the costs and challenges of helping others.\u00a0 Understand the trauma process, what secondary traumatic stress is, and the signs or symptoms of Compassion Fatigue and professional burnout.\u00a0 Having a good supervisor or mentor, who can help you navigate the balancing act of helping others while taking care of yourself, can be invaluable.\u00a0 Plus, it is not unusual for others to notice when we are feeling stressed or worn out before we do.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Step 2:\u00a0 Cultivate Self-Awareness.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Learn how to check in with yourself and do it regularly.\u00a0 Understand what your triggers are, be honest with yourself about your limitations, and establish an intimate familiarity with your relaxed versus stressed states.\u00a0 I once had a TCM doctor and spiritual guide recommend that I both check-in and ground myself every time I walked through a doorway.\u00a0 I have gotten to the place now where I can quickly establish how stressed\/distracted or ungrounded I am by taking a few seconds to turn inwards.\u00a0 Like any other skill, the more you practice, the easier it becomes.<\/p>\n Step 3:\u00a0 Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries!\u00a0 <\/strong>As like many new counsellors, I once threw myself into my work, both in number of clients I would take on, and the degree of emotional investment I put into each session.\u00a0 Learning how to manage my emotional and energetic boundaries with clients was an imperative step in my recovery from the inevitable CompassionFatigue I experienced.\u00a0 External boundaries are equally (and sometimes just as difficult!) to establish and maintain \u2013 these include hours you work, size of caseload, agency\/supervisor expectations, and client expectations (e.g. being available 24\/7 for \u201csupport\u201d).\u00a0 Healthy boundaries can change over time as you find your rhythm as a professional but are a very important ingredient in every helper\u2019s recipe for well-being.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget that supervision or consultation with a colleague can help you gain clarity in challenging boundary situations, especially if you are experiencing guilt at not being able to meet all your clients\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n Step 4:\u00a0 Skills & Supports\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>When I graduated from my master\u2019s program and completed a full year of internship, I felt ready to take on the counselling world!\u00a0 What I discovered over the next 12 years was how much I did not<\/em> know, and how many valuable tools and interventions existed that I could learn about through various trainings, workshops, conferences, and colleagues.\u00a0 Learning skills specific to your client population (e.g. addictions, trauma) is invaluable<\/em> in helping you prevent Compassion Fatigue.\u00a0 \u00a0Learn how to recognize and manage those energetic boundaries and you will have one of the most powerful tools in your toolkit!\u00a0<\/p>\n Also, learning how to manage or discharge your stress (and accumulated energy from others) is imperative.\u00a0 Exercise, yoga, meditation, spirituality, energy work, your own counselling, pets, cleansing rituals, humour, journaling\/blogging, and positive, supportive colleagues, friends and family are all healing for helpers.\u00a0 Take your vacations.\u00a0\u00a0 Take your holidays.\u00a0 Don\u2019t work overtime.\u00a0 Learn to say no.\u00a0 Love yourself and treat yourself with the same caring and compassion that you treat your clients.\u00a0 In short, enjoy the sun but don\u2019t forget your sunblock!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is an analogy I use with my compassion fatigued clients and workshop participants to try and conceptualize the \u201cburnout\u201d process.\u00a0 I tell them it is like standing in the hot sun, for hours, with no hat, sunblock or shade, and willing yourself not to get sunburned.\u00a0 \u00a0Eventually, despite your mental efforts, your body will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-selfcareforcounsellors"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n