Home > Guidance Glimpse > Feb. 2008

Guidance Glimpse: Taking Care of the Caregiver

Jil Gaylor, M.Ed, LPC
President Elect Guidance Division

Do you remember why you became a counselor? If you are too busy to contemplate an answer, then you may be one of the counselors headed for a destination known as burnout.

It is no wonder that as counselors, we find ourselves in this predicament. With downsizing and doing less with more, our jobs are laden with more responsibilities. More work and less time to complete our tasks, coupled with attending to the needs of others, can leave us feeling physically drained and emotionally depleted. To make matters worse, in the counseling profession, we rarely see tangible results from our therapeutic efforts. When counselors intervene in a situation, they never really know if they have been effective or helpful. This sense of efficacy can lead to burnout.

Burnout is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed. It reduces your productivity and saps your energy. If ignored, burnout can grow from a tiny acorn to a full size oak, threatening your job, your relationships, and your health.

Because burnout doesn't occur overnight, and it is difficult to recognize once you are in its throes, it's important to recognize the warning signs. Some warning signs may include, but are not limited to: apathy, being trapped, cynicism, despair, detachment, emotional exhaustion, failure, frustration, hopelessness, irritability, isolation, and powerlessness.

The most effective way to prevent burnout is for counselors to develop their own treatment plan. First and foremost, counselors need to remember to take care of themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This may mean developing hobbies and interests, exercising, getting involved in the community, meditating, playing, or taking a vacation. Finding balance at work and at home is extremely helpful in busting burnout. In addition, as counselors, we don't always have to solve a person's problems. Sometimes just connecting that person to available resources is enough.

There is one question that counselors can ask themselves that quickly centers their thoughts. Why did you become a counselor? The answer usually centers around the same theme: It is about helping people. Counselors just need to remember to help themselves, too.