You're immersed in challenging cases daily. How do you manage the emotional toll effectively?

Early in my career I was assigned to help persons with disabilities who were accused of or convicted of sexual offenses. Neither my supervisor nor the agency I worked for at the time offered support and I ended up looking for perps everywhere I went. I was so "hyper-vigilant" my daughter and oldest son will recount how they did not use public toilets until they were adults. It wasn't until I left that organization for work with a mental health provider that I learned of "transference and countertransference." The realization led me to work on my emotions regarding that experience with a therapist who specialized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I learned to always make sure I can get the support I need even when I don't realize I need it.

Self-care is invaluable if you want to be happy. I do several things for my self-care. The most important one is leaving work at work. My spouse gives me 1 hour to talk about work and then done. After that we talk about us, our dreams and our family. We frequent the inflatable hot tub, go on date night every friday, exercise several times a week, and get massages once a month. I also pursue my hobby of writing romance novels and spend alot of time with my animals. Self Care is absolutely not selfish but an integral part of being healthy and balanced which makes you much more productive for much longer.

One thing one have noticed in any organisation is the fact that you will encounter challenges which will alter your emotions. Since we are emotional beings it is therefore advised to explore or use emotional intelligence (EQ). Emotional intelligence is one of the most crucial traits any individual should possess. It means you understand opinions due to diversity, you don't react till you understand the root causes of a situation. One should see or treat any situation with objectivity rather than subjectivity. Therefore one should solve the problems at hand with high professional conduct which will come to a consensus at the end.

I am a firm believer of self-care. I take some time off when needed. I take my vacation time. I practice enjoyable activities with friends and family sometimes. I have a message membership that I go every time i feel tense and overwhelmed.

A piece of advice I was given early in my career was "your clients have skills that they've utilized to survive this long. They may not be the best skills but they've sustained them." This statement alone allowed me to support a healthy boundary between me and my clients. It drove home the fact that I didn't need to respond to every one of my clients challenges immediately, as well as allowed me to empower my clients to use their skills to meet their challenges. Too often in the helping field, we begin to feel that we are essential to addressing client challenges. This misconception leads to our burnout, ultimately resulting in us being very unhelpful. Trust your clients, empower them, and take care of yourself by using your discernment.

In systemic counselling one thing you learn early on is that each client has the ability and the inner resources to solve their problems. They might not have the perfect coping strategies or can access their full potential, but it all lies within them. Your responsibility is to help them work out viable solutions, but in the end it is still the client, who has to do the work in order to find solutions and feel better. It is very easy to step into the trap of wanting to become a "savior" and solve our client's issues for them or take away the emotional pain. But it is crucial to recognize the importance of not doing so. It is very much about "teaching a person how to fish" instead of providing them with food for one day.

Work-Life balance is often very difficult to achieve. For me, it was letting go of the concept of a "perfect" work-life balance and concentrating on what fills my cup. I have several hobbies and many friends and activities that all fill my emotional meter in one way or another. Setting firm boundaries around work is essential and knowing that I am doing my best to do my part to make our world better. I also work to develop my job around the things that I am passionate about. I reach out and do activities at work that add to and exhibit my passion. I also pay attention to my own needs and have figured out when to take a break or time off.

Work-life balance is important. You are not only needed at work but your needed at home as well. Just as your clients need your attention, so does your family. If you can, and your not on call, ending the day at the same time everyday helps give routine and allows everyone to know when your there and when your not. Office hours are also very good, to help clients know when they can access you and when they cant. Even at work, you need time to do your administrative tasks so you must secure that time daily. If it isnt documented it didnt happen. Most importantly dont take work home, it will be there tomorrow! Be as productive as possible in the office and then be a family member, spouse or just have your me time, when your not.

Managing the emotional toll of working on challenging cases daily as a case worker requires a multilayered approach: 1. Reflect on emotional responses, recognize compassion fatigue. 2. Set boundaries, limit availability, ensure self-care time. 3. Maintain professional, personal support network, seek guidance. 4. Prioritize physical, mental, emotional well-being, engage in hobbies. 5. Apply stress management techniques, deep breathing, relaxation. 6. Reframe challenges, focus on progress and victories. 7. Participate in structured debriefing, receive support and guidance. 8. Seek professional counseling or therapy when overwhelmed.