Dentaltown November 2013 - (Page 48)

stress management feature continued from page 47 The truth is, you don't know how anyone would react to the idea of you talking with a coach/therapist. Irrational fear, propelled by social stigma around mental health services, prevents you from using all the tools and resources at your disposal to reduce your stress and work to your full potential. Myth: Coaches and therapists are too expensive. Fact: There are a wide range of service fees for all service professionals. A very familiar objection dentists hear from patients is about money. This is also true with coaches and therapists. Too often people wait until the pain is so severe that they have no choice but to pay whatever fee to whomever they can find to help them. In dentistry, with this mentality, patients can lose teeth. In the world of mental health, people can lose lives. "You deserve to live the life you love every day; not when it's so bad you're digging out of a deep hole." The reality of stress and the havoc it can have on a dental professional is nothing compared to the cost of coaching services. Total up all of the money you spend each year on things that help you feel better about your practice and life with superficial results (cars, large homes, elaborate vacations, clothes, gym memberships, etc.). Add in the loss of case acceptance, patient retention, team engagement, new patient conversion and business growth because your stress levels don't allow you to connect. Lastly, throw in time spent worrying and being the victim to your stress, what you'd lose in a divorce or business separation and time lost with your kids. These costs will far exceed the price of a coach/therapist. It pays to get professional help. Myth: Getting professional help is unnecessary when you can just talk to friends and family. Fact: Friends and family have an emotional attachment to the decisions you make, while coaches and therapists remain neutral. Best intentioned, loving family and friends don't like to see each other in pain so they often minimize mental health concerns. It's not uncommon for a well-meaning family member to say it's just a phase, a trusted friend to tell you to get over it or a colleague to chalk it up to the way dentistry has always been, and the way it will always be. When dealing with stress-related issues, these suggestions are misguided solutions. Coaches and therapists are trained to maintain "detached involvement." This is when a coach can stay fully present in the situation while not taking on the emotional connection of the client. Detached involvement is important in any coaching as it allows for the mental health partner to ask difficult and pertinent questions that allows the client to see additional solutions and remove possible roadblocks getting in the way of goals. Coaches/therapists are also trained to challenge your beliefs, identify your irrational fears, provide advice when and only when it serves you and help you create effective action plans that will permanently reduce your stress while getting you to your goals. Myth: I don't have the time to leave during office hours to go talk to someone. Fact: Most coaches and more therapists utilize modern technologies to connect with their clients. The idea of going to a coach/therapist office filled with leather sofas and fake plants is no longer the way of mental health support. Just like dentistry has modernized with technology, so has the formula for working with a coach/therapist. Secured websites allow coaches/therapists to have meaningful talks with their clients without fear of Internet hacking or breach of confidentiality. Cell phones make it easy for clients to reach out for in-themoment coaching. E-mail on phones allows clients/coaches to follow up, cheer-on and comment on the day's events. The benefits of these sessions are endless. Most coaches/therapists can charge less since their expenses are lower. You have the session where you feel most comfortable (yes, even poolside). Early morning, mid-afternoon or late night hours are easier to maintain because you have the luxury of logging in from wherever you are. Myth: Sharing "failures" with others is too embarrassing and I'll look stupid. Fact: Professional partners don't see your failures, they see your opportunities. The fear of being embarrassed and looking stupid is selfdeprecating, pejorative language that continues to seclude and isolate dental professionals from a network of support. One excellent way to interrupt your thought patterns is to ask, "How true is that?" How true is it that working with professional partners is embarrassing? Or that they would find you stupid? Probably not true at all. The simple fact is you are a dentist or dental professional, clinically trained to fix teeth, change smiles, get people out of pain and prescribe medications. Professional partners do not interpret your lack of knowledge in their respected areas as an indication of your intelligence. Quite the opposite. Professional partners admire people who know their limitations, want to focus on what they do best and understand sometimes it takes a village to grow a dental practice. continued on page 50 48 NOVEMBER 2013 » dentaltown.com http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown November 2013

Dentaltown.com Highlights
Howard Speaks: Not Getting it Done? Hire a Consultant
Professional Courtesy: Painful Advertising
Continuing Education Update
Second Opinion: The Role of Teamwork in the Third Era of Medicine
Deprogrammed Open Bite Can Help with Veneers
Bruxism Worse with Splint
Corporate Profile: Burbank Dental Laboratory
Product Profile: Eaglesoft 17
Debunking the Social Stigma of Stress
The Personal Side of Stress
In Your Face: Facing the Realities of Stress in Dentistry
When Tragedy Strikes: How to Prepare for and Recover from a Natural Disaster
The Latex Problem: It’s More Complicated Than You Think
Why Dentists Require Specific Exercise
How Much Money Can You Make When You’re Dead?
Denture Stabilizations with Small-diameter Implants
You Should Know: CrownMen
Product Profile: Synergy
Product Profile: NuSmiles ZR
Continuing Education: The New Evolution of Chariside CAD/CAM Technology
Ad Index
In This Issue: Dry Brush Inside Bottom Teeth First
Perio Reports
Dentally Incorrect
101 Ways to Reduce Stress
Achieving Goal Congruency

Dentaltown November 2013