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Burnout and Counsellor Self-Care Strategies

Self-care is an intrinsic, continuous andre-direction of blood flow to major organs.
highly important activity performed by anyWith such a complex set of events, it is
professional, particularly those involved inreasonable 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 inmore than reasonable. Because stress causes
good shape. So why is self-care forsuch '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 notan unhealthy body.How do you improve your
mentally and physically healthy, his/herhealth? Exercising will play the leading role
ability to provide support to clients isin improving and maintaining a 'healthy
limited.So what are the strategies forstatus', 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 varydiet 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, aactivities, including regular stress-related
Counsellor's self-care activities are inresponses. A balanced diet includes avoiding
place for a single purpose: that is, ensuringexcessive intake of particular stress-related
daily work stress does not result insubstances, such as caffeine and
burnout.The Problem: BurnoutBurnout is thesugar.MentalRelaxation techniques such as
consequence of excessive work, stress andimagery, meditation and breathing can at
other related factors. Although the conceptfirst conjure up feelings of inaction and
of burnout can also be applied to otherstatis. Music and introspection are also a
contexts, for the purpose of this articlegood combination for improving the state of
we'll stick to the work environment. Manymind of a person. These are commonly used
people suffer from burnout for varioustechniques, however any mental exercises that
reasons, and usually the problem is relateddraw attention away from stressful events,
to several prominent areas of an individual'sand provide a 'relaxed' state to the
life: happiness, health, success, andindividual, are useful. Such exercises will
others."Burnout is not simply excessivedepend on the personal preferences of each
stress. Rather, it is a complex humanCounsellor, and the resources that are
reaction to ongoing stress, and it relates toavailable at the time.Furthermore, the role
feeling that your inner resources areof perception is extremely important in
inadequate for managing the tasks anddetermining the health issues associated with
situations presented to you. The signs andthe incidence of stress. Sometimes
symptoms of burnout are similar to those ofCounsellors perform a kind of mental 'self
stress, but burnout includes an emotionalmutilation' in which they take responsibility
exhaustion and an increasingly negativefor anything that goes wrong in a counselling
attitude toward your work and, perhaps, yoursession, or with a client. In this context,
life." (Help Guide Mental Health)*Thisfeelings of powerlessness and hopelessness
concept is well-known in mental healthwill remain obstacles and can perpetuate to
disciplines, particularly counselling. Forthe Counsellor's personal life. In these
this reason, many counselling courses includeinstances, the Counsellor needs to re-assess
the topic in their training schedule: atheir perception towards certain events: you
measurement to ensure that each prospectivemay call it a self-directed cognitive
professional is aware of their ownbehaviour therapy.StrategicProbably the most
limitations.Burnout in Counsellor Training:prominent cause of burnout in a workplace is
The PrinciplesAccording to Corey, "burnoutthe inability of an individual to meet
manifests itself in many ways. Those whocertain deadlines and achieve particular
experience this syndrome typically find theygoals which are simply impossible to achieve
are tired, drained, and without enthusiasm.in the first place. Applying strategy as a
They feel unappreciated, unrecognised, andform of burnout prevention means ensuring
unimportant, and they go about their jobs inthat goals are achievable.This way,
a mechanical and routine way." (Theory andCounsellors will not put themselves under
Practice of Counseling andunnecessary pressure. Furthermore, strategic
Psychotherapy)**Counsellor educationthinking also allows individuals to recognise
generally introduces the concept of burnouttheir personal and professional limitations,
to students, aiming to provide soundand work effectively with those limitations
theoretical material that will help futurein order to achieve a balanced (and
counsellors to prevent, understand and actsuccessful) counselling career.The First
upon such a problem. The material commonlySteps: Shaping a Career In the beginning of
refers to the causes, remedies and preventiontheir counselling careers, most individuals
methods of burnout.CausesAs cited previously,are much more sensitive to burnout than
burnout is the result of a complex humanexperienced Counsellors. Why is that? Because
reaction to stress. Such reaction can be sotheir levels of anxiety are peaking as they
diversified among people that it wouldare about to find out whether this profession
require highly advanced mathematicalis really for them, and if they can handle
algorithms to actually derive all thetheir clients and support them by effectively
possible cause combinations of burnout, andapplying the theoretical concepts they have
the influence of each of these causes.learned.Dealing with the normal anxieties of
However, despite the unpredictability ofthe first few sessions is part of the process
individual responses to stress, there is aof inner development that the counselling
set of causes which are common to mostprofession requires from all its peers. The
people:- Performance of repeated activitiesfact 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 orCounsellor's confidence to some extent. The
overall effort at work; - Strong pressure tonature of a counselling session, which can
perform at work; - Excessive conflict in workhave a major impact in a client's life, also
relationships; - Lack of opportunities forevokes doubts in the Counsellor's mind. It is
expression and improvement; and - Presence ofimportant for the Counsellor to simply
unresolved personal conflicts outside of therecognise such doubts as a normal part of
work environment.Recognising such causes istheir own behaviour, and to understand the
the first step to understanding a series offeelings which are associated with them.
events that may lead to burnout. The nextBeginning Counsellors can be so overwhelmed
step would involve the person's particularby their anxieties that they will fail to
responses to mental stress and theirreally 'see through' the situation. This
capability to recognise certain physicalinability to deal with a client could result
traits that could indicate over-stressedin stress and possibly burnout.Professional
responses from the body.RemediesBurnoutInsight: Strategies from CounsellorsThere are
remedies for professional counsellors willhundreds, perhaps thousands, of strategies
vastly diverge between individuals.that can help a Counsellor with self care.
Resembling the causes, remedies are effectiveEach individual differentiates in the
according to individual traits, particularlystrategies used, and the need for them.
when referring to the level of stress eachTherefore, we've decided to get a first hand
person can deal with.Some people prefer toinsight on burnout by asking two experienced
deal with their stress-related problems byprofessional Counsellors what were their
increasing or decreasing certain individualopinions and strategies towards the
activities, such as increasing the amount ofproblem."If there are challenges at work,
time exercising and/or decreasing the amounttalking with somebody (anybody) immediately
of time working in the office. Interactiveafter is called de-briefing, and may result
individuals may prefer to work through theirin problematic issues not manifesting within
issues with others, such as participating inthe body and causing frustration, anger,
workshops, consulting with their supervisorshurt, and even illness. For difficult
or simply allocating time to talk to a friendclients, supervision is imperative to access
or colleague. Many Counsellors would mixa mind to break the difficulties into
individual and group activities to reducemanageable parts.Outside of work, personally,
incidence of stress and attempt to eradicatewhat works for me is to have a regime of care
burnout.Counsellors may also diverge in theirfor my body by attending a wellness centre
perspectives towards stress and burnout. Somewhere I involve myself in a class of Aqua Fit
people are naturally passive and tend toand 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 positiongood.Because of Yoga, I have learned the art
of victims. This assumption leads to feelingsof switching off in a meditative mode very
of hopelessness and powerlessness, whichquickly, so the minute I walk outside of work
increases the difficulty of dealing withI am in another area of life (i.e. the going
stressing factors, resulting in either ahome mode). I look forward to time spent with
delay in eliminating burnout, or increasedfamily and good friends or attending a movie
intensity. However, there are alsoand 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 perspectiveif I've been away for a week. This works
towards stressful events - they recognise thereally 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 throughEducation 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 desiredpersonally - physically, mentally and
in order to improve stress management skillsemotionally.Given that, just like everyone
and avoid burnout.In an industry where humanelse, we will have times of difficulty in our
relationships are so intrinsically related toown lives, it is particularly important for
work, it is sometimes inevitable tous to recognise the danger signals and take
experience distress and burnout. On theseaction to deal with any undue stress
occasions, it is important that Counsellorsquickly.Like many of my colleagues I have a
effectively remediate burnout in order tonumber of tried and tested remedies for
invoke balance in both professional andkeeping my life in balance.A quick fix which
personal lives.Prevention It is better toI can use anytime and in any stressful
prevent rather than remediate - this sayingsituation is to concentrate on my breathing
illustrates the need for preventing burnoutrhythm and deliberately make it slower and
before it happens. Most people ignore thedeeper.Listening to music is a sure-fire way
first signs of excessive stress, and by doingfor me to de-stress, as are walking on a
so, become vulnerable to further pressurebeach, playing tennis, being out on the water
from work. At some point, Counsellors mayor getting involved with a good book.On the
find it very difficult to attend counsellingsubject of reading, I work on maintaining and
sessions, to get to work, and to perform inupgrading my skills and knowledge - having
several other areas of life. Preventingconfidence in one's ability is an important
burnout is simply a necessary task to anyoneelement in avoiding workplace stress.And my
aiming for a balanced and fulfilling careervery favourite way to look after myself? A
(and life).There are several burnoutglass of wine on a sunny afternoon with my
prevention principles which can be dividedpartner somewhere by the water." (Wendy Mead,
into three categories: physical, mental andAIPC  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 andCounseling and Psychotherapy (p. 44).



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