How To Help Others without Losing Yourself - Book Event

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Tuesday, July 15th, 2014
3:00 PM

Burnout is a common experience among those who work in professions that serve others. Individuals in such career paths are at risk of helping and giving beyond what is healthy. Often, this leads to an imbalance between personal and professional life, loss of boundaries, and lack of satisfaction in their field. Debbie Holmes is the author of the new book, How To Help Others without Losing Yourself, a book designed to teach strategies to prevent helper burnout.

�As Helpers, we are pulled in many directions in our jobs. Sometimes it becomes hard to think of anything else, and we can lose who we are along the way.� states Holmes, herself with 18 years as a special education teacher, speaker, and trainer-educator. In her book, she details purposeful ways to re-balance work and personal life, remain energized for the work ahead, and allow time for self-care. Holmes states she wrote the book �Because so many of my friends in the helping professions were falling apart in front of my eyes and having mental health breakdowns. These were good people who were struggling with not having any life outside of work and were not able to deal with the overwhelmingly difficult jobs that they had.� How to Help Others without Losing Yourself instructs readers how to maintain their identity and reminds them that life is about more than work.


Debbie's goal is for everyone to take away something from the talk - she wants people to know that it respecting your clients and especially yourself is key, how to balance work, activities and/or family, respect other people�s values without compromising your own, laughter is the best medicine � it might not cure all, but it comes close and more!


Educator-turned-author Debbie Holmes has dedicated her life to helping others. She has spent the last 18 years teaching academics and life skills to youth and adults in the Surrey School District, one of the largest school districts in western Canada. Specializing in the areas of special education and career development, Debbie�s passion is to assist others in reaching their life goals. She regularly consults with area school districts to advance these programs and improve resources for her students. An accomplished speaker, Debbie hosts workshops to strengthen community programs for at-risk youth, and she is a frequent presenter at the Career Education Society Conference. Additionally, she is a member of the Crime Reduction Strategy Committee for the developmentally disabled in Surrey, BC. Debbie�s heart for serving others extends also to her peers in helping professions. She is part of a Train-The-Trainer Series team which assists helper-educators to develop essential skills to prevent and reduce burnout in front line workers. Her book, How to Help Others without Losing Yourself, draws on Debbie�s extensive experience as an educator and consultant to those in serving professions, teaching strategies to maintain a healthy life balance, set parameters, and make vital choices which energize helpers for service.