Self-Care Strategies

How do we teach new social workers strategies for self-care? Why is it so hard for social workers to take care themselves when they are SO good at taking care of clients?

I have been wrestling with these questions recently as I have seen several students come close to falling apart under the stress of their internship, family problems, financial difficulties, etc. At BPD conference in Arizona last month, I learned how one social work program requires their students to have a self-care plan as soon as they declare social work as their major. What a great idea! They also require their students to update their individual self-care plan every year, so that when their students enter their Field Education experience, they already have an effective self-care plan that helps them succeed in their internship. I think this is an excellent idea and hope that we integrate this into our updated curriculum.

I also have realized how I have NOT done a good job of intentionally following an updated self-care plan. What strategies do I have to insure I am protected from burnout, compassion fatigue, and the other occupational hazards of the profession?

One of my new strategies is to go geocaching. This quote from Geocaching.com summarizes of my new self-care strategy:

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

I started at the end of January 09 and so far have discovered 113 caches! (My husband has over 200!) There are many benefits to geocaching. Here are a few:

1. Gets me out of the house and into the community
2. Takes me on a journey of discovery to places I would not have found on my own
3. Exposes me to amazingly creative geocachers who hide caches in the most amazing places
4. Introduces me to new friends (Wee Willie, TreasureNut, and others)
5. Creates another way for me to spend time with my spouse and best friend!

Geocaching is one strategy in my self-care plan - more are needed. If you want to know more about geocaching, check out this VERY detailed blog.

I'm off to go caching with my hubby. Take care!

P.S. Check out the photos from today's geo-journey

Reflective Practitioner - Another Self-Care Strategy

Today I discovered Michele Martin's Bamboo Project and am hooked!  What an "Ah HA!" moment in my personal and professional life!  When I read her posting about Becoming a More Reflective Individual Practitioner, I recognized that this is another important strategy that anyone in the helping professions like Social Work can employ to stay healthy.  Preventing or mitigating the problem of burn out and compassion fatigue in social work is a huge professional challenge and becoming a "Reflective Practitioner" is a valuable practice to maintain professional mental health.  Michele credits an article What is Reflective Practice?  (pdf) by Joy Amulya of the Center for Reflective Community Practice at MIT for the main principles in her posting and was extremely helpful for me as I think about what I hope this blog is all about and my ongoing quest to be a compassionate and effective social work educator.  

Check out Michele's blog and let me know how you have been inspired to be a reflective practitioner!  

P.S.  I copied this cool t-shirt image from Michele's website http://michelemartin.typepad.com/thebambooprojectblog/tools_and_resource/index.html   

Staying Connected and Healthy

What keeps us going in social work? How do we reduce or avoid the impact of compassion fatigue and burn out? In my professional life, membership in the National Association of Social Workers has become a key piece of my support for professional mental health.

What is NASW? NASW is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with 150,000 members. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.

Because I am actively involved in our state and branch activities, I have met other social workers who I wouldn't met in the course of my day-to-day work at TCU, teaching students, grading papers, working with field instructors, going to faculty meetings..... etc. This opportunity for professional networking would only happen at NASW Texas conferences or other professional conferences that only happen once a year. By volunteering to serve as the Tarrant Branch NLIC (national leadership identification committee) representative, I have joined a great group of local social work leaders who work to give our members a place and opportunity for professional development, networking, and support. I am re-energized for my work at TCU because of my professional network!!

When I talk with students about NASW, I tell them that their dues are worth every hard earned penny because they can meet and connect with other social work professioanals at the local, state, and national level. A hallmark of an effective and competent social worker can be measured by the extent and depth of their professional relationships with other social workers. As newly developing professionals, my students often ask, "How can I get a good start in a job after graduation?" My first answer is always, get involved with NASW. The informal networking that happens at NASW events provides a better opportunity to hear about job opportunities.

Being a member of NASW means that I get up-to-date information about local, state, and national issues that impact my work at TCU. I receive emails with announcements of job opportunities, continuing education workshops, legislative updates and more that I often can immediatley use either in a class I am teaching or in advising a student.

Finally, I see a clear link to the importance of networking to the value of the importance of human relationships as stated in the NASW Code of Ethics.

Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.

Clearly, this principle applies to our work with clients, but it also applies to our relationship to our colleagues and our profession. Doesn't it make sense that if we are to be healthy, competent, effective professionals, we have ways to take care of ourselves? Networking is one of many strategies I use to insure my professional health and protects or reduces the impact of compassion fatigue in my work as a social work professor and NASW is a big part of it all.

To join NASW, go to https://www.socialworkers.org/nasw/join/default.asp. Will you let me know if you have decided to become a member of NASW?