Stress Relief for Energy Workers: Avoid Burnout with the 4 A’s

We were all taught our ABC’s, but do you know the four A’s?

The four A’s have to do with managing stress, and as you know the issue of stress is as applicable in our professional lives as it is in our personal ones. Applying the four A’s can help you better manage the sort of decision-making and stress that you encounter as a business owner.

Do you recall the exhilaration of starting your own practice or perhaps joining a practice for the first time as an energy medicine healer?

As exciting and wonderful the venture is for you, it can also be an exhausting one. You perform a juggling act of helping your clients and developing your business or client list. Likely, you are investing more hours than you worked at a “regular” job. Or, if you work part-time as a healer, the second half of your life has other obligations. All of this leads up to stress that should be managed, so you can sustain sanity and your profession.

This is where the four A’s come into the picture. How can you be expected to manage a business and make sound business decisions if you are stressed? Applying the four A’s is a stress management solution that helps you achieve perspective so you can make sound business decisions as opposed to knee-jerk reactions to stressful emergencies.

Think about how you would react if a client slips and falls, if you get a negative review in Yelp, or if your computer (with ALL your client information) crashes. It’s all about whether you choose to change your reaction and reposition how you react to stress. The four A’s can help you to navigate this.

The 4 A’s as a Best Practice

The mindset of the 4 A’s is a bit like fight or flight. Consider how you react to stressful events. Do you think through a sequence of possible reactions or do you immediately kick into a stressed out reaction out of habit? When you’re considering how to respond to an event, reflect upon your options to either avoid, alter, adapt, or accept the situation. The intensity of your response as well as your choice of response might also depend upon the circumstances.

Avoid: Minimize Unnecessary Stress

There are many variables associated with an energy medicine practice—yet don’t take the approach that these variables are not manageable. For example, you might stress over a misunderstanding that could occur between you and a client. You are not helpless. It is for this type of situation that professional liability insurance was developed. Insurance offers peace of mind that you are financially protected and includes protection from disgruntled clients, whether or not they have a valid case. Can you feel the stress melting away?

Alter: Change the Situation

This would mean you make a conscious decision to alter your circumstances or situation. How does this correlate with your practice? Look around your front office and session rooms. Is there something you could change in the physical surroundings that would benefit you? How about your client communications? Are your clients kept well informed about your scope of practice and limitations? These are things you control and alter so you do not have to stress about them.

Adapt: Stay Flexible When Things Shift

If the stressor cannot change, this would mean you are called upon to change yourself. While you approach your profession and services ethically and honestly, some things are beyond our control and we must adapt. We can never know when something stressful could arise; sometimes we must adapt, learn from the event, and continue—having learned a new lesson.

As it concerns your business, you can only prepare yourself as best as possible for any unexpected stressor. Risk management practices are the best way for you to be prepared. This entails your having liability insurance and completed client forms that include signed client consent. There might be an occasion when a client situation arises, and you need to revise a form or adjust your scope of services. So you handle this and continue.

Accept: Let Go of What’s Out of Your Hands

Never forget, you cannot control everything—especially other people. There are things beyond our control, and it is then we must step aside.

When you have established all the liability safeguards, you might still have to contend with the issue of a claim. However, with the protection of liability insurance, you have the coverage and the legal services to assist you. As it concerns a claim, you would have the financial backup and professional expertise at your side.

What’s Next: Mindfulness as a Risk Management Habit

Stress can occur predictably or unexpectedly; yet, your choice of reactions remains the same. You can choose to avoid, alter, adapt, or accept the situation. While you might think you have few options or no option at all in handling a stressful event, you actually do have a choice.

In the area of your energy healing practice, you can take initiative and address potentially stressful areas before they become an issue for you. Then if the unthinkable occurs, you are prepared. As a result, you have set up a mindful course of action for yourself.

For your business, mindful decision-making means you have planned ahead and taken the necessary steps to reduce risk. You know you are protected from an event, such as a slip and fall incident, for example. You can deflect stress because you are prepared. Mindful thought for your business means you have looked ahead at the possible stressful events that could occur, and instead of having to react, you are prepared and manage the situation like the pro that you are.

Looking for more ways to protect your practice? Read: 5 Best Practices to Protect Your Energy Work While Staying True to Your Purpose

Want support putting these strategies into action?
EMPA members get access to professional liability insurance, customizable client forms, documentation resources, and risk management tools designed specifically for energy and holistic practitioners. Learn more about EMPA membership and coverage options here.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not provide legal, financial, or medical advice. The examples are general, and coverage may vary by policy. Always refer to your insurance provider or policy language for specific details, as the policy terms take precedence. For legal concerns related to your practice, consult an attorney.