What Now?
By Mighty Crow CEO, Dr. Gretchen Clark Hammond
In my first blog post, “Death by a Thousand Cuts” I shared the stress that those of us working in the fields of behavioral health and social services have faced over time as we have endured funding cuts while still attempting to meet expectations to help anyone who seeks our services. I shared my recognition of how so many helping professionals experience compassion fatigue from these stressors combined with the very real stress of working with people who have experienced trauma. Finally, I shared that I have also experienced compassion fatigue and that I’m starting to feel those symptoms creep in again as I try to navigate the barrage of news related to cuts and changes to the federal government. The question before me is, “So…what now?” What do we do in the face of what may be a continuous cycle of unknowns and unexpected changes and potential cuts?
I don’t have a magical answer. But I think I have some practical strategies that might help others. First, I think about the real toll this stress is taking on all of us. I’m reminded of this cartoon inspired by the work of famed children’s author, Richard Scarry and the importance of self care:
Taking care of ourselves can take many forms – including having a cry, taking a nap, and eating a pickle…or a radish (my favorite pairing with pickles). It can mean taking a break, going for a walk, going to yoga, spending time with a pet, going to a concert – anything that reminds you of WHO YOU ARE versus what you are experiencing. Compassion fatigue removes us from ourselves and allows us to forget what makes us happy. Self care is one way to try and battle back.
Second, it helps to extend grace to others when we are talking with them and to remember that we are all likely under significant stress. When we are under constant stress, we cannot be our best selves all the time. Stress impacts people in very different ways. My stress likes to activate its best friend, anxiety, and then together they like to cause all sorts of challenges for me. By extending grace to others, I am also extending it to myself.
Third, we need to share our knowledge. The hardest part for me when it comes to uncertainty and unknowns is just that – I’m uncertain because of the unknowns. So, talking to others helps. Reading helps. Sharing information helps. Rather than thinking of our colleagues as competitors, it is better for us to band together and try and figure out how we survive these challenges. There is collective impact when we bring our minds together.
Fourth (and final for this post) is that we need to strategize. Thinking about how we sustain what we do and/or how we pivot is smart. Asking ourselves, “If Scenario One happens, what might we do?” or “If Scenario Two happens, what might we do?” When we strategize here at Mighty Crow, I prefer to have real numbers in front of me so that I’m not guessing. Guessing makes me anxious (surprise). We can also ask ourselves about going in different directions and what that might require of us in terms of feasibility and our organizational capacity.
Sitting still and being in the trauma response of “freeze” is not ideal for me. I only become more frozen. I have to start planning and acting. I have to start talking, learning, and sharing. I also try to end each conversation I’m having with gratitude – thanking people for their service and dedication. Thanking them for continuing to show up under all this stress. Reminding them that their work matters. It is good for me to say it, and good for me to hear myself say it. As most Gen X kids know, all we have is each other.
