Stephanie Catoe by Stephanie Catoe

Take Away

stephaniecatoe — 2024-10-26 22:49:41 UTC

Burnout and compassion fatigue are a serious concern for school counselors. The identified factor that I most associate with is role ambiguity. As the sole counselor of 6th - 12th grade in our small district, I often feel pulled by the many roles and responsibilities I carry. I never know what to expect when each student walks through my door. This can lead to a feeling of dissatisfaction with professional accomplishment.

Why Self Care is Crucial

stephaniecatoe — 2024-10-26 23:03:28 UTC

Affecting somewhere between 30%-66% of counselors, self-care is not a "luxury, but an ethical mandate" (Williams, 2011) The role of school counselors is one that requires you to be effective as you provide professional services to our students. When we do not practice self-care we put this effectiveness at risk. Counselors have many contributing factors that can cause this burnout so it is important to look for the warning signs and open yourself up for evaluation by colleagues to help you monitor and offer support when you begin to show signs of burnout. This is difficult for me as I am the only counselor on staff, but I am able to open myself up to my principal to help me monitor my actions for signs of burnout. This burnout is equal to an impairment, (Williams, 2011) so it is crucial that we develop prevention and intervention strategies for emotional replenishment. This is important because we are constantly pouring out compassion and hearing the tragic stories of our students. To prevent compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization we have to have a plan for self-care in place and practice it regularly. To wait until you are experiencing burnout is often too late.

Personal Strategies for Self-Care

stephaniecatoe — 2024-10-26 23:12:54 UTC

Visit the Beach - I am grateful to live close to the beach and can have my feet in the sand within 20 minutes. Something about the breeze on your face and the sound of the waves can help me take a deep breath. It gives me time to reflect on my day and take in the magnificence of creation.

Personal Strategies for Self-Care

stephaniecatoe — 2024-10-26 23:15:15 UTC

Prayer and Meditation - I am a Christian and I find peace and hope when I spend time in prayer and reading the Bible. This allows me to glean wisdom from scripture and gives me a perspective of my call to care for and serve others.

References

stephaniecatoe — 2024-10-26 23:22:25 UTC

Williams, R. (2011, January 1). The Importance of Self-Care - American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Www.schoolcounselor.org. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Magazines/January-February-2011/The-Importance-of-Self-Care