Their Stress, My Stress, Our Stress, National and International Stress! 

Description

Their Stress, My Stress, Our Stress, National and International Stress!

Professional Work & Therapeutic Work with Clients AND Self-Care for Therapists in Challenging Times. Taking care of them AND taking care of self. 

This workshop discusses how to deal with stress and change in psychotherapy work.  In addition to the common work of client stress, anxiety, depression, and loss; the workshop will address additional issues related to the public health crisis of COVID and political and world turmoil. Some examples include the violence in Gaza, Palestine, and Israel. The workshop addresses these issues not just for clients both personally and at a macro level but also for therapists holding space for clients.  Participants will be guided on how to cope with stress (guidance for clients) and practice proper self-care.  This includes dealing with healthy vs. unhealthy therapist compassion, self compassion, countertransference, mirror neurons, and coping with vicarious trauma in a productive manner.  Potential problematic responses will be discussed to include xenophobia, homophobia, sexism, racism for clients, judgment, anger, and shaming of clients by therapists. This incorporates exploration of the stressors of the pandemic and compelling current social justice issues.  Considerations for handling political differences for clients among family members and between clients and therapists will also be discussed. In addition, the workshop will discuss client types and personal therapist qualities that make them vulnerable to burnout, clinical, and legal or ethical errors. Workshop references provide empirical support for therapist burnout, coping with COVID, current international conflict, and working with depressed clients.