Fiona described feeling overwhelmed by the demands of her work while Emer
described a serious drain on her energy from such demands, their experiences
representing opposite ends of a continuum, from being flooded to experiencing a
drought. Following these experiences, it seems that their implicit needs in relation to
these ongoing demands may then also differ. Fiona may need to access and develop
more external structure and support for her work to help her withstand times of
flooding (e.g. regular team working, supervision) while Emer may need to build in
The Irish Journal of Psychology 9
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opportunities to replenish herself through times of drought (e.g. regular reflective
time, engaging in ongoing professional or personal development work)