Counseling work can be very emotionally draining isn’t it?

Have you ever felt helpless and drained emotionally when looking after patients who have so much fear, hopelessness and despair?

Learning how to cultivate feelings of hope, gratitude, curiosity, faith, possibilities, compassion including self compassion will help us to better hold feelings of despair/fear/hopelessness/helplessness etc.

It’s definitely not easy is it?  If not careful, we can burn out from compassion fatigue.  

From “trauma” to “post traumatic growth” can take some time. A lot of time if the person is unable to shift.

Many may not be aware that “Trauma” can be closer to “post traumatic growth and psychological flexibility” than those who are in the “normal range”.

The trick is to pivot for that shift.

Counseling is more like being a farmer, planting the seed, nurture it, water it, and see its growth journey over time, although the growth journey can be worse than the stock market.  There are many ups and downs. 

It can also be like a locksmith trying to help them unlock that door.

As Doctors, we can also learn to be curious to give our patients curiosity as emotions can be contagious bidirectionally.

Have faith to give them faith.

Have compassion to give them compassion.

Have hope to give them hope.

Have acceptance to give them acceptance.

And etc.