Looking after Yourself whilst Supporting others in Social services/Health/Education Fields

Do you work in the social services, teaching or health fields? Are you sometimes triggered by your client/student/patient? 

In the field of counselling it is well recognized that from time to time counsellors will be triggered by a client. Often it is because the client reminds them of someone in the counsellor's personal life or because the client is presenting with challenges that the counsellor is also working through. In these cases it is appropriate for the counsellor to seek supervision, which is a practice of consulting a more experienced counsellor to understand and work through the trigger. 

We are lucky in the field of counselling in that seeking supervision is encouraged and is considered a requirement of the job. We should not have to bring home our work stress to our spouse or manage triggers all on their own. 

Unfortunately, this same mentality towards normalizing the need for support, debriefs and supervision is not the norm in many other helping fields. 

Teachers, education assistants, nurses, massage therapists, physiotherapists, family physicians, parents, and hair dressers are just a few of the careers in which you are caring for others. You would from time to time feel personal reactions to your patients, student, customers, clients and children and thus you also need the skills and support to manage these reactions. 

Having timely and regular support and skill building in this capacity has unfortunately not been the norm. Carers in these fields then often start to experience feelings of burn out or compassion fatigue. They may end up with feelings of resentment towards their patients or students and want to avoid them and then, because they are helpers by nature, they feel guilty for feeling this way.

If this is you please know that you are in good company. Don't feel shame. You are doing amazing work and the work needs scaffolding to sustain longevity. You can find support by seeking counselling and building in skills so you can keep healthy in your work. Learn how to be empathic without taking on your patient or student's issues. Learn how to show up in a way you are proud of without getting your own nervous system activated. 

 You do not need to sacrifice yourself to help others. And if you are thinking you need to leave your field of work to stay healthy you may not need to.  There are many skills to learn to build capacity for looking after yourself whilst caring for others and I'd love to share them with you. 

Warmly,

Natalie

Natalie Hansen, M.A., Registered Clinical Counsellor

Individual and Couples Therapist with 17+ years experience, based in New Westminster, British Columbia

NatalieHansenCounselling@gmail.com

NatalieHansenCounselling.com