As a social work educator, I really feel charged to discover a technique to help college students and supervisees in constructing the muscle that’s self-preservation and resilience in what could be an emotionally difficult and demanding occupation. Self-care is greater than bubble baths, deep respiratory, and studying for pleasure. In spite of everything, these issues (that are fantastic) don’t shield towards the vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue our occupation experiences. When the chance to assessment Acutely aware Service was supplied me, I used to be intrigued—may this be a textual content that will supply a perspective that included concrete examples and abilities to strengthen this muscle and shield college students and supervisees towards vicarious trauma and burnout?
Starting with suggestions on learn how to learn and apply the information shared in her guide, Elizabeth Bishop gently targets an space that tends to be ignored or under-addressed in social work schooling—the practicality of defending ourselves towards the hardships of serving to and therapeutic professions. Describing her explorative work to realize this ability as The Acutely aware Service Method, the writer has developed what could possibly be described as a blueprint with the inclusion of metaphors, introspective questioning, self-guided workout routines, and case examples to information the reader towards the follow of this method. Moreover, she highlights a perspective that there’s worth in understanding the “relationship of who you’re at your core and what you possibly can supply your world.” By participating in considerate introspection and the actions included, it’s recommended {that a} steadiness of consciousness and self-connection could be obtained that may permit for a follow of aware service, and consequently supporting skilled well-being.
Viewing this blueprint as an interconnected invitation, the writer divides these 10 domains of aware service as follows: Function, Wholeness, Freedom, Discovery, Enlightenment, Imaginative and prescient, Management, Compassion, Openness, and Presence. All through the textual content, Elizabeth Bishop presents readers to be intuitively led as they learn, taking note of areas of “resonance and resistance” (p. 9). Every part is organized into smaller subsections that function touchpoints of rationalization and practicality to help the reader in establishing energy in these domains. It will profit these contemplating studying this textual content to grasp that this can be a lens of perspective, and to contemplate this method as an possibility when exploring actual methods to introduce into their skilled follow.
To reply the query of whether or not this article is going to add worth for my college students and supervisees, and be a software I’ll confer with them, the reply is a powerful sure. I do discover that this textual content holds worth for these new or skilled in any of the serving to professions. The textual content is written with a conversational type that enhances readability and helps the reader’s reference to the fabric, providing perception and sensible utility for social staff, new and skilled. I sit up for recommending and integrating ideas from this lens of aware service for college kids and supervisees.
Reviewed by Allison Mason, MSW, LCSW, Director of MSW Area Schooling and Scientific Assistant Professor, Northeastern State College.
