Biggest Challenges Faced By An Executive Director Of Clinical Services At Rethink First
Angela's biggest challenge as Executive Director of Clinical Services is balancing "the need for…being responsible for resources" with advocating for her team's needs, a constant negotiation between fiscal responsibility and ensuring adequate staffing levels to avoid burnout from compassion fatigue, a reality of the job that impacts both work and home life.
Executive/Leadership, Overcoming Challenges, Stress Management, Compassion Fatigue, Resource Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Angela Nelson
Executive Director of Clinical Services
Rethink First
UCLA
Master's in Counseling from Cal State Northridge and Doctorate in Education from USC
Psychology
Education, Technology
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Balancing clinical needs with business constraints: Managing resources effectively while advocating for team needs is a key challenge.
2. Compassion fatigue: The emotional toll of the job and the importance of self-care and recognizing burnout are highlighted.
3. The intersection of business and clinical worlds: The role requires navigating both financial and clinical priorities simultaneously.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
I'm caught between the clinical and business worlds. I have to balance the need to be responsible for resources, knowing that companies these days must be cautious with spending.
I understand and appreciate having to balance that with advocating for my team and hiring more people if we're bogged down with too many consultations. It's about finding that balance between being cost-conscious and advocating for more resources when needed.
That can be a little tricky. I feel like I can never make everyone perfectly happy. Compassion fatigue is real, and it pops up here and there.
I can feel it based on how I experience the latter part of my day. I have two kids, an elementary schooler and a middle schooler. I can usually tell if I'm running low on the energy to help them with homework or navigate normal social stuff.
I do a bit of self-reflection, and that's when I can point back to being fatigued. I help people solve their problems all day, which is rewarding and something I love. However, compassion fatigue can sneak up on you and cause burnout, so that can get challenging.