Working in substance abuse and the mental health treatment field can be challenging. There are times when God allows you to witness the change in the patients you’ve been fortunate to work with, and other times you just don’t know. Then there are those times when you have to remind yourself, you can’t work harder than the patient, you’ll burn yourself out, then there are the dreadful moments when you’ll lose patients to this disease. I’ve been to funerals and memorials of patients who completed suicide, and some died by overdose. I’ve counseled and spoken to the families who have lost loved ones. Unfortunately, it’s a part of the job. I’m learning, we as therapists must practice self-care. It’s an essential part of the giving profession. We give, and give, and give, sometimes until there’s nothing left to give. Well, I’ve come to understand I do more damage and disservice to the client if I myself, have not done my work or better yet, do not practice what I teach.

Self-care Practices: Go for a walk along the beach, read a good book in a hammock with some fresh lemonade or tea by your side, go for a bike ride, call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, take up yoga, cook a meal you have to research in a cookbook or bake a cake. Create a vision board. Take up a new hobby. Fly a kite. Go fishing. Listen to some smooth jazz at sunset. At sunrise… go to your happy place and pray and meditate. Take a trip on the wild side or not (smile). Just Live, Love and Laugh.  Life is too short.  Too many losses. The year 2020 proved it to be so!

~DIANE M. BETHEL
D. Bethel Counseling, License: Florida MH18296