The SelfCare Imperative:

A Guide for Ebola Crisis Workers

Rev. Dr. Avril LMour Weathers, Ph.D.,

Ebola Task Forcer Research Initiative, Chair
African Methodist Episcopal University
Trauma and Crisis Work

In light of recent and significant research

indicating that crisis workers engaged in
direct practice are likely to develop
symptoms of severe stress
The Self Care
Imperative
it is imperative that crisis work
professionals devote greater
attention to and create a greater
awareness of these issues among
employers and co-workers.
The Practice of
The critical key to prevention and
management
Self-Care
of adverse conditions such as stress,
burnout,
compassion fatigue, traumatic
stress and/or
vicarious trauma is the practice of
selfcare.
Professional self-care in crisis work is
Essential to Crisis
an essential

a
Work
component of the work; and, reflects

commitment to become actively

involved in
maintaining ones effectiveness as a
crisis worker.
Promoting Selfcare
A repertoire of selfcare strategies is
Practices
essential to
support the crisis worker in
preventing,
addressing, and coping with the
natural, yet
unwanted, consequences of helping.
 Selfcare is vital

to the profession of crisis

work for several reasons:
 Selfcare is Essential

an essential component in
competent,
compassionate, and ethical crisis
work
practice, requiring time, energy,
and
commitment.
 Selfcare is Work
Affirming

Promoting the practice of

professional
Selfcare in crisis work
acknowledges
the challenging and often
Preventing Unwanted
Conditions

placing emphasis on preventing

unwanted conditions and
implying that
tools and strategies should be
part of
ones overall professional
 FOR EXAMPLE
a disorder that affects those who do
Compassion Fatigue
their
work well characterized by deep
emotional and
physical exhaustion, symptoms
resembling
depression and a shift in ones sense
of hope
Ethics and Cultural
Competence

Professional self-care is critical

to
maintaining ethical and
professional
behavior and providing
Long Term Successful
Outcomes

Actively preparing crisis workers

with
knowledge and skill for
overcoming
these experiences is key to long
 What is SelfCare?
Baker (2003) conceptualized self-care
as the
combination of three processes:
self-awareness,
self-regulation, and balancing
connections
between self, others, and the larger
community.
To be conscious, moment-by-moment,
of onesSelf-awareness
own existence, surroundings,
potential,
limitations; being mindful of your
own thought
and action, being attentive to the
self by showing
care for your own needs.
To be in control of your own life
Self-regulation
circumstances, regulating or
adapting or
modifying thought and
behaviors to align
with an enhanced quality of
life.
Never allow your external
Balancing Social
Connections
connections to
dominate your
internal lifefind your
balance.
Common Stress
Reactions
can be Behavioral,

Physical,
Psychological
Difficulty Thinking
Memory problems
Disorientation and confusion
Slow thought processes
Difficulty setting
priorities/making decisions
Loss of objectivity
Behavioral
Increase or decrease in activity
level
Substance use or abuse (alcohol
or drugs)
Difficulty communicating or
listening
Irritability, outbursts of anger,
frequent arguments
Physical
Sweating or chills
Tremors or muscle twitching
Being easily startled
Chronic fatigue or sleep
disturbances
Immune system disorders
Psychological/Emotional
Feeling heroic, euphoric, or
invulnerable
Denial
Anxiety or fear
Depression
Guilt
Apathy
Social
Isolation
Blaming
Difficulty in support or help
Inability to experience pleasure
12 Selfcare Tips
for
Crisis Workers
#1. Take Stock

Whats on your
plate?
#2 Start a SelfCare
Idea Collection
 #3 Find time for
yourself every day

Rebalance your
workload
 #4 Delegate

- learn to ask for

help at home and at
work
 #5 Have a
transition from
work to home
#6 . Learn to say
no
(or yes) more
often
#7 . Assess your
Trauma Inputs
 #8 . Learn more
about Compassion
Fatigue and
Vicarious Trauma
 #9 Consider
Forming
a Crisis Worker
Peer Support
Group
 #10 Attend
Workshops and/or
Professional
Training
Regularly
 #11 Consider
working part time
(at this type of
job)
 #12 Exercise
The key to actually increasing physical
exercise
is to be realistic in the goals we set out
for
ourselves. If you dont exercise at all,
aiming to
walk around the block twice a week is