What a Small Business Owner Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Mental Health Industry
Working in mental health requires significant self-care; Howard emphasizes the need to "prepare yourself to self-care," establishing boundaries, and disconnecting to avoid burnout from the constant giving and holding space for clients grappling with trauma. The job demands recognizing that "feeling anxious all the time is not normal," and proactively building self-care strategies is crucial for long-term success in the field.
Stress Management, Self-Care, Resilience, Burnout Prevention, Boundary Setting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Howard Zuo
Business Owner
Small Business Owner
Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011
N/A
Engineering - Chemical
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense, Coaching, Speaking & Writing
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Prioritize self-care to avoid burnout. The demanding nature of the work requires strong self-care practices and establishing boundaries to prevent exhaustion.
2. Recognize that many clients may not realize their experiences are traumatic. Professionals must be able to identify and address these issues.
3. Learn to set boundaries and disconnect from work to maintain well-being. It's crucial to avoid overwork and maintain a healthy work-life balance
Transcript
What have you learned about this show that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
That's a really great question. I think so much comes to mind, and I want to distill it down to just a couple of points to avoid overwhelming anyone.
Working in mental health requires significant self-care preparation. You're in a role where you're constantly giving and holding space for people dealing with trauma, or the legacies of trauma, or even those who don't recognize their experiences as trauma.
For instance, it's important to recognize that feeling anxious all the time, or feeling fear when wanting to share something with parents, a boss, or a partner, is not normal.
If you don't fill your own cup, learn your boundaries, and how to disconnect, you will burn out very quickly. It's not about perfectionism, but about setting yourself up for success with the right boundaries and tools for self-care.
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