Transcript Document

Ministry Stress and Self Care
Lexington Health Center
Lunch n’ Learn
August 20, 2013
Ministry Stress - Isolation
Fuller Institute of Church Growth
• 90% work more than 50 hours a week
• 80% believe pastoral ministry effects their
families negatively
• 33% believe ministry is a hazard to their family
• 75% reported a significant stress related crisis at
least once in their ministry
• 50% felt themselves unable to meet the needs
of the job
Ministry Stress - Isolation
Fuller Institute of Church Growth (con’t.)
• 90% felt inadequately trained to cope with
ministry demands
• 70% say they have lower self-esteem now
compared to when they started in ministry
• 40% reported serious conflict with a parishioner at
least once a month
• 37% confessed to involvement in inappropriate
sexual behavior with someone in the church
Ministry Stress - Isolation
Fuller Institute of Church Growth (con’t.)
• 70% do not have someone they
consider a close friend
• WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE?
Ministers and Risk - Health
"Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity,
hypertension and depression at rates higher than
most Americans. In the last decade, their use of
antidepressants has risen, while their life
expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if
they could.” (New York Times, Aug 1, 2010)
DOES THIS SOUND RIGHT TO YOU? WHY OR WHY
NOT?
Ministry Stress - Marriages
Leadership Magazine
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81% insufficient time together
71% use of money
70% income level
64% communication difficulties
63% congregational differences
57% differences on leisure activities
Ministry Stress - Marriages
Leadership Magazine (con’t.)
• 53% difficulties in raising children
• 46% sexual problems
• 41% Pastor’s anger toward spouse
• 35% differences over ministry career
• 25% differences over spouse’s career
Ministry Stress - Marriages
Leadership Magazine (con’t.)
• ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 HOW IS YOUR
MINISTRY MARRIAGE DOING?
• WOULD YOUR SPOUSE AGREE TO THAT
ASSESSMENT?
• WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO
IMPROVE IT BY 1-2 POINTS? WILL YOU DO
IT?
Five Major Stresses
Ministry Magazine, SDA
• Mobility (Frequent)
• Compensation (Low)
• Demands (High)
• Social Support (Low)
• Boundaries (Intrusiveness)
Five Major Stresses
“…social support was the only UNIQUE predictor of life
satisfaction for” clergy and their spouses.”
WHO HAS YOUR BACK? WHO IS YOUR JONATHAN?
WHO CAN CAREFRONT YOU? WHO IS YOUR NATHAN?
Five Major Stresses
Ministry Magazine, SDA
• Mobility (Frequent)
• Compensation (Low)
• Demands (High)
• Social Support (Low)
• Boundaries (Intrusiveness)
Five Major Stresses
“… intrusiveness to the boundaries of family
appeared to be the only UNIQUE predictor of the
marital satisfaction of clergy and their spouses”
IS THE GOD WHO CALLED YOU TO MINISTRY
INTERESTED IN THE FAMILY HE HAS GIVEN YOU?
Who Is Else Is Vulnerable?
 Any person delivering care to patients who have
experienced some level of trauma or suffering
 Highly motivated, high expectations, highly trained and
highly skilled people
 Trained in an intensely criticism-laden environment
 Taught, trained, and rewarded for sacrificing their own
lives for others and their immediate needs
 Any professional bearing witness to suffering
Definitions
• Compassion Fatigue - “A state of tension and preoccupation
with the individual or cumulative trauma of clients as
manifested in one or more ways (Figley (1996)
• Burnout - cumulative stress that develops into a state of
physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by depletion
of resources to cope – any kind of work
Causes
• Bearing witness to
suffering
• Lack of replenishment
• Unresolved personal
trauma
• Pain in powerless people
• Loss of the patient
• Witness to death and
dying while performing
duties - first hand
exposure
• Multiple roles
• Lack of social support
• Not appreciating the
dangers of empathy
Symptoms- Behavioral
*Impatient
*Irritable
*Withdrawn
*Nightmares
*Hyper-vigilance
*Losing things
*Appetite changes
*Regression
*Higher startle response
*Accident proneness
*Risk taking
*Addictive behaviors
*Lack of self care
*Moody
Symptoms - Affective
*Anxiety
*Guilt
*Anger/rage
*Fearfulness
*Survival guilt
*Numbness
*Depression
*Emotional roller
coaster
*Overly sensitive
*Depleted
*Sadness
*Shutdown
Symptoms - Somatic
Shock
Breathing difficulties
Aches and pains
Dizziness
Impaired immune system
Exhaustion
Symptoms – Work Performance
• Low morale and
motivation
• Errors in judgment
• Increasing
transference/counter
issues
• Poor communication
• Staff conflicts
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Apathy
Absenteeism
Withdrawal
Late for work
Stigma - Fear of being
perceived as weak
Symptoms – Interpersonal Relationships
*Conflict in close relationships
*Isolation
*Ethical violations
*Dread of working with people
*Sexual dysfunction
*Loss of boundaries
*Mistrust
Symptoms - Spiritual
>Questioning spirituality, religion, God
>Questioning meaning of life, meaning, purpose
>Shattered assumptions:
– Life has meaning
– World is benevolent
– Bad things happen to other people
– Power to change things
– There is HOPE
Symptoms …
ARE ANYOF THESE SYMPTOMS PREVALENT
IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW?
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE/ARE YOU DOING
ABOUT THEM?
A Self- Care Strategy
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Take stock - What’s on your plate?
Start a Self-Care Idea Collection
Find Time For Yourself Everyday
Delegate - Learn To Ask For Help at
Home and At Work
5. Have a Transition From Work To Home
(Ref: Mathieu, “Transforming Compassion Fatigue into Compassion
Satisfaction: Top 12 Self-Care Tips for Helpers”)
A Self- Care Strategy (Cont’d)
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Learn To Say No (and Yes) More Often
Assess Your Trauma Inputs
Learn to Recognize Compassion Fatigue
Have an accountability Partner Consider Joining a Peer Support Group
10. Attend Professional Development and
Workshops Often (at least 1/annually)
A Self- Care Strategy (Cont’d)
11. Preserve Family Time
12. Protect Privacy/Maintain Boundaries
13. Clarify Expectations
14. Build Friendships and Social Support
15. Maintain Physical Exercise, Proper
nutrition and Sleep patterns
A Self- Care Strategy (Cont’d)
16. Find purpose and meaning in work
17. Practice Sabbath Rest
18. Practice Religious and Spiritual
Disciplines
19. Make us of Clergy Retreat Resources
20. Seek help BEFORE you hit the bottom
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?