“I know that in my prior life of poor self-care, I could not have weathered this current hurricane. Today I’m so strong, even though daily I’m feeling vulnerable and battered.”
Tag: Counselor Wellness
Counselor Wellness
“… avoiding burnout is not enough. We need to set the bar higher to competently render care. Make no mistake, this is an ethical issue.”
Counselors are re-thinking self-care — both for themselves and their clients — as routines have been offset by quarantining measures from the COVID-19 pandemic.
As professional counselors, we are braving telehealth, juggling our own mental health needs amid those of our clients, and helping friends and family members adjust to uncertainty and unemployment, all while trying to pepper in some self-care and generally navigate this unprecedented time for ourselves.
ACA members share personal stories of what they have done (and are currently doing) to stay fresh, inspired and energized over the long haul of a counseling career.
How do we, as counselors, regain control of our newsfeeds? How do we help clients do the same? The first step is reflecting on the impact of this breaking news culture on your personal and professional life.
A counseling license doesn’t inoculate practitioners against wrestling with “what if” thinking, struggling with problems in their home life and personal relationships, or experiencing some of the same hardships that they help clients walk through.
Because highly sensitive people process more deeply, counselors with this trait may have difficulty leaving work at work.
It is imperative to make time for silence in our noisy lives. Modern-day living is accompanied by a cacophony of external noise and internal concerns. Our bodies and minds cannot sustain the ongoing level of stimulation without disease or disorder.
The idea for this piece came about when I (Jetaun Bailey) was pursuing my master’s degree in counseling. I recall my professor stating clearly that burnout occurs often among helping professionals and that the average stay for a counselor employed at a mental health facility is two years. As one