Self Care by B. dean

Take Aways!

blakedean090_ — 2023-10-27 21:21:24 UTC

Counseling is an intimidating, draining, and stressful job. Its rewarding nature is clouded by burnout factors that worsen the quality of care and diminish motivation. I've always accepted burnout as an inevitability and have never sought solutions, only meeting it with a stoic embrace. However, after reading several articles on this topic, I have found that there are many ways of mitigating it that will enhance my job performance and protect my mental health.

Reflecting on Self-Care

blakedean090_ — 2023-10-27 21:30:19 UTC

Though I'm not currently a counselor, I perform hours-long assessments with patients at a behavioral health hospital. The longer I've stayed there, the more mundane things have become, and I've been experiencing a decrease in empathy and compassion. I always thought this was just how jobs work and that once you hit a certain point, you're going through the motions. I recognize that if I am to become a counselor, this is a dangerous and nonproductive mindset to have. I recently identified burnout factors in not only me but other coworkers who are training to be counselors. These factors have undoubtedly led to a decline in patient services, and had we practiced proper self-care, this decline would not be happening. As a counselor, how can we expect the client to be engaged in their sessions if we're not? I wish to incorporate certain tactics in my counseling to ensure that my passion stays strong.

Personal Self-Care strategies

blakedean090_ — 2023-10-27 21:42:16 UTC

Sometimes, it feels like I'm not making an impact with my work. My current job as an intake coordinator is dominated by administrators looking to fill quotas. I've gotten so worn with their demands that the assessments with my patients feel like routines or part of a corporate machine. One way that counselors alienate themselves from their work is by downplaying their progress or effectiveness. I know that as a counselor, I'll come across patients and administrations who don't always cooperate. When that happens, it is hard to tell if you're making a difference. That is why I plan on writing down a detailed log of every accomplishment or completed task to remind myself that I am an integral and active force. I do something similar already, but it can be elevated by writing down the new tactics that led to those accomplishments so I can expand on them. To flesh out my creative side, I'll even draw little pictures of daily activities or scenarios discussed with patients. Keeping a record of these will help keep me engaged in my work and chronicle my progress, restoring awareness in my job. I also plan on writing down the factors of burnout and assessing myself for them every few months to ensure that I am still engaged.

My Plan

blakedean090_ — 2023-10-28 16:49:27 UTC