Implementation Challenges of The B.O.T Approach
Professionalism in the medical area is mostly portrayed by the ability to function fast under pressure. Sitting next to a woman and listening to her is not perceived as part of the healthcare provider's professionalism, but rather than a gesture of goodwill.
Expressing emotional challenges is mainly perceived as weakness in hospitals' organizational culture. Therefore, many healthcare providers avoid sharing these challenges.
'Feeling without skin' – While learning and practicing somatic awareness as practical tool, midwives became very self-aware, therfore felt without the 'skin'. The challenge was to maintain a support mechanism while elaborating somatic awareness.
The offer to slow down, get into a mindful state and pay attention to oneself seems like an oxymoron for a proffesional in medical setting.
The empathy paradox: On one hand, healthcare-providers desire to have a bond with their patients and be emotionally involved, but at the same time they detach themselves, since greater empathic identification increases their risk of experiencing compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress.
