Balancing Self-Care and Resilience

In my experience during the pandemic period, the terms “self care” and “resilience” have circulated in many discussions in the media, higher education and healthcare settings as strategies to cope and effectively navigate the challenges of this time. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and an educator in a clinical social work program, I have been challenged to ensure I am describing these terms and their application in an appropriate manner. In doing this, I challenge students to conceptualize the fact that both constructs need to exist and be at play simultaneously.

First, the need for self care does not replace the need to be resilient. I recently had a student inform me that she couldn’t complete her assignment because she needed to engage in self care. I educated her on the reality that while engaging in self care is a necessary component of surviving graduate school as well as clinical practice it cannot be used as a reason to suspend our normal responsibilities. This is where resiliency needs to be utilized. Since clinical social workers and counselors are often on the “front line” during the pandemic period and other times of community crisis, maintaining resiliency is essential in order to serve our clients during these challenging times.

When our disciplines display this resiliency in serving clients it will highlight the importance of our work in community settings and private practice. Additionally, if mental health clinicians demonstrate resilience when working with clients and serving the community this will sustain high standards and a strong reputation for our professions. Lastly, resiliency lends to our personal and professional success.

Conversely, being resilient does not mean self care should be ignored. When I talk to my students about resilience, I stress that being resilient is not the same thing as failing to reach out for help, if needed, and that they should continue to engage in self care, in part, to maintain this resilience. As these conversations continue, I am hopeful that clinical social workers and counselors will recognize that these terms are not black and white but need to be applied with an appropriate level of nuance. While resiliency is an essential component in a career as a clinician, it does not overshadow our need to take care of ourselves. As equally important, self care strengthens our resiliency but does not excuse us of our responsibilities. A clear balance of self care and resiliency will allow us optimal functioning. Highlighting this balance in our practice and teaching will provide a strong model for others and help us to remember the importance of these terms in the clinical arena even after the pandemic period has passed.

Written By: Heather Burroughs, MSW, LCSW

Heather Burroughs is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Florida. Her background includes over 20 years of clinical work in hospice and other healthcare settings. Additionally, she has over ten years of teaching clinical social work and is currently employed as a faculty member in field education in the School of Social Work at the University of Central Florida.