In my last blog entry ('Am I Worth It?') I wrote about the importance of individual staff in the international aid, charity and public sectors seeking support in times of difficulty. I also promoted the practice of them being more routinely encouraged to review their psychological health and overall well-being. In this particular entry I want to shift the focus to organisations as wholes - emphasising how beneficial training, awareness-raising and general preparedness for dealing with staff-care issues can be. By this, I do not just mean senior managers and HR, but also employees working at all levels, whose responses to their colleagues and peers can count for a lot when crises and challenges arise. FD Consultants are often called in to support staff in the wake of a difficult event. This can be something as broad in scope and large in scale as a major terrorist attack, or something like the death of a staff member at work, which, whilst much smaller in reach, can be no less de-stabilizing. It tends to be that we, as FD Consultants, are seen as the 'experts' with special tools and skills to step into the aftermath of frightening or upsetting situations and leave those affected feeling calmer and more secure. In many respects, our trainings and amassed experience as counsellors and trauma specialists stand us in good stead for this. We can help identify people's needs after a difficult event and either provide, or guide them, towards appropriate support. However, when contacted in such situations, FD Consultants will often advise organisations to hold back, bide their time, and consider what they themselves might be able to do, to address a situation where staff-care is a key concern. After all, it's peoples' colleagues - known to them and with familiar faces - who are likely to be the first to notice or respond to anything that affects their ability to feel focused, safe and well at work. For this reason, there's a strong case for teaching workforces how to do this sensitively and effectively before bringing the specialists in. FD Consultants offer a range of established and bespoke training courses which promote their aim of 'caring for the carers' by showing staff how they can start to do this within their own teams and organisations.
If your organisation needs any support or help with the topics covered in this blog please do get in touch with us today. We can offer tailored training programmes to suit your business needs so that you can be safe in the knowledge that your staff are equipped to cope in tough situations. Felicity Runchman MBACP (Accred), MA Counselling & Psychotherapy
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We all respond to crisis in different ways. Some may respond with a strong emotional reaction, while others may feel detached, some with anger or sadness. Response to crisis is as varied as each of our personalities, yet most of us will usually feel quite disoriented in facing new realities and the need to make adjustments. Take a look through the common reactions after a traumatic event and keep tabs on changes you are experiencing. These are normal reactions, and will vary from person to person, event to event. However, if these symptoms persist and are having a negative impact on your life one month after the event, we recommend getting professional help.
There is no “right” way of responding in the aftermath of crisis. There are however, choices you can make to reduce the negative impact in the long run. Here are a few ideas for you to consider as you and your colleagues, friends and families move forward:
Ask for help. You may or may not feel the need for help. We recommend that you reach out to a trusted friend or a professional either way. Seeking help may mean that you overcome pride or scepticism for the sake of self-care. Processing the event mitigates the potential for delayed and cumulative effects of trauma and is a necessity in many humanitarian roles. If trauma symptoms persist for longer than one month, it’s time to get help. Connect. Relationships have proven time and again to be the most significant protective factor during crisis—and in life in general. You may have an impulse to withdrawal - this is an impulse to resist. Be intentional about connecting. Self-compassion. As noted, we all respond differently to trauma. Accept the way that you have responded and be kind to yourself. You may need to lower personal expectations, or decide not to fight the emotions inside you. Routine. Put one foot in front of the other. Begin establishing a new routine with familiar tasks. Are there ways in which you can simply “show-up” in providing some structure in your day. Move. Do something that gets you sweating and breathing. Aerobic exercise makes our brains release endorphins that can lighten your mood and give you fresh perspective. It has the ability to turn the body’s stress reaction down, making it possible to become more relaxed. Whether it’s yoga, running, walking, football, etc…give yourself the gift of exercise. Be aware of the quick fixes. Life after trauma is hard and it’s understandable that you may have needed some quick fixes e.g. alcohol, drugs, overworking etc. They may have served their purpose, but be mindful that their long term impact goes against your holistic wellbeing. We turn to quick fixes, often unconsciously, because facing the thoughts and feelings of loss and grief can be overwhelming. Most of us have our “go-to” tactics for escaping. These habits become exceedingly dangerous when they become normal and, in effect, prevent us from accepting reality and moving forward. The first Wednesday in November each year is National Stress Awareness Day. We all know what it’s like to feel stressed - being under pressure is a normal part of life. But becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental health problems or make existing problems worse.
National Stress Awareness Day is a great opportunity to remember to take a moment to think about our wellbeing and find advice or support on managing stress. What is stress and why is it important?Stress is a response to demands on the body and life, a response to crisis and fears. If stress gets overwhelming it can cause other mental health problems, emotional exhaustion and physical illness and can impact on work, relationships, families, and every aspect of life. When someone is suffering from negative or overwhelming stress, they may not act or react normally in some situations, for example driving or in an argument, with disastrous consequences. The theme of National Stress Awareness Day 2018 is ‘Does Hi-Tech cause Hi-Stress?’ and it will look at two sides of technology: on the one hand, the stressful effects of the 24/7 lifestyle that technology has brought and on the other, the positive contribution that technology can make, helping us manage our lives better. Ending the stigma associated with stress and mental health is an organisational imperative and something that FD Consultants is passionate about to ensure that these issues remain high on the international agenda together with the promotion of wellbeing in the workplace. The aim of the day is to raise awareness, publicity and profile of stress and its impact, and reduce stigma while promoting the importance of well-being and stress reduction for individuals and organisations. Create a Stress Awareness Space at your workplaceFor us to maintain our wellbeing, noticing what’s making us stressed helps us learn how we can deal with it. This is particularly important in the workplace where stresses of workload and working relationships are common. By creating a Stress Awareness Space, staff can share their thoughts and feelings when they are feeling stressed. It can make a huge difference sharing how you’re feeling with friends and colleagues. By sharing you could get some great advice and tips or find you can support other colleagues who need help. |
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