Failure to prioritize wellness may necessitate time for illness.

We’ve all heard about self-care and burnout but how much have we looked at it from an Existential perspective?

Psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers, and pastoral carers are, by nature, compassionate individuals. However, like any caring and compassionate quality, it can be over-done.

If we leave ourselves out of the circle of care, emotional and physical fatigue tend to lead to burnout. Furthermore, sometimes the pace of landing ‘in the thick’ of burnout can be much quicker and subtle than we might think.

Below are a few real life comments that echo what some supervisees over the years have mentioned about self-care in my practice. It may be useful to read through them along with the responses and to continue with your own reflections.

Supervisee: “Yes, I know all this self-care stuff, everyone talks about ‘self-care’ in our profession constantly, I really don’t see the need to go over it or focus on it again.”

Supervisor: “Rather than over-focusing, let's consider revisiting self-care periodically. Maybe making an effort to check in with ourselves and how we’re doing emotionally or psychologically could be worthwhile. When did you last do this?"

Self-care involves creating space to check in with our mental and emotional well-being.

Supervisee: “I know I can overdo it sometimes, especially when I see too many clients in a row. Sometimes I even have to take my notes home to finish writing them up on a Saturday. But, well, I don’t do this all the time.”

Supervisor: “Mmm, you might not do this all the time and your intentions seem to be coming from a good place. A couple of times is fine, however, we may want to be honest with ourselves to see how many times exactly this might really be happening say in a year. How many times do you think?”

Self-care includes being honest about our practice, even with good intentions.

Supervisee: “No one’s died from a lack of self-care right, I mean seriously, what is there to be frightened of?”

Supervisor: “Ooo, um, let’s try to look at this together. In our profession, we tend to focus exclusively on client/patient’s wellbeing, and it can be so easy to tip the balance towards not caring for ourselves too. The fact that we spend long hours in this mode of ‘being’ may account for the high rates of stress, substance abuse, depression and (yes, even) suicide among members of our ranks.

However, in addition to the personal ill effects of burnout, providing poor treatment for clients/patients because of burnout is unethical.

So, in a way we have a responsibility in our profession to keep on top of our self-care not only for ourselves but for our clients/patients too. Even though self-care is not a legal requirement, a clear lack of self-care by professionals like ourselves has been known to work against us in court. What are your thoughts on all this?”

Self-care involves staying current with ethical and legal obligations, emphasizing its priority in our profession.

Supervisee: “I’m old, I’ve been doing this for so many years now on and off. Burn out, it’s not something I need to worry about at my age.”

Supervisor: “I’m going to have to disagree with you. It’s such an easy thing to miss and an easy thing to assume how you could be immune. No one is immune to burnout. It’s healthy to see self-care as a slippery slope or a red flag, one that needs attention by every practitioner.

Burnout tends to affect most counsellors/social workers/pastoral carers/therapists at some point in their careers. It’s not even reserved for the seasoned or newly graduated professional; it can strike any practitioner, older ones too. Now I’ve put this out there, what do you make of it?”

Recognizing that no practitioner is immune is a crucial aspect of self-care.

Supervisee: “Ok, ok, so what does burnout really look like, what do I need to look out for?”

Supervisor: ““Recognizing burnout involves understanding its various manifestations like loss of motivation, cynicism, depletion, and fatigue. However, generally, it tends to manifest as emotional exhaustion, emotional fatigue or even ‘emotional overload.’ Can you relate to any of this?”

‘Getting to know’ your own burn out tendencies individually are the beginning steps of basic self-care.

Now let’s come out of these dialogues and explore some of the uncommon burn out tendencies that could be missed.

Being in a State of Worry (more than usual):
Professionals may constantly worry about clients' threats, impacting their sleep and creating anxiety. Unrealistic fears of board investigations or lawsuits could signal burnout.

State of Distraction: (more than usual):
Over-focusing on clients' issues may subtly indicate burnout, leading practitioners to lose track of their own situation. Balancing involvement in clients' stories is crucial.

Inability to Shut Off the Therapeutic Stance:
Experiencing extreme voyeuristic tendencies or transferring one-way intimacy outside therapy may signal burnout. "Us and Them" attitude may lead to depersonalization.

Sarcastic, Disconnected, Or Even Un-Empathetic:
Dealing with clients' needs might lead to 'God Syndrome,' resulting in inflated self-perception. Being sarcastic or unempathetic may signify burnout.

When was the last time you...

Checked your assumptions about self-care?

Reigned in your burnout tendencies?

Believed in practicing under emotional exhaustion?

Prioritized self-care even when challenging?

Acknowledged self-care as a constant commitment, not a one-time event?

Considerations:

Can practitioners work effectively under exhaustion?

Is self-care about doing what benefits the future you?

How much does 'giving' from emptiness lead to resentment?

Is self-care about being honest, even when hard to admit?

Could stress and inadequate support cause burnout?

Are you fostering connections in your personal and professional life?

How often do you prioritize your well-being?

Is self-care a habit, ritual, or part of your daily practice?

Seeking Balance:

Balance is the key to self-care.

Practitioners could strive to maintain balance in personal and professional lives, allocate time for solitude and social interactions, and practice 'personal restoration.'

Remember, self-care is an ongoing commitment, essential for sustaining a well-rounded and balanced practitioner.

If you are considering having a self-care consultation, email progressiveprocess@live.com.au or click here to book a free online consultation.