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A counselor supports and manages clients who are struggling to tackle their life stressors. However, what many people don’t remember is that, like everybody else, counselors also have stress and burnout in their lives. They have families to take care of, payments to make, and several other concerns that challenge their everyday living. Sometimes, stress is associated with work and often also personal. Regardless of the cause, most of them choose to deal with their issues in their own creative and efficient ways. After all, if they help other people achieve optimal mental health, it is doubly vital for them to care for their own.
There are all kinds of stress, though, and not all of them are bad. But the simple presence of stress in life is inherently self-protective, as it obliges the body to protect itself from damage. Furthermore, it is important to note that too much stress can lead to a number of health issues, including heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, not to mention the turmoil it can cause on a person’s emotional state. This is why self-care is vital to eliminate stress – for counselors and the rest of us.
Below are some ways counselors, therapists, and other stress specialists care for psychological and mental well-being when they’re stressed.
Look For A Routine That Is Effective For You
Following a regular, dependable routine helps you learn to practice discipline, anticipate what’s next, and manage any stressful challenges headed your way. A seasoned psychologist with six kids confessed that she often feels stressed out, but the habits that she learned to practice have helped her avoid fatigue and stress. Her routine includes a daily exercise regimen, bible reading, and meditation. She also eats food that provides her with good health and energy, and finally, she makes sure that she gets sufficient sleep.
She says that stress makes us feel like we can’t survive a chaotic day, but practicing a routine helps regain her sense of control and organization over her life.
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Start Journaling
Writing out your feelings is a proven and tested hobby for counselors. Many of them have gone through programs that encouraged them to write to process their experiences as trainees and future counselors. Additionally, counselors frequently recommend journaling to their clients to help them monitor stress and emotional patterns when they strive to find some progress.
Journaling is a common but effective tool that permits anxieties, thoughts, and concerns to become conveyed into words. It helps people gain a better insight into their thoughts, emotions, and aspirations and offers a safe space for tough experiences that need expression.
Detach And Stay Invisible
The current news regarding the pandemic and other devastating events can obviously aggravate depression, anxiety, and stress. Moreover, comparing ourselves to other people might even make us feel more depressed and more stressed. So every day, commit to spending an hour or two to detach yourself completely from your social life, television, gadgets, and other social activities. If it’s difficult or impossible to do, try to be more watchful of how you utilize your phones and how long you’re spending time looking into your social media.
Find Physical Enjoyment
Counselors are using their minds most of the day dealing with clients and their concerns. When they feel like they need a break, some of them give their bodies some relaxation time by doing physical activities that they love, like swimming, dancing, biking, and other things that they love to do. They also meditate and join yoga classes. They attempt to ‘numb’ their minds to relax their brains from the usual battles, making it easier for them to think clearly and focus when they get back to work.
Laugh – It’s Still The Best Medicine
Laughter being the best medicine has been a very common notion that has been passed on for years. Though it seems cliché, the statement has been proven true too many times to be ignored. Studies have shown that there are several psychological and mental effects of laughter, including a decrease in stress levels and an increase in the happy hormone dopamine. Being able to laugh at our own mistakes and ourselves makes us feel more carefree and helps puts things in better perspective.
Counselors Need Some Counseling Too
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If you think counselors don’t require a few counseling sessions for themselves, then think again! Counselors not going to counseling is one of the many misconceptions about the profession because counselors do not go to counseling. It’s absolutely wrong, as many counselors have claimed that they see a fellow mental health professional twice weekly to handle the stresses in their life and be more efficient in performing their jobs. They believe that they become better at what they do by being a patient, instilling empathy and compassion.
By caring for their own mental well-being, counselors feel more in line with their patient’s concerns and needs, and they can get out of the world and do the best counseling job possible.