D9 wellness and self care for service providers

Inderjit Grewal

Agenda Wellness and Self Care
Welcome and Introductions
Review of Agenda
What is wellness (small group exercise, discussion,
large group exercise)
Break
Threat to wellness, Stress discussion (small group exercise)
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout
Wellness and Self Care Planning
Overview, Closure & Evaluation

Share with your partner
Share one positive thing you’ve learned about yourself since you started working in the settlement sector
Share one thing you’ve learned about yourself that you would like to change

Learning Objectives
To broaden your understanding of wholistic wellness, the factors that support wholistic wellness in and outside of the workplace and strategies for evolving these.
To introduce you to new ways of thinking about the concept and practice of self care.
To reinforce self care as a professional right and responsibility.
To expand your understanding of the differences between positive and negative stress, the effect of chronic stress, indicators of distress and strategies for managing this.
To alert you to signs of distress, burnout and compassion fatigue and introduce strategies for preventing these.
To promote self-management strategies and self care planning as a means of achieving better work-life balance.

Competencies At the completion of this training curriculum, you will be able to:
Describe “wholistic wellness” and identify the factors and circumstances that contribute to one’s well being
Identify stressors that compromise wellness and threaten to impede one’s optimal functioning both within and outside of the work environment, and identify strategies for managing stressors
Understand the origin of feelings of anger and rejection that are evoked when clients don't live up to one’s expectations; when feeling alone in dealing with families; and when feeling overwhelmed and hopeless about a family and their circumstances
Differentiate between chronic stress and burnout, identify symptoms of each; and identify preventive strategies

Competencies cont’d
5. Understand the importance of personal safety as a component of wellness, identify circumstances in which personal safety is threatened, and take necessary steps to prevent feelings of vulnerability
6. Understand the concept of boundaries and the importance of maintain personal and professional boundaries
7. Indentify self-management strategies that include setting realistic and achievable goals
8. Develop a plan for achieving wholistic wellness and identify appropriate self care strategies

Group Guidelines
Keep what is shared in the group confidential
Speak one at a time
Respect and value differences in experience, background, and identity
Take responsibility for creating an environment that is safe for everyone
Listen with the intention of understanding and appreciating all in the group
Please turn off your cell phones or switch to mute or vibration ring

What is wellness
What constitutes wellness?
What are the characteristics of a well person?
Why is maintaining wellness important for professionals?

Wellness as a State of Living
“ The state of living at one’s highest possible level as a whole person (and) maximizing one’s potential while enjoying the process and maintaining optimal health along the way” (Schafer, 1999)

Wellness is a Process
Wellness is an interactive process of becoming aware of making choices towards a more integrated Successful, Wholistic and Balanced lifestyle.

Characteristics of the “Wellest”
High self esteem and positive outlook
A foundational philosophy and a sense of purpose
A strong sense of personal responsibility
A good sense of humour and plenty of fun in life
A concern for others and a respect for the environment
A conscious commitment to personal excellence
A sense of balance and an integrated lifestyle
Freedom from addictive behaviours of a negative or health inhibiting nature
A capacity to cope with whatever life presents and to continue to learn
Grounding in reality
Highly conditioned and physically fit
A capacity to love and an ability to nurture
A capacity to manage life demands and communicate effectively

High Energy Individuals
Get enough sleep
Eat fresh, low-fat foods
Are physically active every day
Are intellectually stimulated
Laugh often
Enjoy supportive, satisfying relationships
Have a sense of purpose
Are committed to the common good

Six Dimensions Of Wellness
PHYSICAL
INTELLECTUAL
SOCIAL
SPIRITUAL
EMOTIONAL
OCCUPATIONAL

Threat to Wellness
What is the greatest threat
to Wellness?

Leading Causes of Stress
Finances – 23 percent
Job/Career – 21 percent
Lack of control over their time – 12 percent
Issues with spouse or significant other – 12 percent
Child care/parenting issues – 8 percent
Personal issues – 7 percent
Home Maintenance – 5 percent
Medical issues – 4 percent
Elder care issues – 3 percent
Pets – 1 percent
Other – 4 percent

STRESS
“ The nonspecific response of the body to a perceived demand or threat”(Selye)

Two Types of Stress
Eustress: helps a person perform at a higher level and achieve his/her goals
Distress: overwhelms and hinders performance and overall well being

Internal Stressors
Lifestyle choices: caffeine, not enough sleep, overloaded schedule
Negative self-talk: pessimistic thinking, self criticism, over-analyzing
Mind traps: unrealistic expectations, taking things personally, all-or-nothing thinking, exaggerating, rigid thinking
Stressful personality traits: Type A, perfectionist, workaholic, pleaser

External Stressors
Physical environment : noise, bright lights, heat, confined spaces
Social (interaction with people): rudeness, bossiness or aggressiveness on the part of someone else
Organizational : rules, regulations, red tape, deadlines, oppressive culture
Major life events: death of relative, lost job, promotion, new baby
Day-to-day hassles: commuting, misplacing keys, mechanical breakdowns

Personal Stress Management Strategies
Good nutrition to energize
Exercise to strengthen and sustain
Rest for renewal and rejuvenation
Self Awareness makes us wiser
Treat life skills as tools for living saner
Establish social connections for mutual support
Spiritual development that gives meaning and purpose in our lives
Random acts of kindness for our spirit

Professional/Organizational Strategies
Supportive policies that recognize the stressful nature of your work
Meaningful supervision, consultation and peer support
Maintaining good boundaries
A comfortable, safe physical work space
Opportunities for and informal debriefing stressful events
Bringing humour, laughter, and celebration of successes into our work
An organizational culture that abundantly expresses appreciation and positive regard for its workers

Compassion Fatigue
Another term for “secondary traumatic stress disorder”
The natural consequence of stress resulting from caring for and helping traumatized people
The lessening of compassion

Strategies For Preventing Compassion Fatigue
Identify and work on healing your own painful life
issues
Learn to protect yourself from others’ emotional pain
Schedule time to simply relax and play
Learn that strong emotions can be tolerated and need not
be avoided
Treat yourself to laughter
Embrace your spirituality

Burnout
What is Burnout
A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion
Characterized by feelings of helplessness and
hopelessness and by a negative view of self and
negative attitudes toward work, life and other people
Marked by a loss of feeling and concern, a loss of trust
loss of spirit

Wellness and self care planning Relax, Renew, Rejoice

Resources
http://www-health.concordia.ca/pdf/healthinfo/stress.pdf
www.seekwellness.com
www.nationalwellness.com (check free assessment)
www.wellnessinventory.net
www.lifeevents.org/5-tibetans-energy-rejuvenation-exercises.htm

D9 wellness and self care for service providers

by ocasiconference on Jul 29, 2011

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D9 wellness and self care for service providers — Presentation Transcript