A New Pathway to Professional Growth: Bypass the Burnout
By KC Coninx PT, DPT COMT, PYT
I always believed that to grow professionally, I had to continually attend more and more professional education courses. This method quickly felt overwhelming and I started to wonder if it was possible to achieve professional growth without burnout?
I never felt like I was good enough so I needed to take the latest and greatest continuing education course to stay up with the latest trends to become a better therapist. In retrospect, what I was doing was just contributing to the pervasive experience of burnout in the healthcare industry…and ultimately myself.
I thought I wanted to learn and grow to be a better professional…but deep down, I realized I wanted to learn and grow to prove to others that I was worthy. I was looking outside for validation…which is inherently both exhausting and impossible to achieve.
Sometimes this isn’t obvious at first. It took me some time to realize this was my motivation for “growth”. However…once I recognized this common mistake, I found noticeably more satisfaction in my career.
Are your thoughts contributing to burnout on your Professional Growth Journey?
I recognized these thought patterns:
- “I’ll be able to help these patients once I finally learn this “x, y, z” skill”
- “Once I have “x” number of patients/clients, I’ll finally feel successful (or fill in the blank for your own desires)”
- “Who am I to achieve this goal?”
- “They are so much smarter than me…”
- On and on and on…
You might notice similar thought patterns, or maybe the thought patterns are different that repeat in your mind.
Regardless of the repetitive thoughts you have about unworthiness…continuing to seek outside approval for your self-worth will impact you relationships with your patients. Your professional growth will not manifest as improved patient care or improved self confidence. There will ALWAYS be another course to take or another skill to master, and you will never feel like enough.
How do you grow professionally from a place of worthiness?
“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” ~ Maya Angelou
Growth and learning are a part of life, but it’s the motivation within that helps direct the impact it has on you.
Are you learning something because you are truly interested in it?
Would you want to learn this information or skill, REGARDLESS of the outcome it creates?
Do you believe you are enough exactly as you are, right now?
Knowing why you want to learn something new professionally is an amazing tool to keep you motivated to put in the time and effort without feeling burned out by the process.
What do you want to learn and WHY do you want to learn it?
If you are interested in learning about how yoga can be used in coordination with lifestyle medicine in physical therapy, occupational therapy (or similar health care professions) – then we have an amazing continuing education that will teach you everything you need to know.
But take the course because you are truly interested in the information…NOT because you think you aren’t good enough without it…
If you want to simply learn more about the programs or courses we offer…let’s talk. I LOVE a good conversation with someone new.
Could a CEU help you bypass professional burnout?
The programs we offer at Living Well Institute are unique because of this main reason:
We teach you how to take care of yourself AND your patients.
It’s time to stop putting everyone else’s health in front of your own.
Take the continuing education course that will teach you the tools and skills you need to bypass the professional burnout cycle AND improve your patient outcomes.
Check out our Professional
Continuing Education Courses
About the Author
Dr. KC Coninx PT, DPT, COMT, PYT
She has been practicing physical therapist since 2011 and in 2016 began following my inner voice and intuition to further explore therapeutic yoga, mindfulness, meditation, Ayurveda, acceptance and commitment therapy, and lifestyle medicine to both enhance my own health and well-being and that of my clients and patients.
She received her Professional Yoga Therapy Certification and Lifestyle Medicine Certification through Living Well Institute. She earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Northwestern University and my Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois. Yes…it was a bit of a detour. Isn’t that life…sometimes it doesn’t follow a straight line.
As the Master Coach for Living Well Institute, she is here to help answer your questions about the professional and self-care programs and to guide you through to the best option for your unique goals and aspirations.
