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We Serve Others,But Who Serves Us?Scott M. Williams, PhD LMFTFamily and Consumer Sciences, CSUNDecember 17, 2010

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The Serving ProfessionalWe must take care of ourselves, so we can take care of othersCrandall & Lawrence

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Image: michiganelderlaw.info2Identifying Sources of StressNecessary to recognize the inevitable sources of stress that are part of care givingKey to being an ethical practitionerNot to eliminate stresses, but to cope with themIncreased stress manifests as physical, mental, emotional, occupational, and spiritual fatigue

Corey, Corey, & Callanan

20103Identifying Sources of StressBeing overly responsibleNot allowing those we serve to take responsibility for their progressSigns of taking too much responsibilityIrritabilityEmotional exhaustionFeelings of isolationAbuse of alcohol or drugsHaving a relapse from recoveryReduced personal effectivenessIndecisivenessCompulsive work patternsDrastic changes in behaviorFeedback from friends or partnersCorey, et al.

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Unmanaged StressUnmanaged stress is the major cause of burnout and impairment

2010Image: sodahead.com5BurnoutPhysical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual depletion characterized by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness (Corey, et al.) An answer to chronic labor stress that is composed of negative attitudes and feelings toward coworkers and ones job role, as well as feelings of emotional exhaustion (Jenaro, Flores, & Arias)Emotional exhaustion is caused by long work hours, heavy involvement in administrative duties, and the perception of having little control over work activities (Stevanovic & Rupert)

2010ImpairmentThe presence of a chronic illness or severe psychological depletion that is likely to prevent a professional from being able to deliver effective servicesCorey, et al.

2010Stress

Image: ritinco.com8Defining StressStress is a negative emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes that are directed either toward altering the stressful event or accommodating to its effects Taylor

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Do We Fight, Flight, or Join With Others?Fight or Flight:In response to a perceived threat, the body is rapidly aroused by the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine systemAllows the organism to attack the threat or to flee the sceneBut what does this mean today?Fight refers to aggressive responses to stressFlight may be seen in social withdrawal or withdrawal through substance usePeople do not merely fight or flee, they also affiliate with others

Taylor

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Psychological AppraisalImportant determinants of whether an event is responded to as stressfulTwo types of Psychological AppraisalPrimary AppraisalSecondary AppraisalTaylor

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Primary AppraisalEvents may be perceived as positive, neutral, or negative in their consequencesNegative events are further appraised for their potential:HarmAssessment of the damage that has already been doneThreatAssessment of possible future damage that may be brought about by the eventChallengeThe potential to overcome and possibly profit from the eventTaylor

2010Secondary Appraisal The assessment of ones coping abilities and resourcesWhether they will be able to deal with the harm, threat, and challenge of the eventWhen primary appraisals are occurring, secondary appraisals beginTaylor

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Dimensions of Stressful EventsNegative events are more likely to produce stress than positive onesUncontrollable or unpredictable events are more stressful than controllable or predictable onesAmbiguous events are perceived as more stressful than are clear-cut eventsAdverse aftereffects of stress persist long after stressful event ends, resulting in health hazards, decreases in performance and attention span

Taylor

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Stressful Live Events (SLE)Daily Hassles (Minor Stressful Events)Minor hassles can conceivably produce stress and aggravate physical and psychological health

Image: topnews.in15Measurement of Daily StrainHassles that can cause daily strainIndicate how much of a strain each of these annoyances has been for you in the past month

Taylor 2010

Stressful Live Events (SLE)Chronic Stressful ConditionsLong-term effect of early stressful life experiences and chronic stressful conditionsStudies show that stressful life events (SLE) predict illness

Taylor 2010

Stress in the Workplace

Image: beautysnob.com18Challenges in the WorkplaceWork stress is one of the most preventable stressorsSpecific challenges:Physical HazardsOverloadAmbiguity and Role ConflictSocial RelationshipsControlTaylor

2010Physical HazardsExposure to physical, chemical, and biological hazardsAdverse health outcomes can include:InjuriesCancersRespiratory diseaseCardiovascular diseaseTaylor

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OverloadWorking too long and too hard at too many tasksMore stressMore health risksTaylor

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Ambiguity and Role ConflictRole ambiguity Occurs when a person has few clear ideas of what is to be done and no idea of the standards used for evaluating workRole conflictOccurs when a person receives conflicting information about work tasks or standards from different individuals.

Taylor

2010Social RelationshipsNot having satisfying social relationships at work is related to job stressWorkers with little opportunity to interact with others are less satisfied with their jobsHaving a poor relationship with ones supervisor appears to be especially related to job distressTaylor

2010ControlLack of control over work has been related to a number of stress and illness indicators including:Job dissatisfactionAbsenteeismDevelopment of coronary artery diseaseTaylor

2010Reducing Occupational StressNurture a positive environment (Crandall & Lawrence)Reduce physical work stressorsMinimize unpredictability and ambiguity in expected tasks ad standards of performanceInvolve workers as much as possible in the decisions that affect their work lifeMake jobs as interesting as possibleProvide workers with opportunities to develop or promote meaningful social relationshipsReward workers for good, rather than focusing on punishmentSupervisors look for signs of stress before stress has an opportunity to do significant damage (Taylor)Treat others the way you want to be treated (Crandall & Lawrence)

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Coping With StressStress isnt the problem; its how we handle itCrandall & Lawrence

2010How Do We Cope?Coping is the process of managing demands (external or internal) that are perceived as taxing or exceeding the resources of the personCoping consists of efforts to manage environmental and internal demands and conflicts among themTaylor

2010Pessimism, Optimism, and StressNegativity and StressNegative affectivity is a pervasive negative mood marked by anxiety, depression, and hostilityOptimism and StressAn optimistic nature can lead people to cope more effectively with stress and in doing so reduce their risk for illnessTaylor

2010Control and StressFeeling that you can control a stressful situations can help you effectively cope with stressTaylor

2010Problem-Focused and Emotion-Focused CopingProblem-Focused CopingInvolves attempts to do something constructive about the stressful conditionsEmotional-Focused CopingInvolves efforts to regulate emotions experienced because of the stressful eventTaylor

2010Basic Techniques of Stress ManagementIdentify stressorsIdentify stress antecedentsAvoid negative self-talkUse positive self-talkAcquire skills Set new goalsEngage in relaxation trainingBehaviors That Can Reduce or Enhance Our StressExerciseExercise has a beneficial effect on heart functioningStress has an adverse effectStress is associated with lesions in the heart tissueCenter for the Advancement of Health recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity activity most/all days of the week

Taylor

2010Weight ControlMaintaining a proper diet and getting enough exercise jointly contribute to weight control Stress affects eating, although in different ways for different peopleTaylor

2010SleepMore than 14 million Americans (mostly over 40) have major sleep disorders (mostly insomnia)Sleep consists of four stages and all are essentialStages 3 and 4, known as deep sleep, are the most important for restoring energy and strengthening the immune systemTaylor

2010Avoid Alcohol (and Substance) Abuse and SmokingSymptoms of alcohol abuse include difficulty in performing ones job because of alcohol consumption, inability to function socially without alcohol, and legal difficulties while drinking, such as drunk driving convictionsSmoking is the single greatest cause of preventable deathSmoking has a synergistic effect on other health-related risk factors; it enhances the harmful effects of other risk factors in compromising healthTaylor

2010Maintaining Vitality and Your Mission PlanSustaining the Personal SelfA serious ethical obligationTo work in a competent and ethical manner, professionals need to acquire and regularly practice self-care and wellness strategiesCorey, et al.

2010Self-Care is not an IndulgenceNecessary to prevent distress, burnout, impairment, and to maintain a level of psychological and physical wellnessSelf-care involves searching for positive life experiences that lead to zest, peace, excitement, and happinessImportant for us to tend to mind, body, and spiritInvolves learning to pay attention to and be respectful of our needsA lifelong taskCorey, et al.

2010WellnessA way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live more fully within the human and natural communityCorey, et al.

2010Wheel of WellnessSelf-DirectionA sense of mindfulness and intentionality in meeting major life tasksA sense of worth, a healthy sense of control, realistic beliefs, emotional awareness and coping, problem solving and creativity, a good sense of humor, good nutrition, exercise, gender identity, and cultural identityWork and LeisureProvide a sense of accomplishment and involve a balance between the twoFriendshipIncorporates all of ones social relationships that involve a connection with othersLoveInvolves long-term, intimate, trusting, compassionate, and mutually committed relationshipsSpiritualityAn awareness of a being or force or value that goes beyond the material dimension and gives a deep sense of wholeness or connectedness to the universeCorey, et al.

2010Questions/Comments?Contact information:Email:scott.m.williams@csun.eduWebsite:www.csun.edu/faculty/scott.williams

ReferencesCorey, G., Corey, M., and Callanan, P. (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole.

Jenaro, C., Flores, N., and Arias, B. (2007). Burnout and coping in human service practitioners. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(1), 80-87.

Stevanovic, P. and Rupert, P. A. (2009). Work-family spillover and life satisfaction among professional psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(1), 62-68.

Taylor, S. E. (2006). Health psychology (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.