Lynn Lidbury
People who work in careers that require emotional investment, such as nurses, counselors and educators, often cite compassion fatigue and subsequent burnout for leaving their jobs.
Those who succeed are those who set proper boundaries around work, taking time to relax and paying careful attention to their personal lives and outside interests. These practices, known collectively as self-care, provide the stamina and passion needed for long and productive careers.
From 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, the NIU Counseling Association will host a Self-Care Workshop for Helping Professionals, facilitated by Lynn Lidbury, a licensed clinical professional counselor with the Oakwoods Center.
The two-hour program will be a time for those in the helping professions to plan self-care strategies and explore the many activities that can be used to engage in this vital component of their profession. The workshop, which is free and open to all, will take place in the Illinois Room of the Holmes Student Center.
“It’s no coincidence that we have chosen to hold this workshop in February,” says Elisa Woodruff, president of the NIU Counseling Association.
“With the cold weather, the dark days, and spring break still a month away, many students and faculty are feeling stressed and run down. We hope that Friday’s workshop can give those in the helping professions tools to combat these feelings in the short and set good habits for long, successful careers.”
For more information, email kadatia@niu.edu, etsherrill@gmail.com or elisa.woodruff@gmail.com.
