Thick Skin

After speaking with Jen, my Americorps supervisor, yesterday, I feel the most incredible weight has lifted from my shoulders. She really gave me some great ideas for coping with stress and being fair to myself and my needs.

Working with at-risk populations can be incredibly exhausting. Jen relayed some of her experiences working in a similar situation, and she said she had to develop a really thick skin so that she wasn't continually taking work home with her. Relationships and experiences with these populations can only exist within the confines of the site; carrying them with you when you leave increases your level of stress. Create some blocks!

I really took that advice to heart, and I appreciated how she related the information. I knew all along that this is what I needed to do, but she somehow found the words to make it stick and make a difference.