Self Care for Success

Regarding psychotherapy and Self Care For Success, a wise teacher once said, “they are the same, only different.” Consulting/Self-Care for Success is primarily aimed at assisting a client in determining and achieving personal goals, and addresses psychological difficulties only as they pertain to goal achievement. It is a collaborative process that aims for increased awareness, inner growth and behavior consistent with achieving goals. Anything of interest or importance to the client can be addressed, including self-growth, relationships, communication, focus and priorities, congruence of conscious values and behavior, personal and work life balance, and self-care. An emphasis is often on developing management skills—stress management, emotional management, time management, etc.

Once you decide that some help or direction is needed, usually friends/family/colleagues will have a name or two of a psychotherapist or consultant they know. Sometimes health insurance lists of providers or local yellow pages lists are starting points. Search engines on the internet can provide information by name, area and areas of expertise. All reputable professionals are ethically bound to only practice within their areas of expertise. After getting a recommendation or name, it is important to then be a good consumer and speak with the professional. Asking questions about degrees, experience and areas of expertise, as well as how your concerns would be addressed, expected process and outcome, length of sessions, cost and payment are very important and are expected by therapists and consultants on their first contact with you. While gathering this objective information, it is also important to “trust your gut” about the person and the “feel” you get about whether he or she might be a good resource for you.

Successful people almost always surround themselves with a “resource team” which can include those in personal relationship (family, friends-from confidants to acquaintances), mechanics, repair experts, accountants, lawyers, doctors, psychologists/consultants, travel experts, etc. Using these resources as wanted and needed always enhances our life and well-being. Recognizing a need for stress management, for better communication, for “getting out of your own way” in various areas of performance, etc., are aspects of self-care that can lead to timely seeking of help in growing in these areas. In the workplace $19.4 billion are lost by American industry because of premature employee death, $15.6 billion are lost because of employee alcoholism, $15 billion are lost to stress-related illness and absenteeism, and $700 billion are spent to recruit replacements for the above losses (2005 statistics). The impact on the workplace, as well as on the individual, of stess-related/self-care related difficulties is staggering in terms of life satisfaction, productivity and dollars.