| Self-care is an intrinsic, continuous and highly | | | | assume that maintaining good health will reduce the |
| important activity performed by any professional, | | | | incidence of 'undesired' stress (distress). In fact, it is |
| particularly those involved in health care. Also called | | | | more than reasonable. Because stress causes such |
| the 'inner therapy', this practice aims to ensure that | | | | 'explosive' reactions in the body, a healthier body is |
| both mental and physical health of the professional is | | | | vastly more capable of dealing with excessive |
| in good shape. So why is self-care for Counsellors | | | | amounts of stress than an unhealthy body.How do |
| important? Essentially, Counsellors have a clear | | | | you improve your health? Exercising will play the |
| responsibility: their clients. If a Counsellor is not | | | | leading role in improving and maintaining a 'healthy |
| mentally and physically healthy, his/her ability to | | | | status', allowing your body to be ready for the |
| provide support to clients is limited.So what are the | | | | energy boost caused by stress. A balanced diet will |
| strategies for self-care in the counselling profession? | | | | ensure that the body has all nutrients necessary to |
| There are many strategies which vary according to | | | | perform daily activities, including regular stress-related |
| each person's state of mind. Irrespective of the | | | | responses. A balanced diet includes avoiding |
| strategy being used, a Counsellor's self-care activities | | | | excessive intake of particular stress-related |
| are in place for a single purpose: that is, ensuring daily | | | | substances, such as caffeine and |
| work stress does not result in burnout.The Problem: | | | | sugar.MentalRelaxation techniques such as imagery, |
| BurnoutBurnout is the consequence of excessive | | | | meditation and breathing can at first conjure up |
| work, stress and other related factors. Although the | | | | feelings of inaction and statis. Music and introspection |
| concept of burnout can also be applied to other | | | | are also a good combination for improving the state |
| contexts, for the purpose of this article we'll stick to | | | | of mind of a person. These are commonly used |
| the work environment. Many people suffer from | | | | techniques, however any mental exercises that draw |
| burnout for various reasons, and usually the problem | | | | attention away from stressful events, and provide a |
| is related to several prominent areas of an individual's | | | | 'relaxed' state to the individual, are useful. Such |
| life: happiness, health, success, and others."Burnout is | | | | exercises will depend on the personal preferences of |
| not simply excessive stress. Rather, it is a complex | | | | each Counsellor, and the resources that are available |
| human reaction to ongoing stress, and it relates to | | | | at the time.Furthermore, the role of perception is |
| feeling that your inner resources are inadequate for | | | | extremely important in determining the health issues |
| managing the tasks and situations presented to you. | | | | associated with the incidence of stress. Sometimes |
| The signs and symptoms of burnout are similar to | | | | Counsellors perform a kind of mental 'self mutilation' in |
| those of stress, but burnout includes an emotional | | | | which they take responsibility for anything that goes |
| exhaustion and an increasingly negative attitude | | | | wrong in a counselling session, or with a client. In this |
| toward your work and, perhaps, your life." (Help | | | | context, feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness |
| Guide Mental Health)*This concept is well-known in | | | | will remain obstacles and can perpetuate to the |
| mental health disciplines, particularly counselling. For | | | | Counsellor's personal life. In these instances, the |
| this reason, many counselling courses include the topic | | | | Counsellor needs to re-assess their perception |
| in their training schedule: a measurement to ensure | | | | towards certain events: you may call it a self-directed |
| that each prospective professional is aware of their | | | | cognitive behaviour therapy.StrategicProbably the |
| own limitations.Burnout in Counsellor Training: The | | | | most prominent cause of burnout in a workplace is |
| PrinciplesAccording to Corey, "burnout manifests itself | | | | the inability of an individual to meet certain deadlines |
| in many ways. Those who experience this syndrome | | | | and achieve particular goals which are simply |
| typically find they are tired, drained, and without | | | | impossible to achieve in the first place. Applying |
| enthusiasm. They feel unappreciated, unrecognised, | | | | strategy as a form of burnout prevention means |
| and unimportant, and they go about their jobs in a | | | | ensuring that goals are achievable.This way, |
| mechanical and routine way." (Theory and Practice of | | | | Counsellors will not put themselves under |
| Counseling and Psychotherapy)**Counsellor education | | | | unnecessary pressure. Furthermore, strategic thinking |
| generally introduces the concept of burnout to | | | | also allows individuals to recognise their personal and |
| students, aiming to provide sound theoretical material | | | | professional limitations, and work effectively with |
| that will help future counsellors to prevent, | | | | those limitations in order to achieve a balanced (and |
| understand and act upon such a problem. The | | | | successful) counselling career.The First Steps: Shaping |
| material commonly refers to the causes, remedies | | | | a Career In the beginning of their counselling careers, |
| and prevention methods of burnout.CausesAs cited | | | | most individuals are much more sensitive to burnout |
| previously, burnout is the result of a complex human | | | | than experienced Counsellors. Why is that? Because |
| reaction to stress. Such reaction can be so diversified | | | | their levels of anxiety are peaking as they are about |
| among people that it would require highly advanced | | | | to find out whether this profession is really for them, |
| mathematical algorithms to actually derive all the | | | | and if they can handle their clients and support them |
| possible cause combinations of burnout, and the | | | | by effectively applying the theoretical concepts they |
| influence of each of these causes. However, despite | | | | have learned.Dealing with the normal anxieties of the |
| the unpredictability of individual responses to stress, | | | | first few sessions is part of the process of inner |
| there is a set of causes which are common to most | | | | development that the counselling profession requires |
| people:- Performance of repeated activities over time | | | | from all its peers. The fact that it deals with human |
| which seem to be insignificant; - Lack of appreciation | | | | beings, which can be vastly unpredictable, will affect |
| for a certain task or overall effort at work; - Strong | | | | the Counsellor's confidence to some extent. The |
| pressure to perform at work; - Excessive conflict in | | | | nature of a counselling session, which can have a |
| work relationships; - Lack of opportunities for | | | | major impact in a client's life, also evokes doubts in |
| expression and improvement; and - Presence of | | | | the Counsellor's mind. It is important for the |
| unresolved personal conflicts outside of the work | | | | Counsellor to simply recognise such doubts as a |
| environment.Recognising such causes is the first step | | | | normal part of their own behaviour, and to |
| to understanding a series of events that may lead to | | | | understand the feelings which are associated with |
| burnout. The next step would involve the person's | | | | them. Beginning Counsellors can be so overwhelmed |
| particular responses to mental stress and their | | | | by their anxieties that they will fail to really 'see |
| capability to recognise certain physical traits that | | | | through' the situation. This inability to deal with a |
| could indicate over-stressed responses from the | | | | client could result in stress and possibly |
| body.RemediesBurnout remedies for professional | | | | burnout.Professional Insight: Strategies from |
| counsellors will vastly diverge between individuals. | | | | CounsellorsThere are hundreds, perhaps thousands, |
| Resembling the causes, remedies are effective | | | | of strategies that can help a Counsellor with self care. |
| according to individual traits, particularly when | | | | Each individual differentiates in the strategies used, |
| referring to the level of stress each person can deal | | | | and the need for them. Therefore, we've decided to |
| with.Some people prefer to deal with their | | | | get a first hand insight on burnout by asking two |
| stress-related problems by increasing or decreasing | | | | experienced professional Counsellors what were their |
| certain individual activities, such as increasing the | | | | opinions and strategies towards the problem."If there |
| amount of time exercising and/or decreasing the | | | | are challenges at work, talking with somebody |
| amount of time working in the office. Interactive | | | | (anybody) immediately after is called de-briefing, and |
| individuals may prefer to work through their issues | | | | may result in problematic issues not manifesting |
| with others, such as participating in workshops, | | | | within the body and causing frustration, anger, hurt, |
| consulting with their supervisors or simply allocating | | | | and even illness. For difficult clients, supervision is |
| time to talk to a friend or colleague. Many Counsellors | | | | imperative to access a mind to break the difficulties |
| would mix individual and group activities to reduce | | | | into manageable parts.Outside of work, personally, |
| incidence of stress and attempt to eradicate | | | | what works for me is to have a regime of care for |
| burnout.Counsellors may also diverge in their | | | | my body by attending a wellness centre where I |
| perspectives towards stress and burnout. Some | | | | involve myself in a class of Aqua Fit and Yoga every |
| people are naturally passive and tend to surrender to | | | | week. Massage when I can - preferably once a |
| their own circumstances, generally putting themselves | | | | month or even a facial is good.Because of Yoga, I |
| in the position of victims. This assumption leads to | | | | have learned the art of switching off in a meditative |
| feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness, which | | | | mode very quickly, so the minute I walk outside of |
| increases the difficulty of dealing with stressing | | | | work I am in another area of life (i.e. the going home |
| factors, resulting in either a delay in eliminating | | | | mode). I look forward to time spent with family and |
| burnout, or increased intensity. However, there are | | | | good friends or attending a movie and eating pop |
| also Counsellors who are proactive towards stress. | | | | corn - to me, that is bliss. Then by the time I go |
| Such people have a different perspective towards | | | | back to work I feel as if I've been away for a week. |
| stressful events - they recognise the individual traits | | | | This works really well for me - the art of deceit of |
| which are affecting them, and actively attempt to | | | | your own mind." (Kathleen Casagrande, AIPC |
| resolve them through a mix of introspection and | | | | Education Adviser)"To function effectively as a |
| scenario analysis. This approach - or active stance - is | | | | Counsellor we need to be in good shape personally - |
| desired in order to improve stress management skills | | | | physically, mentally and emotionally.Given that, just |
| and avoid burnout.In an industry where human | | | | like everyone else, we will have times of difficulty in |
| relationships are so intrinsically related to work, it is | | | | our own lives, it is particularly important for us to |
| sometimes inevitable to experience distress and | | | | recognise the danger signals and take action to deal |
| burnout. On these occasions, it is important that | | | | with any undue stress quickly.Like many of my |
| Counsellors effectively remediate burnout in order to | | | | colleagues I have a number of tried and tested |
| invoke balance in both professional and personal | | | | remedies for keeping my life in balance.A quick fix |
| lives.Prevention It is better to prevent rather than | | | | which I can use anytime and in any stressful situation |
| remediate - this saying illustrates the need for | | | | is to concentrate on my breathing rhythm and |
| preventing burnout before it happens. Most people | | | | deliberately make it slower and deeper.Listening to |
| ignore the first signs of excessive stress, and by | | | | music is a sure-fire way for me to de-stress, as are |
| doing so, become vulnerable to further pressure from | | | | walking on a beach, playing tennis, being out on the |
| work. At some point, Counsellors may find it very | | | | water or getting involved with a good book.On the |
| difficult to attend counselling sessions, to get to | | | | subject of reading, I work on maintaining and |
| work, and to perform in several other areas of life. | | | | upgrading my skills and knowledge - having |
| Preventing burnout is simply a necessary task to | | | | confidence in one's ability is an important element in |
| anyone aiming for a balanced and fulfilling career (and | | | | avoiding workplace stress.And my very favourite |
| life).There are several burnout prevention principles | | | | way to look after myself? A glass of wine on a |
| which can be divided into three categories: physical, | | | | sunny afternoon with my partner somewhere by the |
| mental and strategic.PhysicalStress is a pattern of | | | | water." (Wendy Mead, AIPC Senior Education |
| physiological responses which are caused by specific | | | | Adviser)Sources |
| events in people's lives. Such responses include an | | | | *Help Guide Mental Health ( |
| increase in blood pressure, heart rate, sugar levels | | | | ** Corey G (1996) Theory and Practice of |
| and re-direction of blood flow to major organs. With | | | | Counseling and Psychotherapy (p. 44). |
| such a complex set of events, it is reasonable to | | | | |