Trying my hand at Journaling...

Journal Entry 1

Reflecting on the grounding techniques discussed in class, I realize that they are very useful techniques for easing some of the pressures that can be associated with social service work, as well as everyday life. I have practiced grounding techniques before and I was first introduced to them as a client, by my therapist. I have had time to consider which techniques I like to use when I feel I need to stay grounded and I have also had the chance to think of which ones I find less impactful for me personally.

The grounding techniques that help me best when I am trying to center myself are deep breathing, using the 54321 method which is a countdown method that utilizes the 5 senses to regain awareness and a sense of calm in one’s surroundings, and using mindfulness to center and remind myself to be present during a given moment. I have found that training myself to focus on the task at hand and paying attention to the feeling associated with that task helps keep me feeling grounded and mindful. An example of this is washing the dishes at home and doing my best to stay present by actively noticing and thinking about the feeling of the water on my skin at that moment. During this exercise I pay attention to, and make mental notes about the temperature of the water, the feeling of my wet hands in comparison to other parts of my body which are dry, the way the soap makes my hand feel and smell. I also pay attention to what is happening to the dishes I am washing and actively note them getting cleaner, rather than allowing the task to feel mundane, routine, and mindless.

As Manager, of the Feminist Collective, and Gender Based Violence Education Team, at a sexual assault/rape crisis centre, I find that it is important that I do my best to manage stress and practice self care. A huge reason that understanding and using these techniques is so important to me, is because I want to continue to do my best in the community, where I not only love, but learn, raise children and work. Work related stress can be costly not only to an employee but to an organization as a whole, and in order to prevent negative effects on the physical, psychological, social, relational and working health of an agency and its employees. there is significant importance to management of stress that is related to workloads (Donaldson-Feilder et al., 2011). As I have attained my position at work mainly through my volunteer experience as an active and self determined community member, a large portion of my success in securing my role has been a result of lived experience. For me, this is a reminder that I, myself, have been through some traumatic experiences and precarious situations, so it is important to protect myself and further my own healing process if I am to do my best work.

After completing the Wellness Assessment in class, and reflecting on my self-care practices I have resolved that during this coming semester, I need to prioritize speaking with family members more as this provides me with a great amount of comfort. I know that I also need to become more active in seeking support when I feel that I need it. I come from a very close family and I live alone here in Canada. In recent years, I have noticed how much I miss my family, and how hard it is for me to even call them when I am feeling unhappy. For me, the idea of sharing my sadness with them poses a few issues that I realize I really need to mitigate. I am always concerned about causing my family to worry about me. Living alone in this country where I have no family other than my children is one reason why I sometimes feel like I lack support. However, I know that my family is not oblivious to this. I know that they too, are aware of the lack of support that I have here, and I often caution myself not to instill any fears for my safety or mental health in them. As a survivor of 8 years of domestic violence, and subsequently the winner of a 5 ½ year custody battle, at times I can tell that I have become more concerned about sharing my story or recalling steps I have taken to solve my problems, in efforts to be supportive of others, than acknowledging that I too, am in need of an encouraging story at times. I will do my best to seek these stories, and pieces of inspiration from others in different ways. I have found that reading books written by or about people who have overcome struggles similar to mine has helped me in the past. Watching encouraging and educational videos from time to time has also helped me feel that support as well.

Journal Entry 2

After reflecting on how self-compassionate I am, and how this relates to me being an effective helper, I have noted the importance of what my family has taught me, in addition to the positive feedback that I have been given about myself from people I have lived and worked with. I have been fortunate enough to receive many reminders throughout my life that I am not perfect, and that this is okay. I have been able to forgive myself for many things that I once felt were my fault, and in some cases, I have been able to turn my regret into gratitude for the knowl

edge and wisdom that followed a given experience. Throughout my life, my family has been one of my biggest support systems, and I come from a long line of people who have gone through unsettling and grueling circumstances, in order to benefit the future of their children and descendants.

My father and I are very close and he constantly reminds me that I am now, and have always done my best to succeed at many things. I have learned that I am a good person who deserves love and compassion. I have learned that showing myself compassion gives me the awareness to recognize humanity in experiences and practice empathy while working with, and living alongside fellow members of my community. The way that I help others through recollection and knowledge of my experiences, is by granting myself the grace and forgiveness that I need. This ability to be easier on myself makes me an effective helper and continues to grant me the ability to become a better listener.

Reflecting on the new learning related to the concepts of burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma has expanded upon my knowledge of what is essential to my success as a Social Service Worker. Burnout can be experienced and exhibited in a number of ways and happens when people are overworked. In our class readings, burnout has been described as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). Especially following the shift in many work norms and accesses which changed after the onset of Covid 19, I think it is extremely important to be mindful of the warning signs and effects of burnout on people who are employed in the social work field. Though I think that compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma can both lead to burnout, they are both experiences that also stand alone. Compassion fatigue, which is the feeling of exhaustion from learning about the traumatic experiences of other persons, can affect volunteers, neighbors and others, and so can vicarious trauma, which is an experience of negative feelings that result from the same. Compassion fatigue can result in a breakdown in feelings in the importance of the work we are doing, and even result in cynicism. Vicarious trauma can negatively affect the way we view the world around us and the people who surround us as well.

Journal Entry #3

New learning related to the ideas of self-concept, self-efficacy, transference, and countertransference have also allowed me to expand upon my understanding of what is important to my role as a future SSW. I have learned that knowing the definition of these terms and how to identify their presence in my everyday life and work life, is imperative to the impact I can make on clients and communities that I work with and advocate for in the future. Self Concept refers to our ideas of ourselves and who we are, based on what we know about ourselves. Self efficacy refers to our beliefs that we can be effective in our fields of choice and at achieving our goals. Transference speaks to experiences where we associate feelings that we have about a person based on experiences and feelings that we have transferred from our interactions with, and thoughts about a different person. A good example of this is automatically thinking that we like someone based on the fact that they remind us of someone that we have known or interacted with in the past.

Countertransference specifically refers to feelings that a therapist or counselor may have toward a client based on an experience with someone else or a memory or reminder of someone from their past. A good example of this can be a therapist feeling overprotective of a client or even annoyed or afraid of a client because they are reminded of their own past experiences with someone who the client reminds them of.

The practice of mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist meditative practices, and is also practiced in other forms of spirituality (Johnson p.4). I think it is very connected to the practice of grounding, as it explores ways to be aware of surroundings and awareness about things happening around at a present moment, as well as in our environments and lives. Ways that I may integrate this approach into my everyday life and as a professional SSW, are by practicing the self care techniques that can keep me grounded, and by having meaningful conversations with people in my field and life, which prompt me to be present and aware. Reminding myself of the love that I have for family and humanity is one way that I stay mindful. I can specifically recall moments with my mother and father in Florida over the summer, where as my mind began to wander as they spoke, I stopped my thoughts from taking over space that I used for attention. I can remember reminding myself that I do not get to see them often and that I intended to value these conversations and memories with them. The love that I have for them, made those reminders necessary, timely and welcomed.

References

Donaldson-Feilder, E., Yarker, J., & Lewis, R. (2011). Preventing stress in organizations: How to develop positive managers. Wiley-Blackwell.

Johnson, N. (n.d.). Module 2 Critical Self Reflective Practice.

Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205