Beet the
stress and make
thyme for you Adela Kacorova takes a look at gardening as a stress buster
Working in mental health can be incredibly rewarding, but we are all too aware of the worryingly high rates of burnout amongst mental health professionals. The BABCP, alongside other organisations, are working hard to raise awareness around compassion fatigue and the need to value our own wellbeing. Having just completed my training in High Intensity CBT, I tried to use many of the popular stress-management strategies during the intensive course, for example, exercise and yoga. However, one unexpected activity came out on top; gardening. Having worked in target-driven IAPT services, I am familiar with managing high caseloads and the dangers of burnout. When I progressed to do my High Intensity CBT training, I was mindful of the importance of looking after myself during a stressful year. During the course, I often felt incompetent and like an imposter; not an uncommon experience. As the deadlines intensified and my caseload was increasing, I noticed my stress levels rising. Having recently acquired a small garden, I decided to do some gardening. The result surprised me; when I was digging, planting or weeding, the garden became my sanctuary. Even though I was never interested in gardening growing up, I came to realise that looking after growing, living things was incredibly satisfying. I became engrossed in mindful activity and felt a deep sense of calm. The courgette plant did not require a risk assessment, the raspberry bush did not need any empathy and my roses did not need formulating (just pruning!). In the garden, I could just ‘be’. Over the coming months, my partner and I planted a new lawn, created a flower border and started a small vegetable patch. Having now finished the course, I reflect on my experience and acknowledge that the training was paradoxically easier than other, less demanding courses I have done. Whilst gardening cannot take all of the credit, it proved itself one of my most effective stress-management strategies. For me, the most rewarding aspect was the sense of achievement it gave me. Sometimes, therapy sessions with clients felt laborious and it took time to see clients’ symptoms improve. In contrast, in my garden I quickly saw the product of my labour and felt instantly uplifted. Gardening forced me to focus externally, be present and helped me to leave my work behind. During the hot summer months, I watered the garden twice a day which gave me structure and purpose, mirroring behavioural activation work which we commonly use when treating depression. It also forced me out of the house when deadlines were looming and the more strenuous tasks, like
16 December 2018
