Prevent Burnout and Maintain Well-Being
Prevent Burnout and Maintain Well-Being
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How to keep you rself — and your practice — thriving continued from page 20
Self-Care need ( or desire ) to be seen or at least communicate in some form sooner than their next scheduled appointment .
Certainly , LCMHCs are obligated to notify their clients of how to receive emergency care , but short of something urgent , LCMHCs can maintain boundaries so that they get a much-needed break in order to prevent burnout .
As airlines remind passengers before takeoff , if oxygen is needed , passengers should secure their own masks before trying to help others . Likewise , LCMHCs cannot be helpful to others without first taking care of themselves — and continuing to take care of themselves . Supervision and self-care are two important considerations to help prevent burnout .
Supervision
While in their educational programs , counselors-in-training receive a wide variety of experiences with supervision , including faculty supervision , clinical supervision , group supervision , and peer supervision . In pursuit of licensure , typically only clinical supervision is required . Nevertheless , pre- or postlicensure , clinical mental health counselors can — and likely should — pursue other forms of supervision such as group / peer supervision and self-supervision .
Group supervision with fellow counselors can be helpful for myriad reasons , including what famed psychiatrist and group therapist Irvin Yalom , MD , identified as universality — recognition of a shared experience and knowing that a person ’ s problems are not unique . While group therapy and group supervision are not the same , both enable exchanging concerns and ideas with peers , which can be quite helpful . For LCMHCs , this time is often used for encouragement , resource building , stress relief , and more .
Naturally , taking care of oneself is critically important in order to effectively help others , especially for LCMHCs who intend to stay in the counseling profession for the long haul . The basics of selfcare — which many counselors preach but don ’ t always practice — include adequate sleep , exercise , and proper nutrition .
In addition , LCMHCs can , and should , pursue a variety of other methods of self-care in order to set boundaries , which will reduce burnout . Self-care methods can include :
• Establishing a set number of direct client hours per week and sticking to a pre-determined schedule that creates a desirable work-life balance ;
• Engaging in non-counseling related activities , such as playing games such as pickleball or cards , or enjoying a hobby ;
• Seeing friends or connecting with others as part of a club or church ,
• Pursuing personal counseling ,
• Indulging ( responsibly ), in activities such as movie- and TV-watching , dining out , and shopping , etc .,
• Writing ( such as journaling ), and
• Reading ( for personal growth or fun ).
Navigating Risks Associated With the Counseling Profession
Many professions come with a specific set of occupational hazards : risks associated with the nature of the work that must be identified and managed in order to create a safe and sustainable work environment . Tools and equipment also need to be maintained ; professional drivers have their vehicles serviced regularly . Chefs keep their knives sharpened . The profession of counseling carries a unique burden in that the clinician effectively serves as both the agent and the instrument of change .
Like other care-related fields , counseling relies heavily on the well-being of the individual conducting the work . Because LCMHCs encounter considerable pain and trauma through their work with vulnerable populations , they are prime candidates for the occupational hazard of burnout . We will return to self-care , but want to also explore the ways that the vicarious trauma that mental health professionals can experience , as well as compassion fatigue , can contribute counselor burnout .
Counselor Burnout and Vicarious Trauma
The term burnout is often used in a broad sense to describe a state of mental and emotional fatigue . When applied specifically to counseling and other carerelated fields , a number of important features may be prevalent . These can include blunted emotion , decreased motivation , a diminished sense of purpose and even depersonalization . Scholars and practitioners have recognized that counselor burnout is often associated with exposure to vicarious , or secondary , trauma .
continued on page 22 The Advocate Magazine 2024 , Issue # 1 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) ww . amhca . org
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