Self-Care Strategies for Counselors During COVID-19

It is critical for mental health therapists, counselor educators, clinical social workers, and helping professionals to maintain wellness and take care of themselves, just as they teach their patients, clients, and students. Helping professionals often experience compassion fatigue if they abandon their self-care.

Self-care is a core component taught and preached within the helping profession. In pressing times or significant life events, the concept becomes even more germane and requires implementation. Helping professionals are navigating a new reality since Covid-19. Conceptually, we know that with life comes challenges, and the only constant is change. However, we are in unchartered waters. For over a year, counselors, specialists, patients, teachers, and understudies have experienced a challenge with our quality of life due to Covid-19 and its numerous deplorable and annihilating impacts. Therapists are experiencing stress, anxiety, and fear of the unknown, just like the clients they help. It is challenging to embrace and understand the new normal as we attempt to acclimate to the perpetual and constant safety measures as the Covid-19 research unfolds. We have learned that no one is immune to the wrath of Covid19, as witnessed on the news reporting the social and economic impact relatable to unemployment, working from home, education, homeschooling, and the spread of the virus. Consequently, the damages of Covid19 are disproportionately affecting African Americans and other racial, ethnic, and cultural communities, such as American Indian groups, at a higher rate. Contributing to the higher prevalence surrounds underlying mental health issues as a guide to assessing the impacts.

Mental health, wellness, and mindfulness have been a mantra of the helping profession and echoed from diverse disciplines and voices, especially in the wake of Covid-19. As an example, as reported by the CDC, beyond the physical spread of Covid-19, it can indirectly affect your mental health. Granted, for this moment in life, counselors can feel a little overwhelmed, and sometimes we have to be reminded of what we know to achieve the very thing we want for others, for ourselves. Hence, here is a little push to remind you. According to Section C.2.g. of the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics, “Counselors monitor themselves for signs of impairment from their physical, mental, or emotional problems and refrain from offering or providing professional services when impaired… ” In this light, it is imperative to consider proactive approaches to maintain wellness.

Further, about life and to remind you, for counselor educators and mental health counselors, consider the whole situation of the stress of virtually (online) working from home on multiple days on end, up to 12 hours per day or more. Zoom or other video conferencing platforms, the new normal, have replaced faceto-face sessions and are now used to provide telehealth, teletherapy, and teaching online. Zoom Fatigue is another form of burnout observed after incessant hours engaging in virtual sessions, meetings, consultations, and classrooms. Paying attention to the stress on how we, as counselors, process information over a video, there is a secondary effect on the body. Often, we are sitting at the same spot for an extended time. The stress still occurs when the camera is off and muted. Much is discussed about proper self-care for helping professionals during “normal” times. Counselor educators and counselors often experience compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary or vicarious trauma. In the era of Covid-19, these symptoms are exacerbated due to increased caseloads, long hours, telehealth, collective anxiety about the pandemic, social justice and unrest in the country, and the political climate in the United States. America is experiencing unprecedented challenges for over one year now that has claimed over 500,000 lives and warrants higher medical, psychological, and social services to meet so many suffering needs.

In this way, remaining inactive, sitting for long periods will affect your body. Wellness may be viewed from a holistic approach as we consider self-care strategies to include the mind and body and spirit. These may consist of breathwork, yoga, stretching, energy work, or consulting an expert in holistic and chiropractic medicine.

How can you practice self-care during these unprecedented times? Here are some simple tips you can do at home while you are teleconferencing and can share with your clients. Be the change that you want to see in others.

Simple Self-Care Strategies When Working Virtually

·Be proactive and plan to incorporate self-care daily, even if this means walking around the house, yoga, stretching, meditating, practicing mindfulness, relaxation breathing, taking a relaxing bath, listening to music, or doing an online exercise program with a Peloton or similar stationary bike.

·Prioritize your tasks so that you don’t overextend your time and energy. Do what’s most important first. Don’t take on tasks that could be delegated to an assistant or completed at another time.

·Create ways to stay connected with those you care about. Set up a family game night with an App such as Houseparty or a Zoom call, or another video conference. Meet family and friends at a park where social distancing and safety are easy to practice with masks.

·Exercise your prerogative to say no and protect your time. It seems that many online meetings are overused when an email would suffice. Stick to your schedule, organize your day according to your needs and what makes

·Create a separate wellness/quiet space apart from your workspace. Some are fortunate to have a home office, making it easier to separate work materials and create an ideal space.

Written By: Dr. Michele Mitcham, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, CFM & Dr. Hassiem Kambui, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, ACS

Dr. Michelle Mitcham is an associate professor in the College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU). She has 25 years of experience, including counseling, family mediation, family and human services, specializing in DEI training, Gottman couples counseling, and high-conflict divorce. She has been a professor for over 15 years, a graduate of the University of Central Florida's Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral program.

Dr. Kambui is an associate professor in the College of Education within the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling at The Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU). His research relates to the understanding and application of African culture, race, religion, and values associated with African American mental and social development. He has been teaching and practicing counseling for the past 20 years in school and community settings.