Self Care as a Clinician: Interview with Amber Alexander

We recently spoke to Amber Alexander about her upcoming group supervision sessions on Self-Care as a Clinician. We asked her a few questions about the group and why she continues to run these groups with such success. 

1. What is the reason for facilitating this group?

I completed an internship through the 4+2 internship pathway and am now generally registered contracting as a Board Approved Supervisor with PPH and also at a private practice. Upon reflection, during my internship my self-care was very reactive, and it was not prioritised by myself or within supervision. I now recognise the importance of self-care and how important it is to continually review and change the approach to maintaining my own professional and personal well-being. Our needs change, and so should our approach to self-care. I believe that supervision is an important space to facilitate such conversations which enables longevity in the profession.

2. What do you mean by “self-care”?

I think about self-care as the overall approach to maintaining professional and personal wellbeing. Looking at the way we instil boundaries, unwind, and reflect on our needs in order to be the best version of ourselves professionally and personally. There has been a stigma on clinicians taking the time to employ proactive self-care practices, however I consider the analogy of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others as very relevant here. Self-care is also unique to the individual, not one-size-fits all.

3. Why is this group important?

This group is dynamic and responsive to the attendee’s needs, allowing a safe space to debrief, share and discuss ways to instil healthy boundaries and self-care practices that are meaningful and unique to the individual. I am passionate about guiding and supporting early career clinicians to be mindful of their self-care practices and identify ways they can incorporate proactive self-care into their everyday to reduce the risk of burnout, vicarious trauma and/or compassion fatigue, and to set-up for longevity as a clinician.

4. Who do you suggest attend these groups?

Self-care should be reviewed regularly as our needs and circumstances shift, and therefore this group can be attended multiple times and is appropriate for psychologists at any stage of their career. I speak from my own experiences, normalising the impacts of the internship and other stressors on our self-care practices. Our professional and personal needs and contexts change, and we’ll discuss practical ways to improve self-care practices every day.

Schedule
Supervisor: Amber Alexander
Psychologist
Schedule During Daylight Savings:
Tuesdays 6.00pm QLD/ 7.00pm NSW/VIC/TAS, 4.00pm WA, 6.30pm SA, 5.30pm NT
Schedule Outside Daylight Savings:
Tuesdays 6.00pm QLD/NSW/VIC/TAS, 4.00pm WA, 5.30pm SA/ NT
Frequency: Every 4 weeks
Suitable for Reattendance: Yes

To learn more about Amber Alexander, follow the link HERE

To book group supervision follow the link HERE