6 emotional care strategies for psychotherapists
In order to be able to care for people, it is necessary to be in the best psychological condition.
The work of psychotherapists is quite arduous, tiring and, above all, full of various emotionsThe work of psychotherapists is quite arduous, tiring and above all full of varied emotions that are expressed in the consultation room. For these reasons it is important to take care of oneself emotionally. Each therapist has different rituals to discharge all this content, but there are some who do not, especially those who are taking their first steps.
Ideally, you should be able to identify when you are beginning to experience burnout because of this emotional outpouring caused by the interaction with patients. Don't worry, it's nothing unusual; in fact it's very common in psychotherapists who don't change their routine and stay in continuous contact with their patients without breaks or vacations. To have this phenomenon regulated, it is desirable to resort to strategies of self-regulation and emotional care.which involve maintaining a balance in what each psychotherapist feels after seeing several patients in a day, a week or a month on a continuous basis.
Some emotional care strategies for psychotherapists.
I will give you some examples of emotional self-regulation strategies that you can use as anchors or small "rituals".
1. Use emotional journaling
A powerful tool that you can use every day is the emotional diary. In it you can write down how you have felt, what emotions you experienced in each session and how you have dealt with them or how you would like to deal with them. This tool is very useful for those who like writing or drawing.
2. Notebook of positive memories
Positive thoughts are powerful, but they are even more powerful when accompanied by images, especially if they are of an experience that evokes sensations and feelings of love, gratitude, joy, etc. You can prepare a notebook full of these memories and go to it when you feel this type of emotional conflict.
3. A break between sessions
When we are in the middle of a session we often become alert, especially if our patient is in crisis. The sympathetic nervous system, in charge of survival, is activated in these cases in order to regulate the situation. Surely you have felt it; you have become nervous and you have no idea what to do or say.... For this reason, at the end of the session, I recommend drinking some water and taking a 10 to 15 minute break before receiving the next patient. This will give your nervous system time to return to its normal state.
4. Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness is very powerful. Doing it at least 3 times a week, in the schedule you have available, will help you become more aware of your emotions and regulate them.. In addition, I recommend several related practices: Vipassana Meditation, Tonglen or Metta bhavana.
5. Seek supervision
When we attend to a variety of patients, conflicting emotions can lead to a loss of therapeutic precision.. It is very helpful to seek supervision with trusted colleagues, with whom you can share your concerns, feelings, worries and feelings about your patients. In this way we will prevent being subdued by the accumulated conflicting emotional flow.
6. Bet on leisure activities
It sounds trite, but, doing activities that are not related to your clinical practice is one of the best strategies to take care of your emotional regulation and, of course, your overall health. Going for a run in the morning, taking walks in places that make you feel at ease, partying with friends or family, going to the movies, singing, going to dance or Zumba practice, going to the gym frequently or doing art, among many other activities, can help.
The important thing is that you do activities that generate positive sensations and emotions, rewarding positive, rewarding and uplifting feelings and emotions for your life..
(Updated at Apr 12 / 2024)