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:
- Gets me out of the house and into the community
- Takes me on a journey of discovery to places I would not have found on my own
- Exposes me to amazingly creative geocachers who hide caches in the most amazing places
- Introduces me to new friends (Wee Willie, TreasureNut, and others)
- Creates another way for me to spend time with my spouse and best friend!
I'm off to go caching with my hubby. Take care!
P.S. Check out the photos from today's geo-journey
2 comments:
This is so true...it is so easy to teach self-care. I do it for the families of patients in the hospital. But, I don't practice what I preach...I need to work harder on my self-care. I keep telling myself that I'm going to start swimming laps on my days off, but it seems that something else always comes up...
Isn't it so true that we take of others but not ourselves! Thank you for your comment. I will be following your blog and hope to find ways to bring this to the light of professional practice!
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