The Value of Self Care for Therapists

Self care is an important part of being a therapist.

If we aren’t careful we can absorb so much from the client that we become overwhelmed and develop COMPASSION FATIGUE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF COMPASSION FATIGUE?

Compassion fatigue can take a physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional toll on people who experience it. Common symptoms of compassion fatigue include:

• Chronic physical and emotional exhaustion
• Depersonalisation
• Feelings of inequity toward the therapeutic or caregiver relationship
• Irritability
• Feelings of self-contempt
• Difficulty sleeping
• Weight loss
•  Poor job satisfaction
• Headaches

Therapists, for example, may experience compassion fatigue when the stories and experiences of the people they meet in therapy start to affect their lives outside of work.

HOW CAN COMPASSION FATIGUE BE PREVENTED?

Its really important to take care of yourself. Developing practices that create a sense of awareness, allowing changes in behaviour, attitudes and to life outside of work.

Having a mentor, supervisor or even your own therapist can also help you spot when you may have compassion fatigue.

These are a few of my tips ( of which I’m practicing at the moment as I have a high number of clients with trauma issues).

• Taking a walk in nature or a beach – I love doing this and anyone who knows me, knows the beach is my happy place
• Monitoring sleep patterns – I do a yoga nidra practice before I go to sleep most nights.
• Taking regular holidays
• Mindfulness meditation – start a meditation practice it doesn’t have to be that long. It doesn’t have to be formal sitting in the lotus position. My mindful practices are looking at the sunrise, the clouds, eating and being curious. I do have a formal practice but in my life, I just try to notice more. There are many benefits to meditation.
• Listening to music and dancing around the lounge!
• Connecting with friends and meeting new people
• Keeping a journal
• Seeking out personal therapy or supervision to process work problems
• Regular exercise

iF YOU CAN REALTE TO ANYTHING DISCUSSED IN THIS ARTICLE THEN GET IN TOUCH. WE CAN PROVIDE MENTORSHIP, SUPERVISION AND THERAPY TO ANYONE WORKING WITH PEOPLE.

Karen Tate is a registered UK CBT/ACT Therapist living in Valencia Spain and Newcastle UK.

www.outofsynctherapy.com