Burnout is a syndrome of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy and is a serious health risk for counselors.
Burnout is the result of direct client contact and chronic job-related stressors, i.e., work environment stress, client-induced stress, event-related stress, or self-induced stress.
Symptoms:
Emotional Exhaustion: Feelings of being emotional overextended and psychologically drained by job-related stressors.
Depersonalization: Impersonal or unfeeling responses towards the people who are receiving services or treatment.
Lack of Personal Accomplishment: Dissatisfaction with level of job-related achievements and feeling incompetent when working with clients and/or co-workers.
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Friday
Wellness Tips for Counselors
1. Identify Job-Related Stressors
2. Educate yourself on Counselor Fatigue Syndromes
3. Seek Supervision
4. Practice Healthy Coping Strategies
5. Participate in Professional Training Opportunities
6. Seek Support from Professional Peers
7. Set Professional Boundaries
8. Maintain your Professional Identity
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2. Educate yourself on Counselor Fatigue Syndromes
3. Seek Supervision
4. Practice Healthy Coping Strategies
5. Participate in Professional Training Opportunities
6. Seek Support from Professional Peers
7. Set Professional Boundaries
8. Maintain your Professional Identity
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Client-induced Stress and Self-Induced Stress
Stressors for mental health professionals include client-induced stressors:
1) Clinical nature of the caseload
Research studies have shown that counselors have reported higher levels of stress when working with clients with severe depression, severe anxiety, suicidal ideation, or trauma.
2) Characteristics of clients
Counselors report higher levels of stress based on specific characteristics of their clients. These characteristics include aggressive and hostile behaviors, impulsive behaviors, or clients who are resistant to treatment.
Self-induced stress for clinicians includes:
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1) Clinical nature of the caseload
Research studies have shown that counselors have reported higher levels of stress when working with clients with severe depression, severe anxiety, suicidal ideation, or trauma.
2) Characteristics of clients
Counselors report higher levels of stress based on specific characteristics of their clients. These characteristics include aggressive and hostile behaviors, impulsive behaviors, or clients who are resistant to treatment.
Self-induced stress for clinicians includes:
- emotional depletion
- physical exhaustion
- self-doubt
- worrying about cases
- unhealthy lifestyle
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Sunday
Physical Wellness
Take time from your hectic schedule to nurture your physical wellness! A recent study at The Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois found that:
- An active lifestyle has been shown to improve cognitive and brain function
- Age-related mental decline can be reversed with regular exercise
Research studies have also shown that regular exercise can help improve your mood.
- First, exercise burns cortisol in the body which is a by-product of stress and can be damaging to organs.
- Secondly, exercise stimulates the release of endorphins which are the feel-good hormones in the pituitary gland.
Steps to improving your physical well-being may include:
- Regular check-ups with your doctor and dentist
- Routine sleep patterns (8 or 9 hours a night!)
- Eating well-balanced meals throughout the day
- Drinking water
- Minimizing caffeine, alcohol and sugar
- Practicing meditation or yoga
- Regular Exercise - walking, swimming, weight-lifting, etc...
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