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Professional View on Burnout and Compassion Fatigue

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Professional View on Burnout and Compassion Fatigue

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The biggest take-away I have is how fast stress from a helping profession can lead to burnout that manifests emotionally, mentally, and somatically; if burnout isn't addressed or mitigated, it can develop into compassion fatigue that severely impacts how effective a counselor can be with their clients. Burnout and compassion fatigue not only affect the clients a counselor works with, but it can leach into the counselor's personal life, relationships, and even lead them to leave the profession altogether. It is ethically and logically important for a counselor to be aware of the warning signs of burnout and take the time to relax, destress, process and reset to work with full competence and empathy.

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Importance of Self-Care in the Helping Profession

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Importance of Self-Care in the Helping Profession

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Self-care is a crucial part of a counselor's job because it enables them to effectually and empathetically take care of their clients while maintaining their own emotional and mental well-being. It is common for counselors to emotionally take on their clients' pain and struggles, and that trauma and hardship can quickly build up to detrimental levels, just as a dripping sink can eventually overflow. When counselors participate in self-care, whether by confiding in others, relaxing, or doing something fun, they are able to relax their bodies, reset their mind, and purge themselves of the built-up stress that impairs a counselor's empathic understanding and attentiveness.

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As a counselor, I personally have a multitude of strategies I use to practice good self-care because I know that not every strategy will be effective for me 100% of the time. One of my most effective ways to take care of myself is to rely on my friends to listen, validate, and refresh me in a way that makes me feel less alone, even though they don't experience the same struggles I might. In the helping profession, it is important for us to lean on others just as our clients lean on us when they are in need; however, the caveat is maintaining those emotional boundaries and confidentiality. A second strategy that is antithetical to leaning on others is to ensure I have alone time to process and regroup. I am naturally introverted and get emotionally exhausted after being around others for long stretches of time, which means it is necessary for me to make time to be alone with my thoughts and do something fun or relaxing while I recharge and focus on myself. I find the balance between being alone and relying on my friends keeps me aware of my burnout level and helps me achieve perspective on how effective I am being with my clients at any given time.