Being a social worker is essentially draining work, but acknowledging that and still having unfettered love for the profession helps one attend to their clients in most ways, which indeed leads to a significant improvement for the clients. Burnout is mainly brought forth by the draining experience of concurrent clients who the social worker is expected to help through their trauma (Jimenez et al., 2021). One should try these coping mechanisms to lessen the hazards if they believe they may be experiencing vicarious trauma. Increased self-observation enables people to identify and track stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout symptoms.
The essential thing that helps, especially if one feels overwhelmed, is to get supervision. To avoid being duped by individuals who do not practice self-care, social workers must be supervised by someone with whom they share high-quality working methods. Taking care of one’s emotional needs is essential through nurturing self-care, relaxing, and self-soothing activities. In social work, taking care of one’s physical and mental health can assist reduce stress.
Engaging in extracurricular activities, such as reading captivating novels, listening to music, and doing yoga, promotes a healthy work-life balance. Having realistic expectations for one’s potential in social work is very important. The best course of action is to steer clear of wishful thinking and keep a safe distance from anyone in their industry who chooses not to be practical. Creating time and a safe space for oneself helps most social workers be in a stress-free mode, as they can get to focus on things that would help them feel better. The bravery of social workers admitting they need help assists them in facing their clients with more empathy and helps them shape their practice.
Reference
Jimenez, R. R., Andersen, S., Song, H., & Townsend, C. (2021). Vicarious trauma in mental health care providers. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 24, 100451. Web.