Providing crisis care/counseling takes a tremendous toll on the crisis care giver emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Self-care is crucial for the crisis counselor to develop when ministering in crisis situations. Using professional and scholarly sources, research optimal strategies for self-care. Share what type of crisis you believe will be your greatest challenge. What optimal self-care strategies will you consider to promote emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being?
Response
Self-care is critically important for the health and perseverance of counselors, especially crisis counselors. Mary Mayorga, Sabina Devries, and Elizabeth Wardle (2015) note that the American Counseling Association deems self-care a necessary part of the profession (p. 25). Research supports the use of several self-care strategies to support counselors’ physical, emotional, and spiritual health. First, regarding physical self-care, Mayorga, Devries, and Wardle propose getting enough rest, daily physical activity, which includes both aerobic and anaerobic exercise, as well as healthy eating, which includes consuming significant amounts of fruits and vegetables (p. 23). Second, regarding emotional self-care, Jason Hotchkiss and Ruth Lesher (2018) encourage activities such as mindful self-awareness, self-compassion, meditation, journaling, maintaining boundaries, and supportive relationships (pp. 87-94). Supportive relationships may include strong relationships with mentors, friends, and supervisors (Hotchkiss & Lesher, p. 96). More specifically, Liberty University (n.d.) recommends the support of other ministers of the same gender. Third, regarding spiritual self-care, T. Scott Bledsoe and Kimberly Setterlund (2015) suggest the daily rituals of praying, reading devotionals, and confronting negative thoughts (p. 57). The Apostle Paul highlights the importance of protecting the counselor’s thought life by stating, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, New American Standard Bible).
Counselor Self Care
The crisis that I believe will be my greatest challenge as a counselor is the death of children or adolescents. When I was in third grade, I had a schoolmate that died from leukemia. In fifth grade I had a friend, who rode the school bus with me, die in her sleep. When I was in ninth grade, I had teammate die in a car crash. Furthermore, my father was a policeman, and I was exposed to numerous death scenarios at a young age. Unfortunately, my brain was not developed enough to properly process the information, and in my small hometown, counseling services were basically nonexistent. Unfortunately, I still struggle with processing death, especially with children and adolescents.
During early adulthood, I ignored self-care practices to my detriment. However, I currently utilize a number of self-care strategies to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. First, I exercise six times per week both aerobically and anaerobically to support my physical health. I eat a low-carb diet that includes fish, fruit, and vegetables, while excluding flour and processed sugar. Second, to support my emotional health, I need significant time alone reading, writing, and spending time with my wife who is an integral part of my support system. Finally, reading scripture and praying are staples of my spiritual life. Additionally, I consistently take captive thoughts that cause unhealthy emotions, and then intentionally replace them with thoughts based on God’s truth, which aligns with the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2, New American Standard Bible).
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- Bledsoe, T. S., & Setterlund, K. A. (2015). Thriving in ministry: Exploring the support systems and self-care practices of experienced pastors. The Journal of Family and Community Ministries, 28, 48–66.
- Hotchkiss, J. T., & Lesher, R. (2018). Factors predicting burnout amount chaplains: Compassion satisfaction, organizational factors, and the mediators of mindful self-care and secondary traumatic stress. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 72(2), 86–98.
- Liberty University. (n.d.). Self-care & pastoral crisis intervention [Video presentation].
- Mayorga, M. G., Devries, S. R., & Wardle, E. A. (2015). The practice of self-care among counseling students. I-Manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, 8(3), 21–28.
