Fear of FearAnxiety and Burnout

Wellness RetreatsSunday 19th October

Who am I?• Psychotherapist 15 years of experience• Private practice at the Robert Street Clinic, Ellerslie• Blogger, radio host and commentator• NZ Association of Psychotherapists (NZAP) Council Member, Public Issues spokesperson• Psychotherapy.org.nz, OvercomingSocialAnxiety.com

As seen on …

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Burnout and Anxiety

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What is Anxiety?

Definition: fear response in the absence of a fearful stimuli, or an actual threat to wellbeing

• Anxiety is an emotional response and is not necessarily “bad”• Fear by its very nature “overgeneralises”• Fear is “aversive”• Fear motivates avoidance behaviours

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Fear of Fear

• Anxiety is a natural state• Intense anxiety, panic, failure, misery can

cause a fear response to anxiety itself• This is what we call a “secondary emotion”• Fear of fear drives avoidance • It is not based in “reality” or the here and

now

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Burnout and Trauma

• Burnout, from an emotional point of view, creates a trauma response to work

• It is natural to avoid what has become aversive• Self employment is no protection• “Golden handcuffs”

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Psychological Space

• Stop• Breathe• Learn to be with yourself• Danger of “active relaxing”• Generate other interests – but not other “careers”• Re-engage with your life that is already there

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Acceptance and Openness

• What are you denying, or ignoring that led you to burnout?• What are you avoiding that makes it hard to STOP!• Future focus, and ambition

• You might already be there …

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Flow

Definition: Flow, also known as Zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity

• Flow is incompatible with anxiety

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Mindfulness

“The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-

judgementally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn

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Limits and Engagement• There is meaning in burnout• Limits and capacity naturally change, day to

day, week to week, and across the lifespan• Having limits means doing what you are doing,

and being where you are

• “Digital” holidays

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Regular Practice and Goals

• Stop thinking ‘what’s next?’• Start thinking ‘what is’• Plan and schedule regular breaks• Meditate• Create space• Be fully present, with all that you do

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Contactwww.psychotherapy.org.nz

www.overcomingsocialanxiety.com

www.robertstclinic.co.nz37 Robert Street, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051

@kylemacd

Facebook/psychotherapy.org.nz

kylemacd@psychotherapy.org.nz021 708 68

Questions?