Managing Our Concerns For Our Clients | A Meditation For Helping And Medical Professionals

This meditation is offered to helping and medical professionals for when you have done all that you can and is appropriate for you to do and a client is still on your mind. Perhaps, this is one of the most difficult part of being a helping professional- figuring out that boundary that honors our scope of practice, our mental health, and adequately honors, values, and acknowledges those with whom we have work. This tonglen practice will help you honor their experience and also be in self-care.

Transcript

Hello, My name is Catherine Cook-Coutone. This meditation is offered to helping and medical professionals. When you have done all that you can and is appropriate for you to do, And a client or a person that you have worked with is still on your mind. Perhaps this is one of the most difficult parts of being a helping professional. Bring out that boundary that honors your scope of practice, Your own mental health, Yet adequately honors, Values and acknowledges those with whom you have worked. Sometimes, Even those of us who have been in this work for many years struggle when the work we are able to do maybe doesn't feel like it's enough. Or we have to refer a case forward or onward. Or even when what we have offered is completely appropriate and enough and still, Our mind worries. First, Know this, These feelings are completely and utterly human. Before I start, Be sure you are seated in a comfortable position and feel well grounded. Press your feet into the floor and sitting bones into your chair. Make sure you are engaging your core and you're able to extend up through your spine. Perhaps here, Soften your shoulders and soften your jaw and maybe soften or close your eyes. And then, Take a few deep breaths, Allow your mind to settle and open up into listening. Open up into inquiry into the possibility of this meditation for you. Orient your awareness to your breath as you breathe in and breathe out. You might begin to deepen and lengthen your breaths a bit more each time, Being sure to maintain your grounded seat and extended spine. You might add a noticing of your breath, Breathing in, I know I am breathing in and breathing out, I know I am breathing out. Breathing in, I know I am breathing in and breathing out, I know I am breathing out. Let's begin here by acknowledging that caring for, Supporting, Helping, Being there for others is a courageous and important act. It's probably what life is truly all about, The love and connection we experience with others while we're here on this earth. So acknowledge that and take a few breaths. Okay, Now let's bring to mind this person for whom you are worried, The person that's still on your mind, Like center them. Maybe you had a call with them, A meeting, Maybe you helped them through a transport, An incident or a medical procedure. You have done all you can do and offered all the appropriate levels of support. There is nothing more you can do and perhaps you doing more could cause harm. Perhaps you doing more would have you functioning outside of your scope of practice, Outside of your role. This is a painful place. When there's nothing more you can do and your heart is aching a bit or your mind worrying for this person, These feelings can be so hard to hold and these thoughts can be overwhelming to navigate. In this place, When you are feeling connection, A worry or a heavy heart and yet your hands are tied, It can be helpful to do a form of loving kindness practice called tanglin. This practice can help you settle your body, Your emotions and your mind so that you can orient back to your life, Maybe your work and what you need to do while you hold space for this person and what they're going through. Of course, This will not magically take your worries away and know that your worries are valid and important. However, It might help you manage this moment just a bit more. It might help you free up just enough so that you can navigate this next minute, Maybe this next hour, Maybe this day. Maybe you need to sleep. Maybe this is about creating a space for you to rest. With your feet pressed to the floor and your sitting bones grounded, Reorient to your breath, Breathing in, I know I am breathing in and breathing out, I know I am breathing out. Breathing in, I know I am breathing in and breathing out, I know I am breathing out. Bringing to mind the person for whom you are worried, The person that you are thinking about, Imagining them in your mind's eye. Imagine them being okay. Imagine them feeling safe. Imagine them healing and breathe here. As you see your person now, Perhaps you can surround them with a sphere of loving kindness. Maybe you can imagine them with a sphere of healing and calm all around them. Breathe here just seeing them. Now, Almost like a prayer for your person, Knowing that right now in their lives they may be struggling, Knowing that you have done all that you can do or is appropriate for you to do. With each breath, Imagine that as you breathe in, You're taking in all of their struggle. Then imagine as you exhale that you can offer them a wish for relief, From pain, From hurt, From struggle, From confusion, Whatever it is they're experiencing. Breathing in, You can say this like offering this to them, I take in your suffering and breathing out, I wish you healing, Safety and calm. Breathing in, I take in your suffering and breathing out, I wish you healing, Safety and calm. Breathing in, I take in your suffering and breathing out, I wish you healing, Safety and calm. Here, You can be really specific to your person. If they are in need of clarity, Breathe in confusion and breathe them out a wish for clarity. If they are in physical pain, Breathe in the physical pain and breathe out a wish for freedom from pain. Breathe out a wish for peace. If they are lost in addiction or substance use, Breathe in craving and compulsion and breathe out a wish for contentment and relief. If maybe your person isn't feeling strong enough, Breathe in fear and doubt and breathe out a wish for confidence and courage. If they are afraid, Breathe that in and then offer them courage and safety as you exhale. Breathe in for your person, Be very specific, Breathe in what is difficult for them and breathe out a wish for relief, A wish that will truly support them. Taking a moment here, Breathe for your person. Take time to make this offering theirs. All right, Now together let's do a few more. Ready? Breathing in, I take in your suffering and breathing out, I wish you healing, Safety and calm. Breathing in, I take in your suffering and breathing out, I wish you healing, Safety and calm. Breathing in, I take in your suffering and breathing out, I wish you healing, Safety and calm. And that is the end of this meditation. Remember, The goal of this work is not to remove all of the feeling or to escape from what is. This work is to help us learn how to have a better relationship with what is, An effective relationship with what is, A more manageable relationship with what is. And this is not easy work. Take a few breaths here and allow your meditation to settle. You can begin to deepen and lengthen your breaths, Still maintaining your grounded seat and extended spine, Your soft shoulders, Your soft jaw. Breathing in, I know I am breathing in and breathing out, I know I am breathing out. You might want to take a few moments breathing here, Considering what this meditation means to you or for you. You may even want to journal about this meditation and what you might have noticed or considered. Thank yourself for taking a few moments to listen, To wonder and to recenter. And I thank you so much for listening.

Reviews

Perfect and affirming!

What an important meditation. Therapy is stressful work, especially when I’m worried about a client, and your words validated me. One hesitation I have, though, is this practice ended with me having inhaled my clients’ pain. I love that I send them calm and healing, but I feel like I need another step to then release their pain that I am now carrying. I added that step and feel balanced. Thank you for sharing the groundwork that I could build on for this healing exercise.