the myth of self care
Someone I know posted this to facebook today (caution, some may find this hard to read if you've been in similar very difficult work conditions): http://tonotliveinvain.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/the-myth-of-self-care-and-how-structural-inequality-is-the-real-culprit/
And it resonated. It's not about any sort of career I have, it's about social work, but I think it resonates a lot outside their field. (dionysus1999, you can probably weigh in on how accurate it is for your experience). But yeah, I started thinking about shelter work. semperfido, I thought of what you've posted about your former job.
And I even thought about rescues, which are honestly really somewhat insulated from some of the hardest stuff, but the constant stream of self-congratulatory bunk that comes through (saving dogs, rescue angels, and so on) can really mask and de-value the hard things that people deal with. The dogs that can't be saved.
So I'm thinking today about what can be done as part of the infrastructure in care-giving situations to help people survive, and take good care of themselves.
Edit to add the trigger warning above, and to thank people for really amazing comments so far. Holy crap.
And it resonated. It's not about any sort of career I have, it's about social work, but I think it resonates a lot outside their field. (dionysus1999, you can probably weigh in on how accurate it is for your experience). But yeah, I started thinking about shelter work. semperfido, I thought of what you've posted about your former job.
And I even thought about rescues, which are honestly really somewhat insulated from some of the hardest stuff, but the constant stream of self-congratulatory bunk that comes through (saving dogs, rescue angels, and so on) can really mask and de-value the hard things that people deal with. The dogs that can't be saved.
So I'm thinking today about what can be done as part of the infrastructure in care-giving situations to help people survive, and take good care of themselves.
Edit to add the trigger warning above, and to thank people for really amazing comments so far. Holy crap.