As a counsellor, you spend your days helping others navigate their emotions, relationships, and life challenges. While it can be a rewarding and fulfilling career, it can also be emotionally draining. It is essential to prioritise self-care to avoid burnout and maintain your mental and physical health. Here are some self-care tips for counsellors:

Set boundaries

It’s crucial to set boundaries with clients, colleagues, and even family and friends. Ensure you have a clear understanding of your work hours, availability, and what you can and cannot do for clients. This will help you avoid overworking and feeling overwhelmed.

Practice mindfulness

As we may be advising our counselling clients, Mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help you remain calm and centered. It can also help you manage stress and anxiety, which are common among counsellors.

There are many free apps with guided meditations and quick yoga sessions if you need something to fit into a lunch break or inbetween counselling sessions.

Take breaks

It’s essential to take breaks throughout the day to recharge and refocus. Take a walk, listen to music, or engage in any activity that helps you relax and clear your mind. Eight back to back counselling sessions a day will soon result in burnout!

Seek support

Don’t hesitate to seek support from colleagues or a therapist when you need it. While your friends might be happy to listen, talking to someone who understands the challenges of the job can be helpful. It can also help you gain perspective and avoid feeling isolated as your fellow counsellors my experience the same issues.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Eating well, getting enough sleep, and engaging in physical activity can help you maintain your mental and physical health. It can also boost your energy levels, improve your mood, and reduce stress. While it can be hard to switch off from a career like counselling, tip one about setting boundaries ties into this tip as well. A good work/life balance can help keep you from getting overwhelmed.

Summary

In conclusion, self-care is essential for counsellors to maintain their mental and physical health. It’s crucial to set boundaries, practice mindfulness, take breaks, seek support, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s necessary to provide the best care for your clients.