Caring with Compassion
Keeping a Balance
As medical professionals, we are wired for putting others’ care before our own. However, balanced care for others as well as ourselves is necessary for wellness and quality work on the job.
Two concepts that may support prioritizing this balance:
- Assertive Self-Care It is necessary to take charge and manage your wellness as a child abuse professional.
- Monitor how you’re doing. (How full is your cup?)
- Nourish yourself more for "disequilibrium periods"—for example, when dealing with a particularly difficult case, or when short-staffed at your job.
- The Good Enough Practitioner Avoid maladaptive perfectionism.
- There will always be more work to do.
- Giving 100% all the time leads to exhaustion and burnout, as well as loss of creativity and growth.
