Counselor Burnout

Sheila M. Bennett

Fall 2007

What Is Burnout?Definitions include: Physical, emotional &

attitudinal exhaustion Goes beyond fatigue…

hallmark is the distancing that goes on in response to the overload

What Is Burnout?Definitions include: Happens when people feel out of

control or feel a lack of recognition and reward

One of the biggest contributing factors is a mismatch of values

What Is Burnout?Definitions include: A consequence of a perceived

disparity between the demands of the job and the resources available to him or her—both material and emotional resources

General Symptoms of Burnout Feeling overwhelmed Tired all the time Anger, resentment Cynical Unmotivated Relationship problems

General Symptoms of Burnout Anxiety, Depression Feeling hopeless Physical symptoms include: headache,

GI symptoms, weight change, sleep disturbance

Examples of Counselor Burnout

Mary has been a mental health counselor for 20 years. Her caseload includes the most severely disturbed clients in the center. She sees 8 to 10 clients a day leaving little time for paperwork.

Examples of Counselor Burnout

Jim is a 41 yr, he has been a counselor for ten years. He finds himself becoming overwhelmed with stress. He comes home anxious, irritable, tired, angry and obsessed with his clients’ problems. He feels angry at many of his clients and his co-workers.

Symptoms of Counselor Burnout Bored with counseling No longer attends workshops on new

counseling ideas Wants everything to be perfect but is

very harsh on themselves when they make mistakes.

Symptoms of Counselor Burnout Constantly feel you

should be doing more Withdrawn-feel more

comfortable doing paperwork than interacting with clients

Symptoms of Counselor Burnout Can’t remember why you went into

counseling Take your frustration home with you and

can’t get away from it Worry excessively about your clients and

their problems

Symptoms of Counselor Burnout

Count the days until your next vacation

Don’t take good care of yourself!

Causes of Counselor Burnout Excessive case load Too many extremely difficult cases Lack of administrative and peer support Inadequate salaries Lack of Client Interest—too many court

referrals

Causes of Counselor Burnout Difficulty in advancement Lack of support from family and friends Conflict in job perceptions Unfamiliarity with diagnostics Unwillingness to seek guidance from

others

Causes of Counselor Burnout Fear for personal safety Frequent changes in rules and

regulations Lack of paper work time

i.e. behind in paperwork

What You Can Do About Burnout

Learn more about diagnostics and therapy

Share information, talk to your colleagues, network

Learn to say “no”

What You Can Do About Burnout Identify your main goals Do relaxation activities Organize time and set priorities Maintain a good diet Exercise

What You Can Do About Burnout Leave your counseling at work Pursue a project or hobby Don’t procrastinate on paperwork Don’t feel that you must do everything Keep a “things to do” list

What You Can Do About Burnout

Recognize and accept your own limitations

Learn to tolerate and forgive

Get moving, take action!Learn to play!

What Your Employer Can Do About Burnout

Allow time for counselors to collaborate/talk

Provide more workshops, in-services, advanced courses, etc.

Provide more verbal praise & reinforcement for the job

What Your Employer Can Do About Burnout Provide more clerical assistance Provide more educational opportunities

to learn about counseling Provide more social activities and

“retreats”

Compassion Fatigue Sometimes thought of as a special form of

burnout, compassion fatigue effects people in the caring professions—doctors, nurses, counselors, ministers, etc

Compassion fatigue results from caring to the point that you are drained of empathy

Compassion Fatigue Compassion fatigue is sometimes referred to

as “secondary PTSD” or “Secondary traumatic stress”

It occurs after expending a great deal of energy and compassion to others over an extended period of time

Compassion Fatigue Compassion Fatigue sometimes occurs due to

unrealistic expectations—i.e. we can “cure” everyone

People with CF feel used up at the end of everyday

They often have no life outside the office They have given so much there is nothing left

to give

Overcoming Compassion Fatigue Learn to recognize the symptoms before it

becomes full blown Do something different at work if you can Take some time off Eat right and exercise, get plenty of sleep Spend time with family and freinds

Overcoming Compassion Fatigue Get in touch with your spiritual side Take up a hobby or take a class Do research on something you are interested

in Meditate Lower your expectations of yourself and

others, celebrate small accomplishments

The End