Self-Compassion is a component of working in the field of Social Work that isn’t discussed as much as it should be. Self-Compassion is something that can’t be taught in a classroom. It is something that is learned along the journey of gaining experience in the field. Individuals in the field of Social Work, as well as other fields, have to have a special gift to be able to do the work that we do. Our jobs aren't easy, yet they can be rewarding in the end. Before a person gains self-compassion, they usually experience the negative side of the field. Social Work is a career path that can cause burnout however, you have to be able to view the overall outlook in situations.

Speaking from personal experience, I have not always had the level of self-compassion that I possess, now. In the beginning of my career, I jumped in head-first. I was fresh out of undergrad, and I was eager to begin working in the field. My first job was at a nonprofit agency, where we served low-income families and the elderly population. There were stories that I would hear from single moms and struggling families that would cause me to take work home and struggle with setting boundaries. I quickly became overwhelmed, and this is where I learned about self-compassion.

While working at the agency, I would often beat myself up, because I wasn’t able to help every single individual that walked through our doors. I struggled with feeling as if I wasn’t a great Social Worker and that I failed when the person wasn’t able to receive services due to the company’s policies. I quickly had to learn to give myself grace and have some self-compassion. Once I learned to have self-compassion, I was able to take myself out of the situations and I learned to not personalize every situation that I encountered. Possessing self-compassion allowed me to set the boundaries I needed, and as a result I was able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.