In this episode I Interview Physical Therapist, Derek Nielsen.  You will learn about his journey through burnout and how he found his way out. He realized he wanted to work for the patient and not the insurance company. He also realized there is much less documentation when you don't take insurance and this helps you to stay focused on patient care.  He believes you can prevent burnout by finding the best population you want to work with in the best model that works for you.  Derek also discusses other ways to prevent and manage burnout.  Derek discusses ways Healthcare providers can find there way through if they find themselves in a difficult work environment.

   Yoga has become more popular and is a research based way to help manage emotions including anxiety and depression.  In this episode I interview for Kristine Weber, C-IAYT, eRYT500.  She created an amazing form of Slow, mindful yoga called Subtle Yoga.  She describes the difference between exercise yoga and innercise yoga that she teaches.  Innercise yoga helps you to improve interoceptive awareness to fill into the needs of your body and make better emotional, cognitive decisions.

  She discusses how slow yoga can help provide more parasympathetic balance in the nervous system. She shares how even in a 10 minute practice daily for 30 days people can see changes. Kristine discusses the differences between energizing and grounding yoga and how they can benefit people who are feeling burned out.  She discusses how it can be a great resource for self-care for burned out Healthcare providers. 

This is the first in my series of short episodes to help teach you hands on skills to better manage stress, prevent burnout or manage burnout. I teach you how to use Ratio Breath to help calm your nervous system. I also explain about the importance of using preventative breathing daily which will help your body to get used to it and when you practice it, you will calm down quicker.

  Parenting can bring many challenges, especially when parents are juggling work as well as family life.  I interview Dr. Kristen Wynns author of her easy to read book "No more wimpy parenting," shares how women are more at risk for burnout and how they can reclaim their power. You will learn about Kristen Wynns and her journey through burnout and how she overcame. She discusses the importance of self-checks to help with identifying when are you feeling burned out and put some strategies into place.  She discusses importance of pacing with goals and the importance of saying no. She feels women need to look at balance over a monthlong period and not just each day to help keep perspective.  She shares the importance of carving out self-care and fun time and making it sacred. Dr. Wynns discusses how relieving self-care guilt is helpful by reminding yourself that you deserve that time.

  Dr. Wynns shares insights from her book and how parents give their power away and how they can get it back.  She discusses importance of staying calm and being matter of fact when kids are escalating helps parents keep their power. She discusses importance of power strategy of saying directions one time and warning one time is most effective. Dr. Wynns discusses importance of practicing this consistently. She shares a breathing techniques parents can use to keep their cool.

She discusses how it can help to appreciate the small things in life.

  With COVID 19, many schools have been closed and some Healthcare providers have been forced to work from home while managing their children's remote learning. It can be quite a balancing act and is causing a lot of stress.  In this episode, I interview Nicole Wallace. She is a Licensed Therapist and mother to 5 children, 4 are currently home with her.  She discusses how she made the transition from in office counseling to at home counseling while managing her children's education.  She discusses how to discuss COVID 19 with children as well as the emotional impact on everyone through this uncertain time. She discusses how to set boundaries and expectations with children while teleworking. She discusses how to see this time as an opportunity to learn independent life skills.

Here are her 3 best practices for teleworking while managing your kids remote learning. She discusses importance of parents asking themselves do they feel safe? Do they feel loved? Do they feel cared for?

1)  Create a schedule

2)   Take Breaks

3)   Schedule A Family Meeting

4)   Recognize Teachable Moments

5)  Create Individual Work Spaces

She shares how she created a Family "Spirit" week to make school from home more fun.

    In this episode I interview Kim Azevedo, LMFT-A and Certified in Expressive Arts Multicultural Studies. She describes how different mediums of art can help make it easier to engage in the present moment and in the process. Kim discusses her journey through art and how she uses it as a burnout prevention tool.  She shares different ways to incorporate art each week. Kim describes in detail the different types of mediums help build the process of the art experience. She describes how to get started if you have no experience and what mediums to use. She encourages people to just play and experiment. Kim shares simple strategies to engage with alcohol inks and using mindfulness to be present with it.  Kim discusses how using art can allow feelings to flow.

  In this episode, I interview Erin Ballard, (LMFT) and you will hear about your journey with burnout, her causes, signs and how she overcame.  She discusses how the family often gets our "leftovers" from our day and the struggles of balancing family life after work. The burned out family member may need more alone time but this can cause resentment and upset in the family if it happens too much. She discusses ways as a family or couple to list ways to fill up while staying connected and to avoid drainers.  The importance of communication in the family regarding time management is essential.  She reviews how providers can help overcome through internal work, what do you need- internally and within your intimate relationship, and advocating for themselves. She also provides information on how to add more play and fun in the relationship. Erin reviews how a 20 minute daily check in can help keep a relationship healthy.

  Erin Ballard is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the owner of Family Solutions and Wellness Center. Erin specializes in working with couples including premarital counseling; improving communication and connection; working with high conflict couples; supporting families through separation/divorce; and addressing remarriage/blended family issues. Erin further works with individuals surrounding difficulties with anxiety, attachment difficulties, high stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue.

  Erin is a supervisor candidate who provides supervision to therapists working towards their NC LMFT. Erin also provides supervision to licensed therapists who are seeking additional support or guidance as it relates to family/couples/systems approaches and interventions. Erin has worked with children, adolescents, and adults, providing individual, couple and family therapy in an array of settings including community based agencies, in-home settings, private practice and hospitals. When Erin is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children.

   With the COVID 19 pandemic continuing to grow and for the safety and wellbeing of clients and Providers,  many Healthcare providers (especially Mental Health Therapists) have had to turn their practices into an entirely telehealth service.  For many, this was stressful as so many were not trained yet in using this telehealth and had to scramble to get a platform, inform clients, create policies all within a short time frame. It is an adjustment for many to no longer see Clients for in person sessions. 

In this episode I interview Dr. Jared DeFife  a clinical psychologist from Atlanta, GA. He has a private practice that specializes in men's mental health and therapy for adults with ADHD.  Jared discusses his journey with burnout and how he overcame it. You will learn about research he has done on isolation on Therapist burnout and effectiveness.  He provides tips on how to improve your telehealth practice and prevent burnout.  

He discusses reframing any negative thoughts you have on telehealth and remember it is just as effective as face to face therapy. Jared also mentioned the importance of having good audio for telehealth and the impact of poor audio on your energy. He emphasizes you to step back from the camera and closer to the microphone.  He emphasizes the importance of the relationship and your physical presence on good treatment outcomes.  Jared also recommends the importance of staying connected.

Overview

  This is a bonus solo episode to address the current Coronavirus Pandemic. Everyday it seems something new is happening and we are faced with more changes that impact our daily lives. It is a time of uncertainty, stress, worry and depression. This episode addresses some strategies to help you carry on through uncertain times and when so much is out of your control.

  The importance of daily reaching out to other is emphasized.  A breathing  practice is taught to help you ease anxiety. When experiencing more stress and anxiety remember to do more self-care. 5 steps on how to keep calm and carry on are listed below.  The importance of being creative during these difficult times is also addressed.

What We'll Learn

5 steps and things to keep in mind

• Avoid information overload, its important to stay informed but don't overwhelm yourself by constantly checking the news (too much availability!) check only 1 to 2 times daily and schedule disconnect times
• Keep as many routines the same as you can. This can keep some sense of normalcy and security for you as well.  If you have kids at home consider making a structured schedule for their day to keep them occupied. I have my episode 9 on morning self-care routines April 1st so tune in since you will have more time to create one!
• Consider going for walks while keeping social distancing from others, being out side getting fresh air, sunshine and being in nature can be so therapeutic and help ease some of the stress of this time. My husband went for a walk after work Monday night and it was very relaxing and provided some good bonding time.
• Keep going with your exercise routines, with gyms closing and less options for workouts you have to do what you can at home. Consider making a gym area at home, online workouts, step ups on stairs
• Make a list of things you have always wanted to do, consider signing up for fun courses online about these things, art courses, learn a language, dance. In your list put down home projects, fun activities you can do at home. This can give you some sense of control.

In this episode, you will learn about some natural health strategies to help overcome burnout. You will learn about RBTI testing, Blood Chemistry Test Analysis and how that can help you identify some imbalances and health concerns.  Rebecca Hale, Natural Health Practitioner, is here to discuss how she can help address the root cause of a person's health symptoms by analyzing their diet, lifestyle, emotional state, and vitamin/mineral deficiencies. She discusses some holistic strategies you can easily incorporate into your daily routine and reviews the importance of keeping it simple and practical. Rebecca also emphasizes being patient with the process and keeping it consistent.

  Rebecca Hale is A Registered Natural Health Practitioner (RNHP) with the International Association of Natural Health Practitioners (IANHP). She is licensed by the Pastoral Medical Association (PMA) as a Diplomat of Pastoral Science (D.PSc). She attended the New Eden School of Natural Health & Herbal Studies and received her Diploma in Traditional Naturopathy. She is certified in Home Medicine with The Grow Network. She initially pursued a career as a Tax Accountant but decided to pursue her passion for natural health after it radically improved her own health and lifestyle.