Category: Professional Industry Guide

Civil servants are the underdogs of our society. They serve the public by working for the government and delivering policies. Civil servants tend to remain politically neutral so that they can properly assess the concerns of the public. However, the capacity to do good and care for others can cost them their mental health. 

Being constantly exposed to negative news and traumatic situations can lead to deteriorating mental health and compassion fatigue. For this reason, mental health awareness is vital for civil servants. They are always the ones helping their community. This time, they are the ones in need of help. 

The Challenges Civil Servants Face

As civil servants, they deliver public services and support the government in implementing policies. They are regularly in touch with their community about healthcare, education, and public spaces. These individuals must remain politically neutral to ensure justice and give unbiased attention to the public.

However, in many cases, civil servants are often placed in life-or-death situations, like domestic attacks and shootings. They commonly work with victims of assault and violence. As many as 29% of civil servants have spoken up about their mental health and how their overwhelming work has negatively affected their lives.

Their difficult and stressful work environment can have a major effect on their emotional well-being. They may feel responsible for something that isn’t their fault. Often, civil servants will absorb the intense emotional and physical distress from the people they help, which gives them Secondary Traumatic Stress.

Signs of Deteriorating Mental Health 

When work starts to seep into a person’s life negatively, it can be difficult to perform and function well. Civil servants must always remain professional in their work. But waning mental health cannot allow them to do their best.

Some signs of deteriorating mental health in civil servants can include

• withdrawal,
• depression,
• increased anxiety,
• sleeping problems,
• poor work performance, and
• getting easily agitated.

Compassion fatigue is also a common mental health condition among healthcare providers and civil servants. This condition stems from the exhaustion from doing acts of caring for others, resulting in a diminished ability to empathize.

Compassion Fatigue In Civil Servants

As civil servants, they must provide care for their community. Civil servants may constantly be exposed to the traumatic experiences of the people they provide for. So, this can lead to burnout and mental exhaustion.

Civil servants are at higher risk of developing compassion fatigue under intense situations like working with victims of domestic abuse, especially those coming from marginalized communities, such as the LGBTQ+ and African-American neighborhoods. These victims are not at fault for their trauma. Much of their experiences are out of anyone’s control.

But many civil servants can feel like they are responsible for the healing and emotional well-being of the people they work with. Some may feel dependent on their work and fail to develop a healthy emotional boundary. And they fail to realize that this is not sustainable in the long run.

Some civil servant positions are in healthcare and community service. These sectors have stressful work environments, making civil servants susceptible to developing compassion fatigue. Worse conditions can result in serious mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

For this reason, serious mental health conditions require urgent care. Contacting a therapist can help you recover from mental health issues you may be facing that negatively affect your work, life, and relationships. It’s important to always stay on top of things, especially for those in public service. But working to the point of severe exhaustion and fatigue is not for the good of others, especially yourself.

How Therapy Can Help

Seeking a mental health professional can be the best solution for civil servants who have deteriorating mental health. Even mental health professionals can suffer from compassion fatigue and anxiety from time to time. So, know that you are not alone. There is always help around you.

Because everyone has different tolerances for health concerns, many people in public service find it challenging to seek help. They may feel responsible for others’ emotional well-being. But that shouldn’t be the case at all. 

It’s hard to stay in a work environment where you are constantly helping others as your job. But reaching out to mental health resources should not be a problem. Many mental health professionals will advise you on developing a better coping strategy when dealing with stress and traumatic situations that many civil servants face. 

If you are experiencing mental distress from work, staying professional and responsible for your job can be difficult. It can negatively affect your judgment and perception, especially with the pressure of being in public service.

Therapy can help civil servants by creating a non-judgmental space to voice their concerns to a mental health professional freely. They can learn more and understand their compassion fatigue and what triggers them. 

Developing healthier coping mechanisms is the goal of therapy. But to get there, seek help to get to the first step to healing. Here are other tips for taking care of your emotional well-being that your therapist may advise.

• Eating healthier
• Sleeping properly
• Exercising adequately
• Taking up a new hobby 
• Seeking support from loved ones
• Journalling
• Meditating

Conclusion

Therapy can be perceived negatively, so seeking help can be challenging. However, in some cases, it may be urgent to contact a mental health professional. When your work starts to impact your daily life negatively, the problem becomes more grave. 

Symptoms like being easily agitated or having poor judgment can be hard to deal with, especially with those you work with. Civil servants who have been constantly exposed to tragic situations may be vulnerable to stress and anxiety. Reaching out for help can be difficult, as they are usually the ones providing care for others. Still, it is best to seek treatment from a professional; they’re the ones who are capable of providing alternative treatments for anxiety that you are experiencing.

Therapy can help you develop better-coping strategies to deal with your stress and compassion fatigue effectively. Learning more about your triggers and how you can understand yourself is beneficial for everyone involved, including your family and the people you work with.

Acknowledging you need help is the first step towards healing. Once you have properly recovered, you can provide the best public service for your community again. So don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Most regard a career as one of the most important aspects of adulthood. After all, having a stable job means being able to provide for yourself and your family. Employment entails financial independence. It is also a facet of life where improvement and opportunities lie. 

However, many people still feel unlucky because they haven’t secured work. You may be a fresh graduate sending out applications and being met by radio silence. Or, you may already be a worker worrying about how the ongoing pandemic will affect your job. All of these feelings of unease can affect your mental well-being.

Whether you’re a new job seeker or are switching jobs, the hunt can be tiring. Job searching is never an easy process. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting economies around the globe, finding a job nowadays is extra challenging. However, all hope is not lost. If you’re starting to feel anxious about your job pursuits, therapy is here to help. 

So, if you’re wondering how therapy can help you, read on to find out.

Empowering Anxious Job Hunters

There are many considerations when it comes to finding a job. Did you know that adults can spend up to a third of their lives working? Since your future work will take up a big fraction of your life, you must consider many factors. You will have to assess the pay grade, location, dress code, management, and company culture, to name a few. 

Company culture can be complicated. If you’re from a minority racial background, you may be alienated from some companies’ policies and workplace culture. The same thing applies to job seekers from overseas. Sadly, prejudice is still prevalent in many industries. The thought of facing discrimination at work can be demoralizing for anyone. 

We all want to find a job aligned with our interests, values, and goals. It is the ultimate dream because it gives us a sense of fulfillment in our careers. However, this is not always the case for many people. If you keep ending up in companies you do not fit in with, you may feel disappointed in yourself. Because of this, you may even doubt your skills and capabilities. At times like this, therapists can help enlighten your mind.

Talking to others is effective at reducing anxiety. It’s always reassuring to know that what you feel right now doesn’t translate to failure. Speaking to therapists can bring even more benefits. These mental health professionals can help you realign your goals. Together, you can find ways to cope with your feelings. Some therapists even specialize in workplace counseling. This type of counseling is designed to help you with your professional path.

When your anxiety gets overwhelming, think about consulting your therapist for career counseling sessions.

Improving Your Job-Search Techniques

There is no standardized approach to job hunting. Different employers have different processes for hiring people. Because of this, job searching can be a tedious undertaking. 

Moreover, it can be a long procedure. It can be as short as a few weeks. At worst, it can take months. What’s saddening is that there are instances when you are met by silence after months of interviews. People rarely complete a successful job hunt in a week. 

A therapist with expertise in career counseling can guide you. As your sessions progress, your therapist can start to have a clear view of your situation. Once they have a keen sense of your goals and skills, they can make sound recommendations regarding your career.

So, what questions can you expect during sessions? Below are a few examples.

• • What is your skill set? 
  • What is your educational background? 
  • How do you think your skills can contribute to a workplace?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses? How will you overcome such weaknesses?
  • What rating will you give to your communication skills?
  • What is your ideal workplace?

Based on your answers, your therapist will develop suggestions on how you can improve your job search. When sending out applications, you should tailor-fit your approach depending on the company. In addition, you should also be aware that competition will always be present. It is important to understand that not hearing from a company doesn’t necessarily mean you are not good. In cases like this, your therapist can help you find strength instead of demeaning yourself. 

Encouraging You To Rely On Your Support Network

Nowadays, being unemployed doesn’t just entail financial challenges. It can also bring about psychological trauma. Even more, job hunting during a pandemic can feel isolating. At times like this, support is essential. When you bottle up all of your emotions, it can lead to further mental health distress.

Remember: you are not alone. Just because lockdowns and quarantines restrict movement, it doesn’t mean that you are on your own. There are many communities of job seekers out there. Some are even present virtually, too. Support groups will help you realize that you are not experiencing this distress alone.

Your therapist can be your career coach, too. More than just giving tips on taking the right career path, your therapist is here to listen. You can talk about the frustrations you feel with your search. When you think there is no light at the end of the tunnel, your therapist will encourage you to continue.

Remember that your mind is powerful. Your thoughts can have a profound impact on your results. What you think will affect how you act. But if you can’t find the will to fight right now, your family and peers can lift you.

In Conclusion

Most of us will conduct a job search sometime in our lives. Some may even conduct several searches at once. As you go through this process, keep in mind that job hunting will never be an easy journey for many people. Even before the pandemic, finding jobs was no easy feat. So, do not surrender to your anxiety and compromise your well-being in the process. 

If you find yourself experiencing intense pressure and stress from your job search to the point of having anxiety, seek the help of a therapist. With their help, you will make sense of your emotions and clarify the next steps of your work applications. Therapists can also help in giving alternative treatments for anxiety and address issues that you’re struggling with. Finding a job may take time, but you will land before you realize it.

Research suggests that interview decisions often come down to attractiveness and perceived similarity to the interviewer. Job seekers often focus on prestige or the material benefits of working for a certain employer. — Amy Armstrong, MS, NCC, MCC, LPC

Have you been confused as to what kind of job interview outfit you need to wear? Are you intimidated and insecure when you wear a suit or something more casual, and it looks inappropriate for the job you are applying to? Do not worry anymore. This article with tips from coaches and a therapist will help you choose the right kind of job interview outfit for every job description, and you won’t have to get stressed with planning for your outfit anymore. Make them hire you!

Continue reading How To Dress For A Job Interview – Therapist Says You Can Make Them Hire You!

Bipolar disorder represents a very broad spectrum of experience; broad enough, that the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV-TR separates the disorder into two diagnoses: bipolar I (BP I) and bipolar II (BP II). — Russ Federman Ph.D., A.B.P.P.

Our society is marred by a vast dismissive attitude towards the reality about mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder. While nobody would seem to question the need for someone with diabetes to take insulin, there has always been a negative stigma when it comes to people with bipolar disorder who also need to take medication.

 

Continue reading Five Facts About Finance Professionals Living With Bipolar Disorder 

The accounting industry offers a wide range of opportunities. There are always rewarding jobs available for every level. You can work as an Accounting Assistant, Cost Control Officer, Finance Director, Business Analyst, or Accounting Software Developer. The opportunities are almost endless, but if you’re one of those people who wish to become accountants yet still confused whether to take the private path or not, how do you know which career path is the perfect one for you? 

 

Continue reading Exploring The Accounting Career: Public Vs. Corporate 

Everyone will agree that ethics is a critical aspect of a good accountant. These accounting rules and regulations exist to make sure that the end users are objective in their decision-making process by using accurate financial statements. Poor ethics in accounting usually result in various adverse consequences – personally and business-wise.  

 

  Continue reading The Consequences Of Unethical Accounting Practices 

 Years of education, training, and exams are required to become a professional such as a doctor, accountant, or engineer. However, it doesn’t take much to act professionally at work. People from any field can benefit significantly from being professional, and that includes accountants. 

 

  Continue reading Common Professionalism Blunders In The World Of Accounting And Finance 

Unknown to most of the people, professionals in the accounting field handle sensitive data. Accountants do not just gather, compute, and handle numbers. They do not just balance the books and account every item. They deal with numbers and this, in turn, can have a significant impact on prices, markets, and other financial consequences for a business or a company.  

 Lots of people think unethical behavior is the product of one ingredient, such as greed, lust, ignorance, or isolation. But my experience—and the references below—support the notion that unethical behavior consists of a variety of ingredients that come together in a sort of recipe. — Mitchell M. Handelsman Ph.D.

  Continue reading Ethical Issues In The Accounting Profession 

Every so often, people get to hear news about flaws in financial reporting and auditing among companies all over the world, thereby putting the accountancy profession at the forefront of public scrutiny.  

 

  Continue reading Practical Ways For Accountants To Maintain Integrity And Professionalism At Work