Ethical Self-Care and Client Care in a Crisis continued from page 13
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How to keep you rself — and your practice — thriving
Ethical Self-Care and Client Care in a Crisis continued from page 13
selors share a reciprocal responsibility with their association to give feedback on what is happening regarding technology in the field as much as the association must respond to this feedback and craft a code with guidance that sets the standards in the profession .
Reflection — After the Crisis Has Passed
Each crisis is unique and requires a different set of skills and competence to meet the challenges that the crisis presents . The best way to prepare for the next crisis is to reflect on what you learned as you weathered the last one . A good place to start is to consider how the crisis affected you and your clients .
Clients have always looked to us for reassurance and hope that the problems and traumas in their lives are bearable and that they can overcome them . Prior to , during , and after a crisis , clients look to us in the same way . Here are some areas to consider for you to be most available to yourself and your family , your clients , and your community to address a crisis . injured or ill , do you have a plan for someone to handle communications and pay your bills if you are out of the office for a while ?
2 . Explore Telehealth Options . Are you equipped to offer counseling services via phone or on a secure telehealth platform from your home or office if either one of them is damaged , or if you are faced with a quarantine ? If you are on insurance panels , be sure to confirm whether these payment providers reimburse for services provided by phone and / or telehealth . Talk to your clients about using telehealth platforms , and familiarize them with the protocol for using these services .
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Develop a Client Communication |
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Consider how a potential crisis in |
Plan . Prior to a crisis , prepare a list of procedures for how you will |
Final Thoughts |
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your community might affect your business . Reflect on a crisis you went through and use it to take an inventory of your practice or your organization . In a review of your finances , ask yourself if you have enough in reserve to cover expenses if there is a crisis that prevents you from delivering counseling |
communicate with your clients .
Include this information in your
Statement of Understanding for your office procedures and discuss it with your clients . Also prior to a crisis , outline for clients how your office will function during a crisis , how to reach help for critical mental health needs during the
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This article ends as it began — with you , the clinical mental health counselor , facing a crisis right alongside your clients . Remember to take care of your own health and that of your family . It can be tempting to prioritize client needs , but remember that if you become ill , injured , or incapacitated , you cannot provide care . |
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services . Do your business policies allow for flexibility ? For example , can you alter your cancellation policy or waive fees to accommodate potential last-minute cancellations |
crisis , and how to reconnect with you after the crisis . Let your clients know your office policies and procedures for last-minute closings and cancellations . |
Take a moment and reflect on the ideas presented in this article . If you consider the ways that preparing , innovating , and reflecting can inform and inspire you , when the next crisis occurs , you — and |
due to the crisis ? If you are |
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Review Your Malpractice Insur- |
your practice — may be able to weather it |
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The Advocate Magazine |
2024 , Issue # 1 |
well , and help others cope well , too .
American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org
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ance Policy . Review your policy for clauses on confidentiality and work-from-home considerations specific to telehealth services . Check into the feasibility and risks of having health records available at a home office if you suspend services at your practice office .
In addition to reflecting on the care for your clients , communities can serve as a source of support , especially during natural disasters . News reports often contain graphic and scary information without covering the stories of those neighbors and neighborhoods that are working together to help each other .
Just as Mister Rogers advised ( on the long-running PBS program “ Mister Rogers ’ Neighborhood ”), look to the helpers . We can provide helpful and supportive information that will calm anxiety and provide comfort to neighbors . LCMHCs are knowledgeable about finding credible sources of information that are recent , updated and provided through professional associations such as AMHCA , the U . S . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the American Psychological Association .