Bouncing Back from Burnout!

No one is immune to burnout.  Counselors need to pay attention to symptoms that could possibly lead to Burnout Syndrome.  These might include:

• a decline in empathy and patience
• feeling relieved when clients cancel their appointments
• fantasizing or spacing out during sessions
• feeling dissatisfied with your job more often than not
• disregarding professional boundaries and ethics

When I worked at a community mental health agency, I remember a director telling me that he knew it was time to stop practicing therapy when he realized that, during sessions, he was spending more time daydreaming and staring at a painting of a boat out at sea then focusing on his clients sitting in front of him. 

Don't wait until your symptoms of burnout become full-blown and destroy your passion for helping others! Tips for regaining your passion and eliminating burnout might include:

• Finding a new niche:  learning about a new specialty area and working with a new client population can rejuvenate your passion for your career.
• Creating multiple streams of income:  branch out beyond direct client contact by adding teaching, supervising, consultation, or research to your career pursuits.
• Joining new groups:  counseling can be isolating, try joining a local professional association to connect with other professionals.
• Balancing your work and personal life:  make sure you are working reasonable hours, making a decent wage, and not taking your work home with you.  Create a well-rounded life outside of practicing psychotherapy that includes family, friends, hobbies, and physical activity.

Choose Wellness!



Resources: 
Howes, R. (2008).  Therapist Burnout.  Psychology Today Blogs.  New York: Sussex Publishers, LLC.

Tips for dealing with Compassion Fatigue

Early recognition of the warning signs of compassion fatigue is one of the best ways to deal with compassion fatigue.  Warning signs may include:

• Increased irritability or impatience with clients
• Decreased concentration
• Feeling numb or detached
• Intrusive thoughts and intense feelings that don't lessen over time
• Dreams or nightmares about clients' traumas

It is important to seek help when you experience symptoms associated with compassion fatigue.  Seek assistance through supervisors and/or co-workers.  Recognize that compassion fatigue is an occupational hazard for counselors who work with clients who have experienced trauma.  It is not a sign of incompetence to have these symptoms, but a cost of caring.

Attend to your self care, whether it be increasing supervision, seeking personal counseling, and balancing your caseload so you are not working ONLY with clients who have experienced trauma.  Take care of yourself outside of work by eating well, exercising, and engaging in fun activities.

Choose Wellness!


Resources: 
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2008).  Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators.  The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, www.NCSN.org.
Figley, C.R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. New York: Brunner/Mazel, Inc. 

Symptoms of Counselor Burnout

Burnout is a syndrome of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy and is a serious health risk for counselors.  Burnout Syndrome is a progression process and can affect anyone!

Warning symptoms of Burnout Syndrome might include:

• Emotional Symptoms:  Frustration, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, or excessive worrying. 

• Mental Symptoms:  Negative attitude, confusion, boredom with work responsibilities, forgetfulness and poor concentration.

• Physical Symptoms: Fatigue, insomnia, headaches, problems with digestion, changes in appetite, and increased use of drugs, alcohol or tabacco.

• Spiritual Symptoms:  Loss of meaning or direction, martyrdom, feelings of emptiness or cynicism. 

• Relational Symptoms: Depersonalization of clients, resentment, increased isolation or loneliness.

Cotton, Frances; Gilbertson, Joni; Hornsby, Mary; Raya, Shannon: Verdick, David (2000).  Counselor Burnout and Stress.  Retrieved August 8, 2012, from http://verdick.org/counselor-burnout-and-stress

Choose Wellness!

Meditation and the Brain

A research study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in 2009, found that individuals who meditated showed more gray matter in specific regions of the brain than individuals in a non-meditating control group.  A recent follow-up study suggests that individuals who meditate regularly also have stronger neuronal connections between brain regions and less age-related shrinkage in all areas of the brain.  These results suggest that meditation may help slow down aging-related brain atrophy and positively affect the immune system (Natural Awakening, February 2012).  Practicing meditation yourself or with your clients may not only help minimize the negative impact of stressors on the body but also reduce aging-related changes in the brain.

Choose Wellness!