Self-Care in the Social Work Profession Essay - 1796 Words

Social workers deal with intense situations daily. It is important that social workers are aware of how they are affected by these interactions. Priscilla Dass-Brailsford explains in her book, that countertransference, vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue and satisfaction, and burnout are all different ways that counselors can be affected (Dass-Brailsford, 2007). This is where it is important for social workers to have a plan of self-care and stress management resources to use. Countertransference first introduced by Freud, â€Å"as a therapist’s unconscious reaction to a patient’s transference† (Dass-Brailsford, pg. 293, 2007). This concept has since become known as a normal emotional reaction to a client.†¦show more content†¦The therapist will eventually start taking on the client’s trauma as his or her own. Symptoms for compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma are equivalent (Dass-Brailsford, 2007). This may ta ke longer for the therapist to realize what is happening but it is a quicker recovery than burnout. Radey and Figley (2007) discuss in their article compassion satisfaction. Compassion satisfaction can happen when therapist put their resources to use and do not let the trauma of the their clients overcome them. The authors say three things will help them have compassion satisfaction and they are increasing positive affect, increasing resources to manage stress, and increasing self-care (Radey Figley, 2007). Burnout is a gradual onset with symptoms coming on over time slowly. Burnout symptoms may include physical exhaustion, hopelessness, negative self-concept, having difficulty leaving home, and inability to concentrate are just some of the symptoms. Due to the gradual onset of symptoms, it is often hard to detect early (Dass-Brailsford, 2007). In McCann and Pearlman’s article they discuss burnout as a, â€Å"psychological strain from working with difficult populationsâ₠¬  (McCann Pearlman, 1990). These are very important for therapist to be aware that they may happen during their career. It can affect everyone involved social worker, client, and the practice of social work. â€Å"Too often we focus on disorders, psychopathology,Show MoreRelatedSocial Work and Finding Self-Care Essay632 Words   |  3 PagesSocial Work is a helping profession that strives to help the community on micro, mezzo, and macro levels. It is an investment of self to offer services and help to those in need. Areas of service can include, but are not limited to, traumatic situations, family situations, and child protection. As in most social service professions, the field of social work can often times take a toll on the emotional and physical stability of a social worker. 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