Simmer Down: Personal Wellness for School

Counselors

Presented by: Amanda Winburn; Amy King; Eric Suddeath;

Rebekah Reysen (University of Mississippi)

Today’s Topic: Wellness

Discussion:

1.What is wellness?

2.Are you well?

3.What does wellness look like as a school

counselor?

4.Tips & resources for wellness

Why is wellness important?

Wellness and the Counseling Profession

Wellness is especially important because counselors are

one of the primary instruments in their own work

“It’s impossible to separate who I am as a person from the

work I do as a counselor. If I’m not well, that’s going to

get in the way of me being able to tune into the needs of

my clients.”

Gerard Lawson, Associate Professor,Virginia Tech

Wellness is a continuum, where are you?

Wellness

• Definition

– A positive and holistic state of wellbeing (Myers & Sweeney, 2008)

– Myers and Sweeney (2008) proposed a wellness model that encourages a holistic view of people.

– To increase wellness, they suggest focusing on the five different parts of what they term the indivisible

self: the creative self, coping self, social self, essential self, and physical self.

– Increasing wellness in these areas might include: attaining adequate rest, engaging in exercise, eating

well, finding meaning and purpose in one’s work and life, having relationships that are satisfying and

increase connectedness, and finding time for leisure activities.

• For more information on this model see

– Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2008). Wellness Counseling: The Evidence Base for Practice. Journal

Of Counseling & Development, 86, 482-493.

Dimensions of Wellness

Pathway to Wellness

Wellness for School Counselors

Multiple Role Balance

• ASCA National Model

– “School counselors design and deliver

comprehensive school counseling

programs that promote student

achievement” (ASCA, 2012, p. xii)

• The model gives direction, but leaves some

ambiguity in the implementation of the

various roles and responsibilities school

counselors have

• Can lead to conflict or ambiguity between

perceived roles and responsibilities and

expected roles and responsibilities

Multiple Role Balance

• Roles

– Counselor, Educator, Tutor, Teacher, Consultant, Advocate, Liaison,

Guidance Counselor.

– Any others?

• Responsibilities

– Working directly with students in and outside school building

– Collaborating with parents, staff, administration, outside community

resources to ensure student academic and personal success.

– Providing mental health services and informing and empowering

students in present and future academic endeavors

– Any others?

Other Demands and Challenges

• Specific demands and challenges

– Isolation from other clinicians

– Large caseloads (National Average 477; Young & Lambie, 2007)

– Staff shortages

– Budget cuts

• As a result of all of the demands, challenges, roles, and responsibilities of school counselors,

they often neglect their own wellness.

• This neglect can lead to:

– Stress

– Burnout

– Professional impairment

– Mental health difficulties

– Workaholism

Ethical Imperative

• In order to care for your students, you must first care for yourself.

• Literature indicates you have a powerful impact on your students (Bryant &

Constantine, 2006; Reynolds & Cheek, 2002).

• ASCA’s ethical standards also implore school counselors to manage their own

emotional and physical wellbeing in order to provide competent services

Wellness • Preparation

– Few counselor education programs focus on wellness (Wolf, Thompson, & Smith-Adcock, 2012)

• Potentially leaving school counselors inadequately prepared to implement wellness strategies in

their work with students and their personal lives.

– Programs that did focus on wellness saw an increase in school counselors:

• Use of social support to reduce stress which also increased feelings of connectedness

• Implementation of self-care strategies

• Awareness of emotional and physical needs and how to get these needs met

• Self-worth

Wellness

• For students and school counselors: – School systems and administration slow to incorporate or push for wellness in

schools

– As a result it is difficult for school counselors, who already have great demands

on their time, to implement wellness in their work with students or themselves

– Role ambiguity/conflict, work stress, ever-increasing and changing roles and

responsibilities, and expectations from parents, staff, and administration further

hinder school counselors from incorporating wellness into their lives and their

work with students

Wellness• Solutions to increase wellness:

– Young and Lambie (2007) suggest

explicitly communicating the roles and

responsibilities of the school counselor

through creating a school counseling

program manual based on ASCA’s National

Model that fits the school and the school

counselor’s values (e.g., wellness)

Wellness

• Specific things to include in program manual based on Young

and Lambie (2007): – (a) a school counseling program philosophy

– (b) a definition of what a school counselor is

– (c) the roles of the school counselor

– (d) the services school counselors offer, and the amount of time each service is allotted

– (e) the specific issues and topics that school counselors work with most and with whom

they work with

– (f) ethical and legal standards for school counselors including professional development

and wellness

– (g) how school counselors evaluate their work and programs

Wellness

• Solutions Continued– Creating a program manual could help to decrease work stress and role

ambiguity/conflict

– Allows for increased attention and integration of wellness strategies into

programs for students and the personal lives of school counselors

– Establishes boundaries for the school counselor’s roles and responsibilities

– Increases the school counselor’s confidence when speaking with parents,

administrators, and staff

Wellness: Looking Forward

• Little for school counselors, more for students and staff– There is little literature on how school counselors can effectively improve their

own wellness

– Mostly, there is an emphasis in how school counselors can incorporate wellness

programs in their schools for staff and students (e.g., Burnett, 2013; Gibson,

Dixon, & Myers, 2012; Reynolds & Cheek, 2002; Street, 1994)

– With the prevalence of burnout, impairment and stress for school counselors,

and their vital role in caring for students, school counselors need a plan for

implementing wellness in their personal lives.

Wellness: Looking Forward

• Practice makes perfect– Roach and Young (2007) suggest that school counselors

who are committed to practicing wellness may develop

greater skill in facing the stress and anxiety associated

with the increasing demands, roles, and responsibilities of

their profession.

– They also suggest that increased attention and practice of

wellness strategies could also improve their overall

satisfaction with their jobs, minimizing the occurrence of

“impairment and burnout” (Roach & Young, 2007, p. 31).

Look Familiar? Not Recommended...

Workaholism

Work is a means of escapism Garson (2005)

Amount of time spent devoted to work (Mosier, as cited by

Burke, 1999)

An excessive need to work, and one that is compulsive in

nature (Schaufeli, Tarris, & Bakkar, 2008)

How Big Is Your Workload?

Contributing Factors

Organizations reward hard work through bonuses or

awards (Uchitelle, 2006).

Scarcity of tenure options => anxiety =>excessive

work habits (George, 1997) .

We argue that school counseling is one field where

workers are at a great risk of becoming excessively

devoted to work.

Wellness & Work Habits

Create boundaries

Know your limitations

Have a support system

Evaluate work environment

Work to ensure all areas of wellness are being

met

Current Research Study

National Sample

School Counseling Population

Surveyed 330 School Counselors

Purpose was to evaluate current working habits within the school counseling field.

Our study also examined the relationship between life satisfaction and work habits,

as well as personality types and work habits.

Research Findings & Workaholism

So how many school counselors are

workaholics?46 of 314 respondents (14.65%) scored often or all of the time on 4 or more of the

questions.

This study utilized the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS), which is a 7 Item

Instrument.

These findings suggest 14.65% of respondents may be workaholics.

Are YOU a Workaholic? Ask

Yourself...You think of how you can free up more time to work;

You spend much more time working than initially intended;

You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and depression;

You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them;

You become stressed if you are prohibited from working;

You de-prioritize hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work;

You work so much that it has negatively influenced your health.

All items are scored on the following scale: (1) Never, (2) Rarely, (3)

Sometimes, (4) Often, and (5) Always:

Wellness Tips

1.Possible Activities

2.Resources using Apps

3.Resources using social media

4.Possible reading materials

5.Video games

6.Videos

School Counseling Approaches for Wellness

Morning Announcements

School Counselors are often times charged with having a unique and solitary

position, which makes connecting to the teaching and administrative teams

challenging. One contributing factor to promoting wellness within the school

involves finding opportunities to contribute to the morale of the staff. Elementary

Counselors are often responsible for the morning announcements on the school

intercom. Each week, a different staff member and group of students can be

featured as part of the morning announcements. The staff member and students can

choose a special song to be played. During the song, the staff member and students

have the opportunity to dance and sing.

Morning Announcements

The students can be invited to be a part of the morning announcements

and will learn fun facts about the staff member; such as hobbies, favorite

foods, pets, and information about the staff member’s family. The

counselor can include all of the teachers but should also include the

support staff and the administrative team.

By featuring a different staff member, the school population will gain a

sense of connectivity,which will increase morale and promote school

wellness.

Photo Board

Photo Board

The school counselor can make a special photo board for staff members

that can be displayed in the hallway where all staff members and

students route to be able to view it. This photo board can contain current

pictures of staff members with their family, as well as school pictures of

the staff members when they were the age of the current students

enrolled in the school. The photo board can also be a place to display

newspaper articles that the staff members are featured and photagraphed

when recognized in the media. The students and staff members get

excited to see the pictures and this is another great way to break down

barriers among the school staff and students.

Kindness Tree Recognition

The Kindness Tree

The kindness tree is a large painted tree located in the school hallway.

Special cutouts are created each week from the counseling department.

The kindness tree cutouts are used to recognize random acts of

thoughtfulness among the staff and student population. Teachers turn in

cut outs for students, but also recognize kindness in staff members.

Recognition is announced on the intercom each morning. A student who

is being difficult can recognize a teacher or principal for being patient

with them. The recognition of random acts of kindness promotes a great

deal of positive energy, which leads to wellness.

Walking Wednesday

Walking Wednesday is a school wide initiative to promote health and

wellness for students, parents, and staff members. Each Wednesday

morning beginning forty-five minutes before the start of the academic

day, the students and adults walk the exercise track together. Parents and

staff members participate in Walking Wednesday with the students and

adults. The counseling department with the help of the student body

create colorful posters and fliers.

The counseling department provides hula hoops, balls, and jump ropes to

make Walking Wednesday an exciting event for the students. The staff

and students look forward to Walking Wednesday each week.

Spa Day

Spa Day

By the spring of each school year, teachers and administrators are feeling

a high level of exhaustion and burnout. In an effort to promote relaxation

and wellness, the Parent Teacher Association graciously organizes a

special spa day for the staff members on site at the school. All staff

members have an opportunity to receive a massage on campus during the

school day. The PTA volunteers help cover classes so the teachers all

have the opportunity to enjoy the benefit of the message without having

to take extra time after work.

Salad Days

Salad Days

School lunchroom cuisine is often fattening and heavy on starches. Staff

members enjoy having fresh salad, which is not always available. A

special salad luncheon can be planned by simply creating a sign up list

for toppings, produce, and dressings. Having a special salad bar is a great

initiative for good nutrition and gives the staff something to look forward

to during the work week. Each nine weeks, the school counseling

department organizes the special salad bar through a sign up electronic

form. The staff members all participate and enjoy having a special and

healthy lunch.

Exercise Class

Exercise Together!

The opportunity to attend an on site exercise class makes it simple for

busy staff members to fit a workout into a weekly routine. The

counseling department can promote the exercise classes as part of an

overall emphasis for a school wide wellness initiative. There are parents

of students who are certified to teach a variety of different types of

exercise classes who are willing to volunteer to teach fitness at the

school. The staff enjoy having the opportunity to take zumba, yoga, or

crossfit at the end of the work day.

Wellness Resources

Best Apps For Calming & Reducing Anxiety:

1. Optimism

a. Track your moods, keep a journal, and chart your recovery progress with this

comprehensive tool for depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. One of the

most popular mood tracking apps available, with plenty of features. Free.

2. Belly Bio

a. Free app that teaches a deep breathing technique useful in fighting anxiety and stress. A

simple interface uses biofeedback to monitor your breathing. Sounds cascade with the

movements of your belly, in rhythms reminiscent of waves on a beach. Charts also let you

know how you’re doing. A great tool when you need to slow down and breathe.

3. iSleepEasy

a. A calm female voice helps you quell anxieties and take the time to relax and sleep, in an

array of guided meditations. Separately controlled voice and music tracks, flexible lengths,

and an alarm. Includes a special wee hours rescue track, and tips for falling asleep.

4. Relax Melodies

A popular free relaxation sound and music app. Mix and match nature sounds with new age music;

it’s lovely to listen to birds in the rain while a piano softly plays

Resources

Apps for health:

Charity Miles:

Earn money for charities every time you run, walk, or bicycle by using the free Charity

Miles app. Corporate sponsors (whose information you'll see as a backdrop image in the

app) agree to donate a few cents for every mile you complete. Browse the app's list of

charities, find the one that you support, and then hit the road. When a lot of people use

Charity Miles, those little bits of money add up.

Official 7 Minute Workout

a. The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App (free) helps you squeeze

some exercise into your day at an intensity level that's right for you. The interface

is surprisingly attractive and clear. All you need is a chair and seven minutes—or

about 11 minutes if you add a warm-up and cool down.

Resources

Build a social network!! You are NOT an island!!!

1. Caught in the middle school counselors (Facebook Page)

2. High School Counselor’s Network (Facebook Page)

3. Elementary School Counselor’s Exchange (Facebook Page)

4. The Middle School Counselor App

5. The Middle School Counselor (Twitter)

6. School Counseling Pinterest Boards

New Books on Wellness

1. Big Girl: How I Gave Up Dieting and Got a Life

2. Aim True: Love Your Body, Eat Without Fear, Nourish Your Spirit, Discover

True Balance

3. Hardwiring Happiness

4. Real Happiness at Work

5. Mere Spirituality

6. Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying

Up

Video Games

Flower: https://www.playstation.com/en-

us/games/flower-ps3/

Tetris: Evidence that it reduces flashbacks for vets with

PTSD

Websites

Tiny Buddha: http://tinybuddha.com

Yoga Videos: “Do Yoga With me”:

https://www.doyogawithme.com

References

• Oates, W. (1971). Confessions of a workaholic. New York: World.

• Reysen, R. Winburn, A., Niemeyer, R. S., & Monroe, A. (2015). Journal of Contemporary Research in Education. The Relationship

between Workaholism Tendencies and Stage of Development in a K-12 Teacher Population, 2, 105-114.

• Robinson, B. E. (1998). Chained to the desk: A guidebook for workaholics, their partners and children, and the clinicians who treat

them. New York: New York University Press.

• Robinson, B. E. (2007). Chained to the desk: A guidebook for workaholics, their partners and children, and the clinicians who treat

them (2nd ed.). New York, NY: New York University Press.

• Robinson, B. E., Carroll, J., & Flowers, C. (2001). Marital estrangement, positive affect and locus of control among spouses of

workaholics and spouses of nonworkaholics: A national study. American Journal of Family Therapy, 29(5), 397-410. doi:

10.1080/01926180127624

• Salmela-Aro, K., & Nurmi, J. (2004). Employees' motivational orientation and well‐being at work: A person‐oriented approach.

Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17(5), 471–489.

References

• Schaufeli, W. B., Taris, T. W., & Bakkar, A. B. (2008). It takes two to tango: Workaholism is working excessively

and compulsively. In R. J. Burke & C. L. Cooper (Eds.) The long work hours culture: Causes, consequences, and

choices. United Kingdom: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

• Selinger, C. (2007). Workaholism. Spectrum, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 44(6), 71-72. doi:

10.1109/MSPEC.2007.369274

• Taris, T. W., Van Beek, I., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2012). Demographic and occupational correlates of workaholism.

Psychological Reports, 110, 547-554. doi: 10.2466/03.09.17. PR0.110.2.547-554

• Shifron, R., & Reysen, R. R. (2011). Workaholism: Addiction to Work. The Journal of Individual Psychology,

67(2), 136-146.

• Uchitelle, L. (2006). The disposable American. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

• Workaholics Anonymous (2015). Retrieved from http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/