Nicole Cardy B.A. in Psychology/Minor in Social Welfare

Continuous Education is vital to the work we do as case managers in the field of mental health! It is imperative that we collaborate with other healthcare professionals/providers in order to maximize/optimize client needs in an eclectic manner. Attending workshops, conferences, seminars, and training meetings will definitely help case managers understand the impact on the community as a whole in terms of advocacy and support for the clients/patients at your local hospital, clinic, residential care facility, community outreach, shelters, crisis housing, halfway houses, rapid rehousing intensive partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment etc…. Collaboration is essential and vital in the mental health field.

I do agree that developing a Self-Care routine would be essential to your role as a Case Manager as this will allow case managers to make decisions based on their own needs rather then not being aware of when to take action on developing a routine where there is space and room to thrive in your role. I tend to build my self-care routine by working on my hobbies/activities that I enjoy doing to relax my mind and focus on my son who tends to keep me relaxed as we meditate and use breathing techniques to elevate our energy and mood control. I personally find time to relax and will have a sleep schedule that is tailored to my needs as this is essentially what every Case Manager must do in order for there not to be burnout in the workplace.

Peer Support is extremely useful and helpful to the team where you work as a case manager because it provides a sense of clarity to know that your colleagues have been in the same situation as you before and can speak about what stresses them out and in turn can provide and reduce the pressures of managing a Work-Life Balance. Have conversations about how to manage work with your personal life and from there build coping strategies to reduce burnout stress.

I tend to have my own professional help when I feel overwhelmed and need someone to talk to for advice and guidance/support. I would suggest contacting your local health care providers for additional assistance/help in order for your mental health wellbeing to be met and they can definitely assist with preventing burnout from happening in the workplace with coping skills/mechanisms. I always say therapist for therapist right well in this case and instance it would be helpful for case managers to seek out help when needed because we are all health care providers/mandated reporters that also need to be heard by someone who is also an expert.

Having a Work-Life Balance means that you find the time to operate your personal life from work or any school related activities. In order to be on top of your daily routine/tasks it is essential that one as a Case Manager take their breaks and vacation time or mental health days off in order to have a productive more enjoyable/relaxed routine/schedule. For me personally I tend to focus more on my Self-Care routine rather than focusing on work related activities when I’m not at work or school. For me I would have to say I have a Work-Life, School, being a mother and wife as being my daily life activities. It is also essential that you disconnect yourself from work related communications after hours in order to recharge your energy.

I appreciate your perspective and personal experience with case management! I utilize self-care now as a Case Manager by singing, dancing, playing with my son, and spending quality time with my husband! I also listen to music and wine down by taking care of my needs first in order to be an effective Case Manager! I’m now in my Masters degrees pursuing a Dual MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling & School Counseling @Walden University and would ultimately like to pursue my Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Pediatrics/Geriatric Populations as well as young adults and youth in transition! Thank you so much for your time in contributing to this article!