In reading the text, Managing Stress by Brian Seaward, Therapists guide to self-care by Lillie Weiss, naswnc.org, and Organizational Prevention of Vicarious Trauma I learned the importance of self-care, especially in the field of Human Services. I think that many individuals enter into Human Services due to their passion for making a difference in the lives of others. However, if we forget to help ourselves first, we can fall prey to burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Moreover, in some cases, those stressors can lead to weakening of professional judgment and duties. Additionally, I think sometimes when we realize we need self-care, it’s when we’re already exhausted and beat up. I feel that knowing when it’s time to prioritize …show more content…
This demonstrates how healthy self-care methods can be life sustaining and vital for a successful career. Consequently, by having healthy self-care methods, a person can expect to lesson health related ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or other potential ailments (Seaward, 2017). I see that one way to practice self-care is by using coping skills and relaxation techniques. For example, meditation is a way to relax while also produces long term benefits such as recognizing the habits of the mind. I think that with the variety of ways one can implement meditation it provides user friend options for spiritual and mental release from stress. Similarly, deep breathing or Diaphragmatic breathing are also techniques used to encourage awareness in the body, emotions, and thoughts and relax the muscle tension built from stress (Seaward 2017). Moreover, research shows that social workers report decreased stress, improved mood states, decreased ruminating and distracting thoughts, increased immune function, and reduced symptoms related to a number of physical ailments such as chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer when they use mindfulness meditation as a self-care practice (Siegel 2009). I feel that this provides concrete reasoning for the importance of self-care in the field of human services. I think it is easy to fall prey to the fast paced and instant gratification of today’s world and when working with others this can increase the risk of harming ourselves and
This paper will also talk about the importance of self –care and what I would do, or things I could do to mitigate those biases and difficult reactions to clients and people that I am working with in a treatment team so that I am fully aware and not distracted by my personal reactions, to a case.
This essay will first provide a general overview of HROs concept and then identify five characteristics of mindfulness which are consistently recognized as the aspect of HROs. In the second section, it will introduce the 'Normal Accident Theory' (NAT) by Charles Perrow. Finally, it will highlight the recommendations in improving the current emergency practice to be more effective.
The nursing theories that are currently in place in the emergency room to promote professional growth and development are vital; however, there are other nursing theories that could be implemented to help improve professional growth and development. A theory that should be implemented to more effectively promote professional growth and development is Orem’s theory of self-care deficit. Orem’s theory is considered a “realistic reflection on nursing practice” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 146). If the nurse is not taking care of him or herself, “stress [can] accumulate [and the] nurse can … become angry, exhausted, depressed, and sleepless” (Ruff & Hoffman, 2016, p. 8). By the nurse having these feelings he or she is not able to take care of him
In order to lead a healthy lifestyle, it is essential that individuals constantly monitor their health. This involves not only physical, but also mental and emotional aspects of the body’s functioning, as they relate to the home, school, work, and leisure environments. If necessary changes are made sooner rather than later, then a stable, balanced and healthy lifestyle will be more consistently maintained. In fact, the World Health Organization says being healthy is feeling that there are few physical or emotional impediments to doing things in your life that you would like. For example, there are many people who are suffering from chronic illnesses who are healthy because they are able to maintain their creativity and vivacity when others cannot. It is evident that self-awareness enc...
Social workers deal with intense situations daily. It is important that social workers are aware of how they are affected by these interactions. Priscilla Dass-Brailsford explains in her book, that countertransference, vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue and satisfaction, and burnout are all different ways that counselors can be affected (Dass-Brailsford, 2007). This is where it is important for social workers to have a plan of self-care and stress management resources to use.
Self-care often goes over looked. However, it could be one of the most important things a healthcare professional can do for themselves and the patients. Working in healthcare often consists of long hours and lots of brain power. Your mind is always on and you are always on high alert. That can be taxing on our minds, bodies, and souls. This is where self-care comes into play. Decompression can look like many things. I some play golf. Others take bi-monthly trips to the massage parlor. Some people seek solace in prayer and meditation. It is important to understand that self-care is not limited to people who hold huge responsibilities. These are techniques everyone should utilize as much as possible.
I interned as a court advocate and attended court hearings while also working one on one with the client. I felt that this was the real test to see if the passion I’ve always had for helping others could now be applied in the social work profession. After the first month at Haven I was excited because I had finally found a job that I could actually see myself pursuing as a career. Not only has Haven taught me how to implement social policies and work with a variety of clients, but it also has changed me as a person. One of the things I was greatly affected by was trauma stewardship. I would find myself worrying constantly if I did everything correctly, but also replaying the cases in my head. I never really thought about self-care for myself while also helping others. This experience taught me that you have to be really self-aware of your feelings and take care of yourself. Attending weekly debriefing sessions at Haven has helped me greatly. My experience with Haven has also helped me with not only being a better professional but also has allowed me to be more aware of what I’m feeling; something I know that will be paramount when I enter the social work
The act of self-awareness is built through emotional intelligence which is an important factor in building therapeutic relationship. Nurses should built an understanding of clients health situation considering social, cultural, emotional, physical spiritual and psychological conditi...
Apart from the role compassion plays in the advancement of the path to Enlightenment, compassion meditation practices have been found to impact physiological pathways which are modulated by stress and are also relevant to disease development and progression. Examples of these types of compassion practices include loving-kindness (metta)...
Many times social workers are so focus on their clients, or on their work that they put their own self-health on the back burner. This is a major problem in the social work community because if social works do not help them selves first they will not be able to help others as well as they could have. “Social workers and their employers must recognize their personal limits and look after themselves first if they are to help others.” (McFadden, P. 2013) It is well know that social works need to help themselves before they can help each other, nonetheless why do so many struggle to do so?
Stress is defined as “any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being and thereby tax one’s coping abilities” (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p. 72). Stress is a natural event that exists literally in all areas of one’s life. It can be embedded in the environment, culture, or perception of an event or idea. Stress is a constant burden, and can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health. However stress can also provide beneficial effects; it can satisfy one’s need for stimulation and challenge, promote personal growth, and can provide an individual with the tools to cope with, and be less affected by tomorrow’s stress (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p. 93).
Living in the present allows me to live and tend to my thoughts and emotions that I often suppress or ignore. Working as a school counselor, I think that I will use mindfulness to help students with anxiety, behavior problems, and depression. I hope to use mindfulness in the future as I teach students how to use mindfulness in their own lives so that they can exist in the present and connect their mind with their body. Through using mindfulness in sessions with students and possibly in the classroom setting, I will give them a tool to help manage and become more self-aware of the thoughts and emotions they experience so they can learn how to better tend, express and manage them. However, without practicing mindfulness myself I would not have understood its power in the work of my client’s
Self-care is a necessary practice in everyone’s life. This practice allows people to relax and replenished themselves. The first time I heard of this term was in during one of my social work classes. As we began to discuss self-care it became clear, that without proper self-care people, not just social workers are doing themselves a disservice. Self-care encompasses more than general rest. Self-care deals with emotional wellbeing, good health and spiritual wellbeing. All of these areas are key to having good self-care. The reading provides a good description self-care, it stated that self-care is achieving an equilibrium across our personal school and work lives. Achieving equilibrium in my personal life will only increase my ability to support and help others.
Stress is something that everyone has to deal with in life, whether it is good or bad stress. Stress management techniques are a great way to deal with stress. Some of the stress management techniques that I learned from this course are prioritization, scheduling, and execution. Using these techniques has effectively helped me deal with my own stress. When it comes to dealing with stress I still have many strengths and weaknesses that I will explain. Some stressors I have in my life that I will discuss are psychointrapersonal, social, life events, and daily hassles. Next, I will give my opinion on my post-course survey, and compare and contrast it to my pre-course survey scores. Finally, I will explain my last goals for this stress management course.
For centuries, patients located within rural and inner city communities have lacked access to adequate healthcare resources. Due to the shortage of medical doctors within these regions, the nursing profession continues to expand. The growth of this field of medicine has enabled patients rural and inner city clinics that do not attract full-time doctors, to receive adequate health care in a cost-effective manner. The goal of a nurse practitioner will be to provide traditional health care services in all areas of medicine, and to maintain, treat and prevent human illnesses under the supervision of a physician. In rural and inner city communities, nurse practitioners will care for diverse community of patients’ diagnosis with acute and chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, motor disabilities, depression, cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke and more. The anxiety that surrounds the patient due to their illness and daily livelihood is astronomical. The application of arousal control and self-talk of psychological skills training to patient in such regions may be beneficial in improving the patient psychological, emotional and overall physical health.