TL/DR –
The article is a personal account written by psychotherapist Dana Dorfman, detailing an incident in which she overstepped professional boundaries due to stress and anxiety brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 election. Dorfman emphasizes the importance of healthcare professionals, particularly those in mental health, maintaining healthy boundaries and self-awareness during emotionally charged situations to prevent projecting personal issues onto patients. She suggests strategies such as recognizing and understanding triggers for anxiety or defensive reactions and finding moments of quiet to restore emotional inventory, and advocates therapy for healthcare professionals to manage stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Overcoming Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Amid Anxiety and Political Differences
A psychotherapist, with over 30 years of experience, shares her ordeal about losing her professional composure during therapy, triggered by political discussions amidst the pandemic. The error was a reminder of the immense pressure mental health workers face in these challenging times and the potent risk of burnout.
The pandemic’s height, coupled with police brutality protests outside her NYC apartment, amplified her anxiety. Amidst these external tensions, even a supportive family environment could not prevent her nervous system from over-activating. The inability to escape the surrounding unrest intensified the stress, escalating the situation.
The experience taught her invaluable lessons about patient care, particularly when their political ideologies differ significantly. With another tension-filled election approaching, applying these newfound insights to practice is essential, despite the challenges.
Compassion fatigue and burnout significantly affect healthcare workers, especially those in mental health. The unique emotional depletion experienced has its roots in the frequency, depth, and quality of the relationships with patients. The intersection of personal and political opinions poses additional challenges.
Since emotions underlie all we utter or do, even supposedly ‘reasoned’ political arguments touch us emotionally. Hence, when someone supports a politician or political view you find objectionable, it feels ‘personal’ or rather ’emotional’.
Maintaining healthy boundaries while fostering self-awareness is crucial. Mental healthcare providers are trained to avoid projecting personal issues onto their patients. Recognizing anxiety triggers, like certain patient behaviors or conversation themes, is essential. Understanding these bodily sensations serves as early warning signs, allowing for a moment’s pause to regain composure.
Self-awareness requires time, often not readily available. But even a minute of quiet can prove transformative. Breaks between patients can serve as moments to check-in with your body and emotions, restoring your emotional inventory.
There will be instances of emotion mismanagement in front of patients. Addressing these moments with self-compassion and acknowledging boundary violation can lead to relationship repair and healing.
Providing space for patients to express their feelings when communication lapses is important. These situations may be uncomfortable, but they offer opportunities for professional growth. Acknowledging limitations and seeking help not only benefits the healthcare provider but also enhances patient outcomes.
Therapy provides a safe space to unpack these feelings, identify triggers, and develop coping strategies. Mitigating compassion fatigue and burnout is possible by prioritizing self-care and acknowledging anxiety, improving patient care effectiveness and personal well-being.
Read more about the author’s experiences in her works When Worry Works and the free monthly newsletter Demystifying Anxiety.
—
Read More Health & Wellness News ; US News