By Raquel Daniels GRANDcares Site Coordinator, Larimer County
Self-care is more than just a buzz word, it is an important form of care that shows up in various forms. As helping professionals, making time for self-care is essential because health care providers are susceptible to compassion fatigue,
burnout and secondary traumatic stress. When I say helping professionals, that includes case managers, social workers, mental health counselors, family
liaisons, and school teachers, among others.
What does compassion fatigue means for you?
Compassion fatigue can be described as the emotional
and physical exhaustion that helping professionals and caregivers can
experience over the course of their career. Helping professionals use tools
like empathy, compassion and hope for their clients on a daily basis. Continually
being exposed to traumatic content, having a heavy case load or having clients
who come in with crisis all contribute to compassion fatigue. Therefore, it makes sense that most helpers will
experience some level of compassion fatigue as it ebbs and flows through their workload. It develops
because you care, you cannot do this work without being affected by it.
How can you manage this aspect of work and what
tools can you carry with you to give yourself the care you need in order to
continue caring for others?
It starts by having a strong social support system, having awareness of your work life balance, and recognizing stressors when they arise. When they do arise, what can you do
in the moment, if possible to take care of yourself.
Take notice of what you can do for yourself in various
forms individually:
Psychologically- write in a journal, pause to notice
your thoughts, judgments and feelings
Emotionally- give yourself affirmations, allow
yourself to cry, and identify people who can support you
Spiritually- perhaps meditate or spend time in nature.
Identify what is meaningful to you
Professionally- Take breaks, set limits with others, and balance your workload.
In order to be present with others, it must start with
yourself.
