Burnout
There are a number of causes that contribute to burnout in the counseling profession. Counselor empathy is an often overlooked contributor to counselor burnout. Traditional coping techniques as well as the concept of emotional awareness can be used to promote the overall health and wellbeing of counselors.
Many things can contribute to counselor burnout, but three main categories are: lifestyle features, individual personality characteristics and job structure. Lifestyle features comprise such things as working hard with little balance. Most individuals would agree that a strong work ethic is commendable; however, if a counselor does not balance work with self-care they can often set themselves up for burnout. An ambitious counselor may set out with good intentions to do their very best for their clients, but end up losing themselves in the process. Counselors may not readily recognize the signs of burnout because many counselors reject the notion that they may need help or support from others.
Counselors are trained to focus their attention on the needs of others and helping others may be a deeply ingrained personality characteristic of the counselor as well. If this is the case the counselor may begin to experience stress from helping their clients without recognizing it. This lack of self-awareness might cause counselors to focus more of their attention on what they do best, which is to help others instead of helping themselves.
The personal characteristic of counselor empathy is often overlooked as possible cause of counselor burnout. Counselors are unique individuals. They often bare witness to the pain and suffering of others daily and not everyone is capable of doing this. Imagine all the trauma, abuse and grief that counselors have to sort through hourly during a work day. The average person is not able to do this and cope with the challenges of life. For this reason, counselors should be encouraged to become self-aware and to practice self-care – the same principles we teach to their clients.
Counselors should learn to listen to their bodies and relax when they need to. Counselors should also develop and maintain a social support system they can turn to for help when help is needed. It is also very important for counselors to recognize the need for physical, mental and spiritual health. Above all else, counselors should seek help for personal issues if they are unable to work through them on their own in a timely manner. This can be a challenge for many in the counseling profession.
Counselors can also practice emotional awareness as a means of self-care. Emotional awareness is a concept of Gary Zukav. Zukav encourages individuals to accept their emotions and not run from them. He states that as human beings we may believe that we should only experience certain emotions and avoid others. By doing this we miss the point according to Zukav, because our emotions bring us valuable information and they help us learn. If we are able to experience our emotions without running from them we are on our way to becoming authentically empowered individuals.
By recognizing the causes of burnout; practicing self-care techniques and becoming emotionally aware, counselor can better prepare themselves to help others as well as themselves.
Visit http://www.pinegrovetreatment.com/ or call 1-888-574-HOPE (4673) for more information.
Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi is known as one of the nation’s most comprehensive treatment campuses. For over twenty five years Pine Grove has offered a continuum of services ranging from outpatient to inpatient and residential treatment for adults, children and adolescents suffering from psychiatric and addictive diseases. Specialized services include the treatment of addictions, eating disorders, and professionals struggling with interpersonal difficulties. The Pine Grove Mission is to be a leader in healing and changing lives by providing the highest quality behavioral health services.
Labels: Burnout, Next-Step, Pine Grove Treatment
