Respondto a colleague by comparing my two stressors, anxiety and fear.

Then, add to their post by providing further information on the implications for practice and long-term resilience. Then, provide one strategy for increasing a sense of competence in their focus area to decrease impostor syndrome.

Provide References

Stressors Connection to Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels of Practice

Two of the elevated stressors a novice practitioner experiences are intense evaluation and illuminated scrutiny by professional gatekeepers and the fragile and incomplete practitioner self. At the micro level intense evaluation and illuminated scrutiny by professional gatekeepers can be due to unclear evaluation criteria (Skovholt & Trotter-Mathison, 2016).There is so much gray area when working with individual clients, that it leaves room for a variety of approaches, but for a new clinician, one may not handle situations in the way a supervisor wants. For example, if one has a supervisor who micromanages staff, and gives mixed or unclear instructions for handling the situation. At the mezzo level, working with a group, family, or another agency in the community. The pressure of evaluation and scrutiny by one's agency of employment, the family of the client one is working with, the group, or the community agency may add additional evaluation and scrutiny of the new clinician. At the Macro level, if one works for an agency that receives federal funding, they may be required to undergo federal accreditation and licensing evaluation and scrutiny, which although a professional necessity, is another significant stressor. The ongoing evaluation and scrutiny may add to a novice's fragility and incomplete self as a practitioner.

Compounding of Two Stressors to Negatively Impact Practice

The compounding effect of two stressors can build and become overwhelming quickly. When working in this domain additional stressors in a clinician's professional and personal life quickly arise and are unpredictable, may also contribute to one feeling overwhelmed and stressed, and if left unnoticed it leads to exhaustion and burnout. This is why self-awareness and self-care are vital. One cannot give away what they do not have. Thus, the proverbial "burning the candle at both ends" one might think will help in the short-term if one can work a little harder, get paperwork caught up, study a little more, and brush up on expectations by one's supervisor. However, from personal experience as a Licensed Addiction Counselor, skipping breaks, trying to squeeze more into one's day, not taking time for lunch or eating at one's desk, and isolating, tend to exacerbate the decrease in self-awareness and self-care and can cause more harm than good.

Impact of Initial Stressors on Long-Term Resilience

Long-term resilience can be established by increasing one's knowledge of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Building self-care tactics and insight into one's level of functioning, for instance by doing personal well-checks on oneself as a clinician is a helpful process (Skovholt & Trotter-Mathison, 2016). Utilization of cognitive behavioral techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, yoga, regular communication, or discussion with colleagues to debrief, physical activity, and taking time away from work to find enjoyment is essential in social practice and extended resilience. As a novice, one might ask oneself - what would you say or suggest to your client if they were the one feeling overwhelmed with stressors? Then take your advice and do it!

References

Skovholt, T. M., & Trotter-Mathison, M. (2016). The resilient Practitioner (3rd ed.). Routledge.