Healthy Coping Strategies

As clinicians, we may advise our clients to strive for balance...moderation...practice self-care. Good advice; however, many clinicians may not always follow their own advice!  By changing certain aspects of our lifestyles and daily habits, we may help decrease our vulnerability to the stressors that lead to distress in our lives.  

Some healthy coping strategies that you may wish to introduce into your life to help minimize the negative effects of stress include:

1) Anticipate your needs for the day and plan ahead. (cognitive)

2) Keep your sense of humor in tense situations. (emotional)

3) Participate in a new, fun activity during the work week.  Go bowling! (behavioral)

4) Take time for daily meditation. (spiritual)

5) Visit with a friend and don't discuss work! (interpersonal)

6) Strive for at least 7 - 8 hours of sleep a night. (physical)

Choose Wellness!

Reducing job stress

An excellent book by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, Full Catastrophe Living:  Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness, offers some suggestions for reducing work stress by using the practice of "awareness".  Instead of going through your day in a semi-conscious state or as we like to say, "going through the motions", begin the practice of awareness by being fully present in the moment.  To reduce job stress, let's start at the beginning of the day...when you first wake up.  Take a moment while lying in bed to re-affirm that today you are choosing to go to work.  Briefly review what your goals are for the day, the clients you have scheduled for the day...and understand that everything may not happen the way you would plan.  Be aware as you get dressed for your day of the way you wish to present yourself...how you will interact with others?  Focus on your breathe and body...are you frowning or smiling?  Try putting a smile on your face and experience the way it affects your body and how others react to you.  During the day, monitor your body...what types of sensations do you have?  Any tension or pain?  How are you communicating with others?  What are the times of the day that seem more problematic for you?   Take a break to relax...go for a short walk outdoors if possible.  What?  No breaks??  Then it's time to work a few breaks into your schedule...make breaks a routine part of your schedule!  How many clients do you schedule back-to-back-to back?  How effective are you when you don't allow some time for yourself throughout the day?  When it is time to leave the office for the day, be aware that your work day is over...begin to make the transition to your personal life and then review the activities and people that will be part of your private time.  Make sure you change out of your work clothes at home to move consciously into your non-work life.  What?  No personal life? No activities, hobbies, relationships??  Remember....balance!  Choose Wellness!

Warning signs of job stress

Some of the early warning signs of job stress are reported as headaches, agitation in the workplace, upset stomach, difficulties in memory or concentration and sleep disturbances.  Acute stressors occur over short periods of time and come and go.  Chronic stressors occur over extended periods of time and this is the type of stress that creates long-term health problems, both physical and psychological.  The way a person reacts to stress is called a stress response.  A response which resolves the immediate stressor is referred to an adaptive response.  A response which does not alleviate the problem and could potentially cause health concerns, including death, is called a maladaptive response.  Signs of job stress for clinicians, including those mentioned above, include distancing themselves from clients, isolating from peers, showing up for appointments late, falling behind in paperwork, avoiding taking on additional job responsibilities or giving away their job tasks to co-workers. Clinicians may also experience problems in their personal and family lives.

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Stressors for Clinicians

Sources of stress for psychotherapists include client-induced stress, self-induced stress, work environment stress and event-related stress (Kottler, 2003).  Acute stressors last only a short period of time and can come and go.  Chronic stressors extend over long periods of time and can result in psychological disorders, cardiovascular disease or musculoskeletal disorders.  Six high-level sources of client-induced stress for psychotherapists are suicidal ideation, aggressive behaviors, impulsive behaviors, apathy, depression and premature termination of therapy (Faber, 1983).  Examples of self-induced stress include physical exhaustion, self-doubt and an unhealthy lifestyle (Kottler, 2003).  Work environment stress can result from time pressures and practice settings.  Per research conducted by Rupert and Kent (2007), higher levels of stress were reported in public agency settings rather than solo or group independent practice.  Event-related stressors can include malpractice claims (Welfel, 2006) or major life transitions, like divorce (Kottler, 2003). 

Choose Wellness!