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