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Teacher Wellness

Ideas and Resources for Wellness  

6/24/2019 1 Comment

The Cost of Caring

​by Cherie McNaulty Instructor/TCC
How to identify vicarious trauma and cope with emotional stresses of the teaching profession. 
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We are in a profession that concentrates on helping others.  We are teachers, instructors, and facilitators that come in direct contact with students in custody and in community settings.  We understand that we can be witnesses to information that is sad and distressing throughout our day and week.  This comes with the profession. 

Let me take you to a fantasy land for a minute:  We are in school and have been appreciated and praised by many for our teaching and helping skills.  We are pretty good in school, many A+ students, and so we believe we can be teachers.  Or maybe we have great teacher and/or mentor that inspires us to become a teacher.  We enter into this career believing one,  I can make a difference, and two, I will be a super hero and change lives! (You know you have a cape somewhere).  Well, sooner than later we understand that teaching is work.  Yes, it’s grading papers, entering grades, doing reports (WPRs!), and understanding transcripts, teaching, and administering assessments, etc., etc., etc.

​But we often miss, or are not taught in our teaching program, that teaching can be heart wrenching. I am not here to burst your bubble or dissolve those great intentions and hope for your students.  By all means keep those!  But what I would like to give you is more information. Teaching can be stressful and we need to be careful.  This is especially true with the students we work with, but this information is for all teachers of any age.  Life happens.  It shows up in some very challenging ways and it can derail us if we are not prepared.

​I am talking about compassion fatigue and vicarious or secondary trauma.
Vicarious trauma is the emotional residue of exposure that counselors [teachers] have from working with people as they are hearing their trauma stories and become witnesses to the pain, fear, and terror that trauma survivors have endured. It is important not to confuse vicarious trauma with “burnout”. American Counseling Association
I want to be very clear that I am not talking about burnout.  Burnout happens in many person’s live and it has different symptoms: tiredness that is remedied through a break or sleep, disinterest in usual activities that returns in a week or two, lack of appetite that returns, physical lethargy and mental lethargy and or confusion that can be addressed with schedule changes or diet changes. These are important to look out for and by no means am I saying you shouldn’t pay attention to these, but usually one main difference is that with burnout the symptoms will go away with increased self-care and rest or a break.  Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and secondary trauma are very different. 
​
In this day and age we are already affected by many traumatic happenings in our world.  One only needs to turn on the radio or TV or look at their social media to be swamped with horrific events. In our line of teaching and facilitating we are being exposed to multiple stories of trauma in the contact we have with our students.  The stories of abuse, or neglect or loss from our students that they share with us, or is shared in a class setting, or even in their responses in their work they write is one way we are exposed.  As teachers there is a relationship that exists and a true atmosphere of safety and caring will be present in a successful teacher’s classroom.
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These are the more obvious ways we are exposed, but the less obvious ways can put teachers and facilitators at more of a risk than one might think.  When we interact with someone who has experienced a traumatic event or is experiencing a traumatic event (i.e. homelessness, racism, incarceration, poverty, challenged parenthood, loss, domestic violence, immigration threat, sexual harassment, etc.).  We are going to be affected by how they interact and speak with us.  Furthermore, if we ourselves have experienced trauma we can be triggered and emotionally we are being transformed without even knowing what is happening. 

The signs?
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  1. We have increased irritability and impatience
  2. Difficulty concentrating and recalling memory related items
  3. Intense feelings over day to day events
  4. Intrusive thoughts-we can't stop thinking about the students
  5. Lack of pleasure in family and other activities
  6. Blaming
  7. Dreams about the student’s or participant’s traumas
  8. A feeling of helplessness over the traumas, but also a growing sense of helplessness about hope for the future.
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) and vicarious traumatization (VT) are also known as compassion fatigue […] the symptoms of secondary trauma are nearly identical to PTSD symptoms, the main difference is that the traumatized person may develop PTSD, whereas the one hearing about the trauma may develop STS disorder
​Remember that fantasy story about the teacher all excited and happy and fitted with a cape?  Well, fast forward to now - they are increasingly sad and irritable and without hope.  They isolate themselves and stop participating in their normal life activities. They are possibly told by older educators who have no clue “to suck it up” or “this is what you signed up for”. They push through even though they are fatigued and sad often.  They think they are doing the right thing by plowing through another year.  Well, they are not.  If you recognize any of these signs please seek help.  
Five Keys has the EAP hotline you can call 1-800-96-HELPS (1-800-964-3577).and ask for three paid for visits for each triggering event.  It does not use your healthcare.  It is free and confidential.  You can find more information on the Five Keys Intranet
​You start to notice some of these signs, but you say to yourself, “It’s just that I am tired and I care more than most.  It will be ok. I’ll rest on the weekend”.  But the weekend comes and you are irritable. You can’t even enjoy your time at home with family and you believe you are the only one that can help your students.  You don’t sleep well, exercise, or eat well and then Monday comes.  You get up, get dressed, and go to school. Let’s say you are an in custody teacher. You get to the room and then you find out one of your students was hurt over the weekend in a fight and put into Ad Seg.  You start to cry and are inconsolable.  True story.  But it might not be so radical.  You might break a pencil and break down.  You are already on the edge and you are not even noticing it.  Like the story of the frog in the water that was heated a little bit each day and never noticed it, because it adapted slowly and without even noticing it,  the frog was finally cooked to death. 

Don’t be the frog.  Pay attention and be in tune with your body and emotions.  Make it a habit to check in with yourself each day.  Make sure you are OK and process your feelings around stories you hear and events that take place.  Practice self-care religiously.  Everyday do something for you unrelated to teaching and your students. Talk to someone.  Keep a journal.  Work on your own trauma and issues.  Know your triggers.

I want to add a section for the administration and/or front desk personnel.  Don’t think because you are not in the classroom all the time you are immune.  You interact with students also.  You have to read the enrollment forms, you know their history, and have to ask questions.  You are their first point of contact sometimes and they might have educational trauma. You can be affected by this.  You can also be affected by the stories you hear from co-workers.

Remember you have to be whole and well to help others.
​
Review the resource sheet I have included below to see if they resonate and as always write a self-care program and practice it! Be well.
Books:
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Culture by Kirby Farrell
  • Haunting Legacies: violent histories and transgenerational trauma by gabriele schwab
  • Trauma: A Social Theory by Jeffrey C. Alexander
  • Fires in the Bathroom by Kathleen Cushman*
  • A Different View of Urban Schools by Kitty Kelly Epstein
  • Motivating Black Males to Achieve by Baruti K. Kafele
  • Culturally Response Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond
  • Trauma and Recovery by Judith L. Herman*
  • Seeking Safety by Lisa M. Najavitas*
  • Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky*
  • The Body Keeps Score by Bessell Van Der Kolk*
  • It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn
*Top recommendations
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Websites:
www.NCTSN.org
www.SAMSHA.org
https://traumaawareschools.org/secondaryStresshttp://www.healtorture.org/general-resources
http://www.cvt.org/HealingServices
http://www.womenshealth.va.gov/WOMENSHEALTH/trauma.asp
http://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Helping-sexual-assault-survivors-with-multiple-victimizations-and-needs_0.pdf
http://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/topics/trauma
http://www.powershow.com/view/23bcd4-MzI0M/Forgotten_Victims_Infants_and_Toddlers_Who_Witness_Violence_and_Trauma_flash_ppt_presentation
http://www.domesticviolence.org/cycle-of-violence/
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/ptsd-children-adolescents.asp
http://www.mental-health-today.com/ptsd/dsm.htm
http://calswec.berkeley.edu/toolkits/child-welfare-mental-health-learning-collaborative-katie/trauma-informed-practice-tools
 http://www.samhsa.gov/nctic/trauma-interventions
file:///C:/Users/Teacher/Downloads/trauma%20calmer-classrooms-guide.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Teacher/Downloads/Childhood%20abuse%20factor%20in%20future%20crimes%20.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Teacher/Downloads/CCSESAjounal2015.pdf
https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/?mc_cid=95a51e981c&mc_eid=79ce3c0ec5
https://mailchi.mp/f46171e3699b/d3oqu2j4af-150481?e=79ce3c0ec5         
1 Comment

5/10/2019 0 Comments

Compassion fatigue

by Darcy Young
An introduction to compassion fatigue, including how to identify compassion fatigue and resources to explore.
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​“Care providers are unique people. We have the gift of being able to connect with others in ways that are difficult to explain and even more difficult for others to understand. Our unique ability to join with our clients that allows us a near first-hand experience of their inner worlds is perhaps out greatest gift; it is also our greatest challenge.”- Karl LaRowe, The Caregiving Personality

key vocabulary

Compassion Stress: a natural outcome of knowing about trauma experienced by a client, friend or family member.

Traumatic Stress: extreme emotionally or absence of emotions, fearful, jumpy, exaggerated startle response, and flashbacks.
​
Vicarious Traumatization: Overly involved with or avoidance of victim/survivor, hyper vigilance and fear for one’s own safety, and intrusive thoughts and images or nightmares from victim’s stories.

Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) …”the natural consequent behaviors and emotions results from knowing about a traumatizing event experienced by another…the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person.” (Charles Figley, 1995).

Burnout:  “a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in emotionally demanding situation.” Symptoms include depression, cynicism, boredom, loss of compassion, and discouragement (Pines and Aronson, 1988.)
​
Compassion Fatigue- “A state of exhaustion and dysfunction biologically, psychologically, and emotionally, as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress” (Charles Figley, 1995).

Compassion fatigue is the exhaustion we feel from bearing witness to the suffering of another whom we care for (teach). Trauma does not need to be present. This term is more commonly used in the health care field, originally started in hospitals with nurses.  As teachers when interacting with our students, often they share their stories, many of which include pain and trauma. How often do you hold that space for them and are impacted by their words? We are teachers and other caregivers bear witness to human suffering due to pain or illness, but not necessarily trauma.

Examples of Vicarious Traumatization: Professional
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(adapted from J. Yassen in Figley, 1995)

performance
Decrease in quality/quantity of work, low motivation, task avoidance or obsession with detail, working too hard, setting perfectionist standards, difficulty with inattention, forgetfulness.
MORALE
Decrease in confidence, decrease in interest, negative attitude, apathy dissatisfaction demoralization, feeling undervalued and unappreciated, disconnected, reduced compassion.
RELATIONAL
​Detached/withdrawn from co-workers, poor communication, conflict, impatience, intolerance of others, and sense of being the “only one who can do the job”.
BEHAVIORAL
Calling out, arriving late, over worked, exhaustion, irresponsibility, poor follow-through.

recognizing compassion fatigue

According to the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project, the following are signs or symptoms for compassion fatigue:

• Excessive blaming
• Bottled up emotions
• Isolation from others
• Receives unusual amount of complaints from others
• Voices excessive complaints about administrative functions
• Substance abuse used to mask feelings
• Compulsive behaviors such as overspending, overeating, gambling, sexual addictions
• Poor self-care (i.e., hygiene, appearance)
• Legal problems, indebtedness
• Reoccurrence of nightmares and flashbacks to traumatic event
• Chronic physical ailments such as gastrointestinal problems and recurrent colds
• Apathy, sad, no longer finds activities pleasurable
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mentally and physically tired
• Preoccupied
• In denial about problems

Resources to explore

​Once you realize that you are a candidate for compassion fatigue, or are already suffering its effects, exploring this new awareness can lead to insights concerning past traumas, pain, and defeating behaviors. Too often we ignore these signs, and can have physical or emotional strains, causes us to no longer function in a healthy manner. The good news is there are many options on recovering from compassion fatigue. Denial is the first hurdle to cross. With insight, support and self-care, you can begin to heal.
 
The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project has various links for resources, articles, and compassion fatigue quizzes.  There website is easy to navigate and can be found at http://www.compassionfatigue.org.
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5/10/2019 0 Comments

Changing my mind

by Nan Foster
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One Monday afternoon at work, I was sitting at my desk and the thought popped up: “I hate my job!” I felt surprised by the sentiment, because I have often said “I love my job”, but I didn’t remember putting my frustrations that way before. I thought to myself a few things after that: I thought that is not a sentiment I want to endorse and develop, because that way leads to unhappiness. I had no plans to switch jobs nor another job that I wanted instead; on the contrary, I had worked hard to get and keep this exact position. Next I examined why I had had this thought (which is really an expression of some emotions). I asked myself why I felt this way in the moment. And I thought of a few reasons why that particular thought had popped up that day. My morning was when I had students in the classroom, but it seemed to me that I had spent all three hours behind my desk. I was talking to students about GED preparation, printing materials for them to study, scheduling tests, printing transcripts, catching up on emails, and who knows what else, and had done very little of what to me felt like teaching. And now in the afternoon, it was time to work on the WPRs that were due. As I thought about it, I also remembered that this was the first day back after a week-long break, and that I often feel some difficulty adjusting to the change in lifestyle after a break, being back in a fast-paced classroom with fluorescent light and no windows. Yet within a day or two in the past, I had felt more on top of things.

Because I prefer loving my job to hating my job, I thought about how I could change my mind and make myself feel better about the situation. I reminded myself to bring jasmine and lavender flowers from my garden to make me feel more connected to the outside world and gratify my senses while I’m here. In my email that day I received an invitation to participate in professional development with another teacher, and I replied that I would go to that workshop. That made me feel as if I would grow professionally, learn something, and also get a bit closer to a colleague. I vowed to carve out more time for interacting with students about their school work, even if other tasks seemed demanding. And I decide to have a group check-in with my students the following morning.

On Tuesday morning, for our check-in, I asked my students to introduce themselves, say what school work they were working on that morning, and why they were here; what being in school meant to them, why they were putting in that effort that morning. I heard students express reasons about big life goals, about going to college, about being able to do now what they couldn’t do before, about the joy of learning, about being able to get specific jobs they wanted. I heard how important school was to them and their lives, and I felt joy at being in a position to help them with their goals. I was back in touch with what I love about the job.

How was I able to change my mind so quickly and refocus on what brings me joy and and stay calm about feeling bad? Partly it is from great psychotherapy I had done when I worked in a previous, very challenging teaching job. I learned cognitive-behavioral and self-compassion techniques and habits that have become routine for me. I also think it may have been a reflection of the care I recently started getting from an acupuncturist, who has helped me to stay calmer and more flexible. And I think my daily meditation practice and weekly yoga classes help me to be aware and slow down enough to notice the thoughts as thoughts. However, there are times when my thoughts are not so easily changed. If I am struggling with low mood for a while, I will visit my psychologist again to get some outside support.

I am sharing this with hopes that it might inspire other staff towards practices that will support them in finding inspiration and changing their minds or simply getting support for entirely appropriate difficult feelings. Therapy is great, and you can also learn CBT from a book called “The Feeling Good Handbook” by David D. Burns. Exercise is well known to improve mood, and eating well and getting plenty of sleep are important, too. I have heard other staff talk about how focusing on family and pets, or arts and other passions, have helped them to deal with the stresses. I also think that constructively speaking up about things that could be done better in our work together is important. That can help us to feel more in control of and positive about our work lives.
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