CLINICAL SUPERVISION
FOR THE HELPING PROFESSIONS
People enter the helping professions due to a desire to help others.
Caring for others can often take its toll. It often comes at a cost where we are caring for others to the neglect of caring for ourselves.
Are you feeling tired with work?
Are you sometimes dreading going to work or trudging along?
Are you feeling stuck and struggling to know where you want to go?
Feeling depleted and concerned about where you will find the emotional energy to get through your shift?
Disillusioned with the system?
Taking work home with you, finding it hard to wind down?
Frustrated with how things work?
Not sure what to do in certain situations?
These are just some of the questions that may be asked.
We often don't realise the positive things that we bring to our work.; it is a difficult task for many of us. to appreciate our value. Clinical supervision can help you identify your skills, strengths, and resilience.
Clinical supervision can help you reflect on your practice, finding some of the answers you may be looking for, and identifying the skills that you bring to your practice while learning how to take care of yourself (as you do with others).
Clinical supervision is part of self care.
CLINICAL SUPERVISION
FOR PEOPLE WORKING WITH ANIMALS
Professionals working with animals enter the profession due to there love of animals and desire to ease suffering. This is not unlike professionals who care for humans.
Similarities include stress, fatigue, and burn out. Vets, vet nurses and animal welfare officers can often experience physical and psychological problems. Fatigue, burn out, stress , depression, anxiety, lack of support, working in isolation and ongoing challenges are some of the things that are common for people working in the industry where they are working with animals. There are many challenges that include: Euthianasing animals and bearing the suffering of the owner.
Euthansing animals that go against your beliefs, such as, healthy animals or where the owner is unable to meet the payment required to care for the animal.
Working long hours/time restraints.
Performing high number of daily consultations, surgery and phone calls
Discussing finances with clients.
Delivering bad news.
Experiencing strong emotions including guilt, anger, stress, sadness , dissatisfaction with life and feelings of depression.
Reduced sleep, increased blood pressure.
May turn to unhealthy behaviours to alleviate the feelings such as drugs and alcohol.
Poor work - life balance.
Ethical and moral stress.
Grief of bereaved owners.
Animal abuse.
Euthanasia due to financial constraints can be more complex and distressing for owner/vet alike.
Exposure to euthanasia.
Transition from university to practice.
Knowing first hand the abuse and trauma that animals may be exposed to.
Compassion fatigue.
Occupational stress - staff/patient ratios.
People doing paid or unpaid work in shelters may suffer from some of the same challenges as vets. Likewise they are attracted to the work due to the infinity for animals and desire to provide care for them. New shelter workers may be unaware that euthanasia of animals could be part of the shelter policy and be unprepared; having to applying strategies to manage emotions around the task. Culture between the expectations and the actuality of working in shelters can be emotionally challenging and stressful. Unresolved stress compounds over time
Caring for animals can often take its toll. It often comes at a cost where we are caring for animals and their owners to the neglect of caring for ourselves.
Are you feeling tired with work?
Are you sometimes dreading going to work or just going through the motion?
Are you struggling to know where you want to go with your career?
IF THIS IS YOU, SUPERVISION CAN HELP
