How to Thrive in Professional Practice

This engaging book pulls together the individual strains of self-care, spirituality and common sense. It is a one-stop ‘bible’ to give social workers and other professionals an uncomplicated, easy to read resource that empowers them to manage and maintain their well-being through personal responsibility and self-care.

The world today is fast paced and societal expectations for impeccable service are high. We cannot always alter the demands of our professional or personal lives, but by actively pursuing well-being we can enhance skills to support open discussion in supervision (or in personal reflection) so that individuals (and organisations) can successfully rise to meet challenges head on and reduce the risks associated with burnout.

Building on the authors’ years of personal experience, this book

• Brings together everything professionals need for their own self-care through a range of practical activities
• Gives you tried and tested self-care ideas backed by the latest research
• Allows you as professionals to take a holistic approach to a range of subjects that people usually explore in isolation. 

1. Self-care; the fundamental principles
2. Sleep: nutrition of the mind
3. Nutrition: the impact of what you eat and drink
4. Exercise: how moving more means you get more done
5. Mind full or mindful: giving yourself space
6. Achieving professional emotional regulation; the impact of organisation and person
7. Being organised to fuel productivity: how do you know what you need to do and how do you do it
8. Finding your motivation mojo: making a start's the hardest part
9. Maintaining the resilient professional

Stephen J Mordue has 19 years’ experience in social work, initially as a practitioner and team manager working with older people and for the last seven years as a lecturer in social work specialising in adult care and the Mental Capacity Act and Beat Interests Assessment. He works at the University of Sunderland.

Lisa Watson has over 25 years' experience of working in health and social care settings, ranging from Occupational Therapy to Social Work. She graduated as a mature student, from Sunderland University with BA (Hons) Social Work in 2008.

Following job demands and burnout, she took a career break for two years and set up a holistic business, undertook training in mindfulness and life coaching. Spiritual in her approach to life and practice, Lisa resumed social work and passionately teaches others about the importance of professional self-care. Lisa lives in Sunderland and in her spare time enjoys reading, music and all things spiritual.

Steph Hunter has been a social worker for 23 years. During her career, she has worked in Cafcass, children and families, and substance misuse. The main focus of her career has been children's mental health and she managed an award-winning mental health service for children and adopted children for over a decade. This won three national awards and three regional NHS awards. From 2015 to 2019 Steph was a Senior Lecturer at Sunderland University.