It's been, undoubtedly a long time since I posted anything. I am certain that my three readers have been biting their nails while checking their blog feeds and emails just waiting for my next comments. Well, here it is...
Over the past 16 months I have had the opportunity to see many clients, attend great conferences (i.e. The Evolution of Psychotherapy 2017 convention), teach multiple classes, provide supervision to 24 different students, road over 1500 miles on a mountain bike, went on several trips (some successful, some not), and much more. In other words, I got even more busy. But, I digress...
Today's brief message is about the results of professional counselor burnout and secondary trauma, and how to work through it. A counselor who works with trauma is at risk for developing pathological symptoms by virtue of exposure to clients with trauma and difficult life scenarios. This can happen due to the severity of the situations and stories shared in sessions, or even because of similarities of the clients' stories and experiences to the counselor's own life. The signs for secondary trauma are not unlike post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, and more. Ultimately, a professional counselor can begin to feel tired at the thought of seeing clients. Sessions may be interrupted by internal counselor struggle (countertransference). Ultimately, it can lead to compassion fatigue and/or burnout. Cynicism tends to be the final stage of burnout, which ultimately affects the client's ability to remain objective and to demonstrate empathy or compassion to their clients or even personal relations.
I know what you three readers are asking--how can I avoid this? The answer is very simple. Self-care. This means putting yourself personally and professionally at the forefront. Take time off periodically rather than waiting until you're exhausted. Focus on personal spirituality by maintaining a relationship with God or the Divine. Be physically active in any way. Check your attitude to see if it is adjusting towards being negative towards others. If it is, engage in your own personal introspection and practice for change. Or, see a counselor for yourself. Try to see people from a person-centered perspective--that all people are inherently good and trying their best; that they are worthy of affection and attention (yourself included); and be congruent and genuine with yourself and others.
Hopefully, you three will find some of this helpful. If not, file it away for a time when things feel rough.
Until next time...
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