Mental Health Budget Worksheet
By
Amy Caitlin de Wet
| Reviewed by
Dr Sabina Alispahic (PhD)
The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.
Author bio
Amy de Wet is an Educational Psychologist with a special interest in psychological assessments, child psychology, and trauma.
Amy de Wet’s Highlights:
- Presenting at an International Conference regarding traumatic brain injury and expressive arts therapy ( Russia 2016)
- Master’s in Educational Psychology from the University of Johannesburg
- Working within the field of Neurodiversity and mental health
Professional experience
Amy de Wet works in varied settings offering valuable psychotherapeutic services to children, adolescents, adults, and their families. Focusing on school-related communities, Amy works directly with her clients, offering safety and containment as they process their internal and external worlds. Amy also works within the Neurodiverse community offering training, therapy, and support for parents, teachers, and individuals with neurodiversity. Amy believes in the use of expressive arts in the work that she does and incorporates this beneficial medium into her work. Amy draws from a variety of theories including psychoanalytic, DBT, CBT, and mindfulness.
Certifications
Lefika La’Phodisa: Community Art Counselling Certificate
Speech and Drama College South Africa: Speech and Drama Teacher Licentiate
Education
University of Johannesburg: Master’s in Educational Psychology (cum laude)
University of South Africa: Honours in Psychology
University of Witwatersrand: Bachelors in Performing and Visual Arts
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/amy-de-wet-65188b64
Reviewer bio
Dr Sabina Alispahic, PhD, is a psychologist and gestalt psychotherapist with expertise in clinical and health psychology.
Dr Sabina Alispahic’s Highlights:
- Associate Professor at the University of Sarajevo for the past 12 years
- PhD in psychology at the University of Zagreb
- European Certificate of Psychotherapy
Professional experience
Dr Alispahic pioneered innovative teaching methods as an associate professor of clinical and health psychology, inspiring a new generation of mental health professionals while contributing to the field for over 12 years. Also, she empowered individuals across the globe as an online psychotherapist, delivering life-changing therapy and earning a reputation for compassionate care and exceptional results. She has demonstrated expertise in a range of therapeutic approaches (CBT, ACT, Gestalt, mindfulness, and family constellations).
Certifications
European Certificate of Psychotherapy (Education in Gestalt Psychotherapy Training of the Malta Institute)
Eight-week stress reduction mindfulness programme, Society of Psychologists in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Education
2009-2013 University of Zagreb, Faculty of Philosophy, Postgraduate Doctoral Studies in Psychology
2004-2008 University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Philosophy, Master Studies, Department of Psychology
Publications
Books
Alispahic. S. (2021). Selected topics from psychotherapy Sarajevo: TDP.
Alispahic. S. (2020). Online psychotherapy. Handbook for psychotherapists and clients Sarajevo: TDP.
Alispahic, S., and Godinjak, A. (2018). (R)evolution of the doctor-patient relationship. Sarajevo: TDP.
Alispahic, S. (2016). The psychology of pain Sarajevo: Faculty of Philosophy (e-publication, Bosnian language): https://ebooks.ff.unsa.ba/index.php/ebooks_ffunsa/catalog/book/29
Book chapters
Alispahic, S. (2018). Psychological Theory and Therapy of Traumatic Memory In: A. Hamburger (ur.), Trauma, Trust, and Memory: Social Trauma and Reconciliation in Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy, and Cultural Memory, 23-35. London and New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Markovic Pavlovic, M., Alispahic, S., and Dautbegovic, A. (2015). Psychology of Nonkilling in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Knowledge and Attitudes of Students Towards Nonkilling Culture. In: R. Bahtijaragic i J. E. Pim (ur.), Nonkilling Balkans, 171-183. Honolulu: Centre for Global Nonkilling, and Sarajevo: Faculty of Philosophy.
Link: http://nonkilling.org/pdf/nkbalkans.pdf
Articles
Alispahic, S., & Alispahic, B. (2021). Definition of police psychology: The role of psychologists in the police. Technium Soc. Sci. J., 17, 235-244.
Link: https://techniumscience.com/index.php/socialsciences/article/view/2678
Alispahic, S., Hasanbegovic-Anic, E., & Tuce, Đ. (2021). Big Five Personality Traits as Predictors of Mindfulness: A Study on a Bosnian Sample. Epiphany, 14(1), 146-155.
Link: http://epiphany.ius.edu.ba/index.php/epiphany/article/view/357
Alispahic, S. & Hodžić Küreç, A. (2021). How does yoga affect health? Yoga teachers’ experiences. International Scientific Journal of Kinesiology, Vol. 12, 2, 135-140.
Hasanbegovic-Anic, E., Sandic, A., and Alispahic, S. (2018). Prevention of substance abuse in children and adolescents: an evidence-based practice approach. Epiphany, 11(1), 11-30.
Link: http://epiphany.ius.edu.ba/index.php/epiphany/article/view/280
Alispahic, S. and Hasanbegovic-Anic, E. (2017). Mindfulness: Age and Gender Differences in a Bosnian Sample. Psychological Thought, Vol. 10 (1), 155–166.
Hadziahmetovic, N., Alispahic, S., Tuce, Đ., i Hasanbegovic-Anic, E. (2016). Therapist interpersonal style and therapy benefit as determinants of client personality self-reports in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vojnosanit Pregl, 73 (2): 135–145.
Alispahic, S., Hasanbegovic-Anic, E., Tuce, Đ., Hadziahmetovic, N., Sandic, A. (2014). Characteristics of Patients Involved in Psychotherapy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Journal of Health Sciences, 4 (1): 4-6.
Link: https://www.jhsci.ba/ojs/index.php/jhsci/article/view/142
Alispahic, S. (2013). Motivational function of plans and goals. Psychological Thought, Vol. 6 (2), 96–203.
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258225796_Motivational_Function_of_Plans_and_Goals
Professional profiles
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sabina-Alispahic
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=hr&user=TnYiVK0AAAAJ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabina-alispahić/
Download Worksheet
Video & audio overview of the worksheet
What is the theory behind the worksheet?
Most people don’t think twice about the energy it takes to get up, shower, get dressed, and do their everyday tasks or go to work. Most people can make plans for the day or the rest of the week…and keep them.
Christine Miserandino lives with lupus, a chronic condition that affects her skin and joints and causes her pain and fatigue. She formed Spoon theory in 2003 over dinner while trying to explain to her friend in simplified terms how people with chronic conditions wake up each day with limited energy (spoons) to spend on tasks. Why spoons? Miserandino was searching for a way to explain how she had to budget her limited energy resources every day. She handed her friend 12 spoons. Each spoon represented a finite unit of energy. She asked her friend to describe the typical activities in her day.
Miserandino took away a spoon for every single task: showering, getting dressed, driving to work in traffic, and so on. When the spoons were gone, it meant there was barely any energy to do anything else.
Since then, Spoon Theory has been used to explain the complex energy expenditure choices people living with chronic illness and disability make each day. Spoon Theory is also a valuable tool for the ‘spoonie’. They can quantify their energy expenditure and not have unreasonable expectations of themselves.
But how does Spoon Theory relate to Mental Health?
It is easy to spot a person with a broken leg. One is immediately able to make allowances for this person (or yourself!) when they say, “I can’t do this right now; the pain is too much, and I am too tired”.
But many chronic illnesses are ‘invisible conditions’. There are no obvious visual signals alerting others to someone’s pain or fatigue. Spoon Theory brings visibility to lived experiences. It is a way to explain to anyone how, where, and when they spend their limited energy resources.
Why not use Spoon Theory as a tool to cope with your mental health challenges, another ‘invisible condition’? You also have limited mental reserves. Why not budget them?
How will the worksheet help?
Without trying to simplify a mental health condition, Spoon Theory can be a practical hands-on way to budget your own energy and capacities, especially when many demands are being placed on you.
You can use Spoon Theory if certain tasks or activities cause you to experience anxiety. Maybe dealing with meeting new people, answering your phone, or being in a crowd causes you great anxiety. Spoon Theory can help you budget your energy and exposure to situations on certain days when demands are high.
Someone with depression may have days when getting out of bed costs them one spoon on a good day, but three spoons on a bad day. Using Spoon Theory will help them budget the rest of their spoons over the course of the day so that they don’t crash before the end of the day.
Neurodiverse people can use the Spoon analogy to recognize and explain why some tasks cost more spoons than others. And why they may need more spoons for a particular task than a neurotypical person.
In terms of Mental Health Budgeting, remember that if you had a bad day yesterday, or did not sleep well, then you are already starting the day with a spoon deficit! Be kind and gentle to yourself.
Maybe Spoon Theory can help you explain to a partner why one day you paint a room, make an extravagant dinner, and go for a two-mile hike, and yet on another day, you consider yourself a hero for getting out of bed and dressed!
How to use the worksheet?
Part One: The Budget
Before you begin any budgeting exercise, you need to recognize the total amount of whatever it is you need. This Part of the worksheet will take you a few days to complete. You will need to mindfully record your levels of anxiety, for example, when you are doing different things. Translate the level of anxiety (or energy) into a number of spoons. The more spoons, the more taxing the task. Some activities, like watching TV, may require no spoons and can add feelings of well-being.
Part Two: The Tracker
Now you will go about planning how you intend to use your spoon budget each day. Remember, each day will be different!
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References
1.-
Miserandino, C. (n.d). The Spoon Theory. https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
