massage therapy journal

keeping you in touch.

  

2. get support

Susan C. Berenson, RN, who has been practicing nursing for 28 years, has performed all the important duties that a nurse does on a hospital floor, and has provided supportive counseling to patients, families and other nurses around the complex issues of cancer.

She also practices reflexology on various clients, including parents of pediatric cancer patients. Berenson says the most stressful part of her work is the high distress so many of her patients are in. She knows she can't do it without confiding in others, so she facilitates a support group for other massage therapists who work in hospital-based practices.

"I take a look at myself and see what is getting triggered off in me…If you can't tolerate the problem, take a break and talk to someone," she says. To cope with the extreme stressors, Osborne-Sheets has developed a support system for herself. "I have had a very supportive, ongoing relationship with one of my colleagues wherein we provide professional supervision to each other. We meet fairly regularly to discuss challenging clients, any personal responses or interference that develops during work, and other practice related issues."

Communing with others can have a positive effect on your life, too. There are many studies that show those who feel lonely and depressed are much more likely to get sick and prematurely die than their connected counterparts. Why? We're much more likely to do self-destructive things when we're lonely. Instead, make a connection-reach out. Invite a friend to dinner. Join a community group. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or a senior center where you can make a meal, or share one with the residents there.

3. see the positive

When faced with a challenging situation, do you immediately think it's too difficult for you to handle? Or do you see it as a chance to learn something new? If you see it as too difficult, you might need a healthy dose of optimism. In fact, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research reports that these personality traits-optimism and pessimism-can affect how well and how long you live. The right attitude can go a long way.

"The important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as stress," says Ayaltin. "It's a human reaction to a given situation, which makes it either stressful or easy sailing; we're the authors of our own stress. We need to develop the correct attitudes."

For Michele Schuman-a nationally certified therapist in New York State who works in a hospital setting-it also means remembering the patients there are more than their illness. "I am working with a person who has an illness, rather than working with an ill person. This is a critical distinction," she says. "Becoming a massage therapist has given me the opportunity to relate with a diversity of people in a direct and caring manner…This does not happen in every profession. My outlook has changed in my understanding of individual resiliency. I've seen people recover from very difficult situations and go on with their lives. I've been privileged to witness great courage and grace."

Ayaltin has seen burnout in colleagues and even in his students who quit the profession right after graduation and before they even have a chance to start practicing. He suggests embracing the profession you have chosen and sticking with it. "We are of invaluable service to humanity. We should be proud of our place within the health care system, and cultivate the highest standards of learning and practice."

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