WHY EUSTRESSIN'?: ERIC CAPEHART
Being an entrepreneur is difficult. Being an entrepreneur and a professional counselor is extremely difficult. I know from experience. But it was great to have an opportunity to learn how Eric manages it all while adding Eustress to his life. Check it out!
HEY ERIC, WHY EUSTRESSIN’?
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING/ HOW LONG?
10 + years as an Entrepreneur and 5 years as a Professional Counselor
DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IN YOUR PROFESSION?
Yes, all the time.
WHAT UNIQUE CHALLENGES DO YOU ENCOUNTER SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR JOB THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH THAT OTHERS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT?
When dealing with issues that affect children I have a soft spot in my heart. I also have elected not to work with people who have assaulted children in any way.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT YOU SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WHEN TAKING ON DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES?
I knew early on in my career when I founded my first company which is a mentorship org for black males. I would spend hours at the homes of my members and realized that in order for me to not burn out I needed to make sure to have a solid self care plan to decompress. Being a mental health therapist I realized that every day I hear the worst of people’s lives therefore like at my mentoring company I needed to have time to just relax my mind and escape the worries of my own life and those of other people too.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THOSE STRESSORS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
The way I manage my stress is by identifying stress points in my life and addressing it. For example, I find myself living a fast paced stressed filled life with two young children. In response to that I go to the gym 3 days a week to do high intensity interval training. I also use apps to help with manage my finances, sleep and meditation.
HOW DOES BEING MENTALLY HEALTHY HELP YOU IN YOUR FIELD OF WORK OR ON THE JOB?
If my mental health is not stable I cannot effectively do my job.
WHAT DOES EUSTRESS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU AT WORK? AT HOME/AWAY FROM WORK?
Good stress in my work is stress that helps me grow as a therapist. For example, difficult clients who challenge me to find new approaches to helping them move from where they are to where they want to be.
WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD TELL SOMEONE JUST STARTING IN YOUR PROFESSION OR A YOUNG PERSON WHO ASPIRES TO BE THE PROFESSIONAL THAT YOU ARE?
I would tell them to first find a therapist for themselves. In order to be a good helper I believe you need to sit in the clients seat per se'. I would then encourage a strong self care plan and identify a target population you feel the most comfortable with so that you can become a sought after expert in that specific population
ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU’RE UP TO?
I've been married to my wife for nearly 8 years, I have two young children and I live my life by 3 leading values of spirituality, family and work ethic. I am an author and professional speaker/trainer for hire.
HOW CAN PEOPLE CONTACT YOU FOR MORE INFORMATION?
Website:
http://ericthecounselor.com
Instagram:
eric_thecounselor
Twitter:
Facebook:
