Psychotherapist Margaret Francis needs you to take part in the first large scale research into mental wellbeing in funeral service
Most people cannot understand why we do the job we do. Working in the funeral profession can be one of the most rewarding careers going, but does it come at a cost?
Studies show the most challenging workplace experiences include running your own business, working to strict deadlines, being surrounded by grieving people, handling human remains, being sleep deprived, working long and unsociable hours, and having to constantly keep your emotions in check.
That’s a typical day for a funeral director.
Stress at work can impact relationships and family life, but good support networks help people manage stress and improve mental wellbeing. Research demonstrates caring for others, acts of kindness, and empathy positively impact mental wellbeing.
You’ve no doubt heard it takes a special person to do this job. It’s true. We have to be strong, resilient, sensitive and caring to work with families at their absolute rock bottom. But what’s often overlooked is that even special people may need support. If we’re going to work to the best of our ability, we need to take a step back now and then to see how we’re doing personally.
The mental health of the nation is gaining more attention generally and many efforts have been made to assess the impact of distressing work in the NHS, military and emergency services.
Until now, no large scale studies have looked at levels of the most common mental health conditions in the UK funeral profession. But now is a good time to do so.
I’ve worked in the profession for 16 years, initially in funeral work, these days as a psychotherapist, running a bereavement centre. I’m studying for a professional doctorate at the University of Portsmouth and I invite you to take part in the first study of its kind.
We will assess the frequency of symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout (emotional exhaustion), and levels of happiness. We will also explore whether certain groups are more likely to experience good or poor mental health.
The more participants we have, the more accurate our assessment will be. Please don’t think this study doesn’t apply to you because your mental health is fine. We need to hear from funeral workers in all roles and of all levels of mental health, otherwise we’ll get a skewed and inaccurate result.
To find out more about taking part in the Exploring the Mental Health of the UK Funeral Profession study please visit the link below or scan the QR code.
https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/portsmouth/exploring-the-mental-health-of-the-uk-funeral-profession