Taking care of ourselves: Managing stress, preventing burnout

Abstract

Work in psychiatry can be highly rewarding, interesting, and challenging in a positive sense. On the other hand, we are confronted with an array of psychosocial stressors. Caring for others lies at the heart of our profession: the focus is on the needs of patients. And rightly so. Nevertheless, this involves the risk that providers' own needs get out of sight.

This course provides a forum for openly discussing work-related stress and coping strategies. Participants will learn to recognise their own “warning signs” of excessive stress, as well as develop strategies to successfully handle stressful situations, based on their own practical experiences. The course further addresses consequences of stress, such as the risk to develop physical health problems or burnout. Instruments to gauge one's own burnout risk and stress coping pattern will be available for a self-assessment.

Learning goals:

• • Understanding stress mechanisms and our own reactions to stress.

• • Noticing one's own stress level.

• • Gauging the risk for burnout: Where do I stand?

• • Coping with stress: What helps?

Methods

1. • Interactive teaching

2. • Exercises

3. • Group work

4. • Stress and burnout self assessment

5. • Guided discussion

Target group:

This course is open to all participants, but particularly addresses young psychiatrists. Young psychiatrists entering the field even experience elevated stressors. At the same time, starting out in the job is a good moment to develop self-care strategies – that are essential to maintain professional vitality and effectiveness in the long run.