Mental health challenges amongst the helping professionals. The helping
professional experience different challenges everyday while providing care for
their client. The helping professional can experience challenges in anxiety, (PTSD),
and depression. Every helping professional in the realm of helping individuals with
their own personal struggles may also have challenges in mental health. According
to my first article Occupational Suicide Exposure and Impact on Mental Health:
Examining Differences Across Helping Professions state that "crisis workers and
mental health professionals also work in fields in which are likely exposed to
suicide" (Aldrich, Cerel, 2022). Understanding that the traumatic experiences will
be a part of the professional's job duties can result in their own challenges in
mental health. In the article it explains that "there is growing evidence that many
mental health professionals experience at least one loss of a client to suicide in the
course of their career"(Aldrich, Cerel, 2022). Dealing with clients that are dealing
with challenges in mental health and substance use can be challenging for the
professional.
In my second article Empathy, friend or foe? Untangling the Relationship between
empathy and burnout in the helping professionals explains that "the relationship
between empathy and burnout in helping professionals has been debated
extensively with some arguing the tendency to vicariously experience the
emotions of another is a risk factor for burnout and others arguing that this
disposition protects against burnout." (Stosic, et al., 2022). In summary cognitive
components of empathy include perception and how an individual understands
another. Some view empathy as an attitude or motivation towards understanding
others. Affective empathy can be either positive or negative experiencing positive
or negative emotions on the helping professional living in the experience
vicariously through the client. (Stosic, et al., 2022).
First responders such as, mental health professionals, (EMT's) Emergency medical
technician, fire fighters, police officers, social workers, may encounter challenges
with their own mental health due to experiencing negative situations. Those
emotional impacts of these situations can lead to the professionals own mental
health challenges. It's possible that many first responders may seek help due to
these traumatic experiences working with clients. I think that having a positive
self-care plan established is critical for the helper to help alleviate any emotional
distress that can arise helping an individual with their life challenges.
Reference list
Aldrich, R. S., & Cerel, J. (2022). Occupational Suicide Exposure and Impact on
Mental Health: Examining Differences Across Helping Professions. Omega: Journal
of Death & Dying. 85 (1), 23-37. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1177/0030222820933019
Stosic, M. D., Blanch-Hartigan, D., Alexsanyan, J. &Ruben, M. A. (2022). Empathy
friend or foe? Untangling the relationship between empathy and burnout in the
helping professions. Journal of Social Psychology, 162(1), 89-108. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1080/00224545.2021-1991259
