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Burnt Toast: When Burnt Toast: When Jamming Leads to Jamming Leads to

BurnoutBurnout

John C. Thomas, Ph.D., John C. Thomas, Ph.D., Ph.D., CEAPPh.D., CEAP

Associate Professor of Associate Professor of CounselingCounseling

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What is stressful about being an EAP What is stressful about being an EAP professional?professional?

What is stressful about working with What is stressful about working with business and industry?business and industry?

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Not simply excessive Not simply excessive stressstress

A complex human A complex human reaction to on-going reaction to on-going stress stress

It is not so much a state It is not so much a state or condition, but a or condition, but a process that can lead to process that can lead to impairmentimpairment

Occurs when the EAP’s Occurs when the EAP’s inner resources are inner resources are inadequate for inadequate for managing tasks and managing tasks and situationssituations

What is Burnout?What is Burnout?

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What is Burnout? (cont)What is Burnout? (cont) ““A state of fatigue or A state of fatigue or

frustration brought frustration brought about by a devotion to a about by a devotion to a cause, a way of life, or a cause, a way of life, or a relationship that failed relationship that failed to produce the expected to produce the expected reward.” reward.” (Freudenberger)(Freudenberger)

Characterized by Characterized by emotional exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and depersonalization, and decreased sense of decreased sense of personal personal accomplishment accomplishment (Maslach & Jackson)(Maslach & Jackson)

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Condition of feeling Condition of feeling “wasted physically, “wasted physically, emotionally, emotionally, spiritually, spiritually, interpersonally, and interpersonally, and behaviorally behaviorally (MacClusky & (MacClusky & Ingersoll)Ingersoll)

An erosion of the An erosion of the spiritspirit

What is Burnout?What is Burnout?

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Burnout FormulaBurnout Formula

High Ideals and Motivation

Depletion of Spirit and Faith in our Capacity to

make a Difference

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Burnout

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Vicarious traumatizationVicarious traumatization Dealing with significant Dealing with significant

client pathologyclient pathology One way intimacy and One way intimacy and

voyeuristic workvoyeuristic work Highly demanding Highly demanding

profession (e.g., on call, profession (e.g., on call, ethical/legal)ethical/legal)

Conflicting clinical needs Conflicting clinical needs and insurance benefitsand insurance benefits

Hazards of the EAPHazards of the EAP

Professional Contributors

Reputation assaultsReputation assaults Threat of lawsuitsThreat of lawsuits Salary and perk Salary and perk

issuesissues Multiplicity of rolesMultiplicity of roles Administration vs. Administration vs.

clinical overloadclinical overload Working alone / Working alone /

isolationisolation Job securityJob security InterruptionsInterruptions

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Job intensity Job intensity (workload)(workload)

Administrative Administrative supportsupport

FeedbackFeedback Social support from Social support from

colleaguescolleagues Confidence in Confidence in

leadershipleadership Adequacy of Adequacy of

supervisionsupervision

Hazards of the EAPHazards of the EAP

Organizational Contributors

PoliticsPolitics Organizational Organizational

climateclimate Poor reward systemPoor reward system UnfairnessUnfairness Hierarchically Hierarchically

control decision-control decision-makingmaking

UnethicalUnethical

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Fragile self-esteemFragile self-esteem Need to rescue Need to rescue

othersothers Perceived need for Perceived need for

approval / approval / acceptanceacceptance

ConscientiousnessConscientiousness Attributional styleAttributional style

Hazards of the EAPHazards of the EAP

Individual Vulnerability Contributors

PessimisticPessimistic Lack of intimacy in Lack of intimacy in

personal lifepersonal life Workaholic Workaholic

mentalitymentality Confusion of role Confusion of role

identity with self-identity with self-imageimage

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Unresolved Unresolved countertransferencecountertransference

Perceived control of Perceived control of work environmentwork environment

Identification with Identification with clientsclients

Psychological Psychological magnificationmagnification

Hazards of the EAPHazards of the EAP

Cognitive Contributors

Deriving too much Deriving too much self-esteem from self-esteem from workwork

Disparity between Disparity between expectations and expectations and realityreality

Taking self too Taking self too seriouslyseriously

NegativityNegativity

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Inability to shut off therapeutic stanceInability to shut off therapeutic stance Interference from personal lives Interference from personal lives

(balance)(balance) Poorly defined boundariesPoorly defined boundaries Time management problemsTime management problems Poor social supportPoor social support Poor coping strategiesPoor coping strategies

Hazards of the EAPHazards of the EAP

Behavioral Contributors

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On-going feelings of frustrationOn-going feelings of frustration Level of anger and irritabilityLevel of anger and irritability Feelings associated with clients’ not Feelings associated with clients’ not

getting bettergetting better OverwhelmedOverwhelmed

Hazards of the EAPHazards of the EAP

Emotional Contributors

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Stages of BurnoutStages of Burnout

Stress Arousal

Burnout

Vulnerable

Exhaustion

Energy Conservati

on

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Stages of BurnoutStages of Burnout

Stress Arousal

Burnout

Vulnerable

Exhaustion

Energy Conservati

on

Irritable, Anxious, HBP, Increased Heart Rate Bruxism, Insomnia, Headaches, Forgetful, Poor Concentration,

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Stages of BurnoutStages of Burnout

Stress Arousal

Burnout

Vulnerable

Exhaustion

Energy Conservati

on

Late for Work, Apathy, Procrastinate, Fatigue, Cynical, Resentful, Need 3 Day Weekends, Isolation, Drink More, Miss Deadlines

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Stages of BurnoutStages of Burnout

Stress Arousal

Burnout

Vulnerable

Exhaustion

Energy Conservati

on

Chronic Sadness or Depression, Headaches, Mental Fatigue, Desire to “Drop Out”, GI Problems, Numb

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Chronic fatigueChronic fatigue Lower illness Lower illness

resistanceresistance Substance abuseSubstance abuse MalaiseMalaise GI problemsGI problems InsomniaInsomnia

Burnout FalloutBurnout Fallout

Physical Fallout

HBPHBP Tachycardia Tachycardia Cholesterol Cholesterol

problemsproblems HeadachesHeadaches Exhaustion Exhaustion Long term to Long term to

reboundrebound

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Suppress emotionSuppress emotion DiscouragedDiscouraged AnxiousAnxious ResentmentResentment Guilt / ShameGuilt / Shame LiabilityLiability Chronic sadnessChronic sadness

Burnout FalloutBurnout Fallout

Emotional Fallout

DepressionDepression Emotional Emotional

exhaustionexhaustion ApathyApathy HelplessnessHelplessness PowerlessPowerless DespairDespair

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CynicismCynicism Sense of inefficiencySense of inefficiency Sense of failureSense of failure StereotypingStereotyping Loss of creativityLoss of creativity Resisting changeResisting change Depersonalizing Depersonalizing

clientsclients

Burnout FalloutBurnout Fallout

Cognitive Fallout

Wanting to “drop Wanting to “drop out”out”

Resistance in Resistance in going to workgoing to work

Self-preoccupationSelf-preoccupation Rigidity in thinkingRigidity in thinking Spiritual deadnessSpiritual deadness NegativityNegativity

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ComplainingComplaining BlamingBlaming Late to workLate to work AbsenteeismAbsenteeism Withdrawing / Withdrawing /

IsolationIsolation Clock watchingClock watching Postponing phone Postponing phone

callscalls

Burnout FalloutBurnout Fallout

Behavioral Fallout

Assuming additional Assuming additional responsibilityresponsibility

Sacrifice life for Sacrifice life for workwork

Cannot say “no” Cannot say “no” Substance abuseSubstance abuse Relationship Relationship

problemsproblems Act outAct out

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The Fallout of BurnoutThe Fallout of Burnout Frustration replaces Challenge Frustration replaces Challenge Fear replaces CourageFear replaces Courage Cynicism replace CompassionCynicism replace Compassion Carelessness replaces CautionCarelessness replaces Caution Convention replaces CreativityConvention replaces Creativity Compromise replaces ConvictionCompromise replaces Conviction Disengagement replaces Collaboration Disengagement replaces Collaboration Depersonalization replaces CommunityDepersonalization replaces Community Liability replaces ControlLiability replaces Control Exhaustion replaces Charge (Energy)Exhaustion replaces Charge (Energy) Apathy replaces Commitment (Enthusiasm) Apathy replaces Commitment (Enthusiasm) Ineffectiveness replaces CompetenceIneffectiveness replaces Competence

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Why Change Doesn’t Why Change Doesn’t OccurOccur

We automatically follow our “old We automatically follow our “old unconscious maps” unconscious maps”

These old maps continue to drive These old maps continue to drive behavior since behavior since we have experience with themwe have experience with them we do not have experience with alternate we do not have experience with alternate

behaviorbehavior Burned-out people do not believe they Burned-out people do not believe they

can change or need to changecan change or need to change Low energy Low energy

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Preventing Burnout: Preventing Burnout: PREVENTIONSPREVENTIONS

P = Probe (self-assess)= Probe (self-assess)R = Resourcefulness = Resourcefulness

(commitment)(commitment)E = Evolve (grow / counseling)= Evolve (grow / counseling)V = Vitality (health)= Vitality (health)E = Entertainment (leisure / = Entertainment (leisure /

fun)fun)N = Network (social support)= Network (social support)T = Time-Out (relax & refuel)= Time-Out (relax & refuel)I = Influence (locus of control)= Influence (locus of control)O = Off-Load (margin)= Off-Load (margin)N = Needs Met= Needs Met

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Personal NeedsPersonal Needs

AcceptanceAcceptance ApprovalApproval AffectionAffection AchievementAchievement AutonomyAutonomy

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Preventing Burnout: Preventing Burnout: PREVENTIONSPREVENTIONS

P = Probe (self-assess)= Probe (self-assess)R = Resourcefulness = Resourcefulness

(commitment)(commitment)E = Evolve (grow / counseling)= Evolve (grow / counseling)V = Vitality (health)= Vitality (health)E = Entertainment (leisure / = Entertainment (leisure /

fun)fun)N = Network (social support)= Network (social support)T = Time-Out (relax & refuel)= Time-Out (relax & refuel)I = Influence (locus of control)= Influence (locus of control)O = Off-Load (margin)= Off-Load (margin)N = Needs Met= Needs Met

S = Spirituality (faith)= Spirituality (faith)

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Preventing Burnout at WorkPreventing Burnout at WorkJ = Job Fit= Job FitO = Orientation to the = Orientation to the

FutureFutureB = Balanced Decision-= Balanced Decision-

MakingMaking

W = Workload Allocation= Workload AllocationE = Engagement with Work = Engagement with Work L = Legitimacy (fairness)= Legitimacy (fairness)L = Limit Job Spillover= Limit Job SpilloverN = Network (community)= Network (community)E = Evaluate the = Evaluate the

OrganizationOrganizationS = Supervisory Support= Supervisory SupportS = System of Reward = System of Reward