The RVAAM Alumni Academy Forum: Quarterly Newsletter

Abstract

The fall season is upon us, and with that comes the hectic time of year for those of you with school-aged children. Every day we grapple with a balancing act between the demands of work and home, both of which take up our time and energy. Sometimes it’s hard to find that healthy balance. I think in our particular field of work, it is even more difficult because we are caretakers at work and at home. So sometimes those boundaries can become blurred. But we need to put things into perspective and remember our priorities.Remember, your job is to make sure victims can move forward and make decisions for themselves - not to depend on you for their stability. You need to take a step back and allow them to make their own decisions, right or wrong, and support them, not be responsible for them. Your sense of commitment and responsibility can eventually contribute to you feeling burdened, overwhelmed, and hopeless in the face of great need and suffering. It can also lead you to extend yourself beyond what is reasonable for your own well-being or the best long-term interests of others.So please remember during this very busy time of year to slow down, take a good look at what you are doing and try to balance your life. And if you think you need help in doing that, don’t forget you have a very large network of people - your fellow alumni - who can help, all you have to do is ask! Wishing you all the best ~ until next time..