Practicing What You Preach: Self-Care for Helping Professionals

Practicing What You Preach: Self-Care for Helping Professionals assists readers in recovering from the strains and demands of working within the helping professions, not through reminders to take a break or a deep breath, but through the recognition that self-care requires a constant commitment to addressing larger and more complex issues that can lead to exhaustion, depression, and burnout. The book reviews the nature and manifestations of acute and chronic compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and related issues, examining the origins of these difficulties. It explains why traditional, short-term ideas of self-care usually don't work very well, for very long, and why it's so challenging to begin and maintain healthy habits. The text helps readers recognize and confront complex issues-- dysfunctional organizational climates, neglectful or abusive supervisors, overloaded schedules, unresolved personal issues, interpersonal conflicts, and unhealthy lifestyles--and then move toward productive, healthy, long-term resolutions. Written with empathy and deep understanding, Practicing What You Preach is well suited for courses in social work, counseling, family therapy, psychology, human services, health professions, and other related fields, as well as a guide for practitioners. A Statement from the Author in Recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month 2023 "During a time when people are (hopefully) recovering from the chaos, uncertainty, confusion, trauma, and disruption from the pandemic, political strife, and accompanying deprivations and new challenges, it has never been more important for helping professionals, parents, caregivers, educators, and others to take better care of themselves so they can more effectively serve others. We are models for those we assist, demonstrating in our own lives the critical importance of self-compassion and self-care, not just through our talk but by our actions.".…