Burnout), Written Attached Files Instructions. Please Read

¶ … Burnout), written attached files instructions. Please read instructions carefully, contact questions, Thank the Case Study written paragraph form. You write person, avoid a casual tone. Helen Helen is a fifty-year-old woman who came to me for counseling a week ago because of the conflicts she was experiencing with her adult daughter Susan and her granddaughter Madeline. Susan recently lost her job and had to move back in with Helen.

Helen is a widow and although she did have enough additional room in her house for her daughter, she says often finds it difficult to cope with having Susan and a small child around all of the time. Susan does not make a contribution to the housekeeping and often keeps odd hours because she is not currently working. Susan gets up and goes to bed late (Madeline is not yet of school age).

Helen still works as a librarian and says that she finds it tiring to come home and have to entertain and cook for others. "I was hoping that at this point in my life, I would have time to do things just for me." Helen feels she cannot spend time with her friends or explore her horizons because she is once again living in what she calls a "full house" and must fulfill her previous motherly role.

Helen and Susan get into frequent arguments when Helen feels that Susan is not looking hard enough for a job, or when Susan won't accept jobs that Susan considers beneath her capabilities. At present, Susan is not financially capable of paying Helen rent, and Helen feels as if she is being taken advantage of but cannot put her foot down and make demands upon Susan because of Susan's precarious position as an unemployed woman with a small child. Helen is experiencing many symptoms of 'burnout' or compassion fatigue.

She finds herself being hypercritical of Susan about small things, without addressing the big issues she is worried about, namely Susan's future and her own ability to live her life. She feels torn between her role as mother and grandmother and her desire for a more independent existence. She says she frequently feels tired from 'running after' Madeline all of the time. I discussed with Helen the topic of 'setting limits' and her need to say 'no' to people.

Helen must understand that even though she loves someone that does not mean she has to agree to all of their demands. In fact, sometimes it can be a loving act to tell someone 'no' and to set boundaries. Although God's love is infinite and boundless, and God is forgiving, God still makes demands upon us as humans and asks that we make intelligent choices between what is right and wrong.

For example, even though Susan may not be currently working, she can assume more of the duties of the household when Helen is away, cooking some meals for the family and keeping the house in order. Helen can also demand that Susan create a schedule for herself in terms of looking for a job and creating some sort of plan for herself to become more financially independent. Encouraging independence can be an act of love -- an idea that Helen is currently finding difficult to accept.

Helen also has trouble accepting that self-care is a legitimate need. However, taking care of ourselves and having desires and needs independent of other people does not necessarily make us selfish. God shows concern for every individual human being, so we should show such concern for.