Download - Professional Ethics: Avoiding Burnout
Professional Ethics:Avoiding Burnout
Presented By
Chip Abernathy, LPC, MAC
Competence Is the Issue
Avoiding burnout and professionals’ self-care is Avoiding burnout and professionals’ self-care is often discussed in the area of professional often discussed in the area of professional ethicsethics
Competence to perform our work is the issueCompetence to perform our work is the issue
How well we take care of ourselves affects the How well we take care of ourselves affects the client who seeks our help client who seeks our help
Professionals
For the sake of consistency in this presentation, counselors will be the professionals noted in the examples given. However, any helping professional could be used in the examples, i.e. doctors, pharmacists, nurses, lawyers, etc.
Burnout Syndrome
Maslach and Jackson (1981) define burnout as a syndrome characterized by emotional
exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced feelings of accomplishment that affects individuals in the helping professions
Emotional Exhaustion
Emotional exhaustion involves feelings of being emotionally drained by one’s job
Emotional Exhaustion – Patient PerceptionsWhat does emotional exhaustion look like or sound
like to patients? My counselor… Has mentioned changing careers Seems depressed Seems drained and fatigued Seems frustrated by his job Seems to be at the end of her rope
Depersonalization
Depersonalization involves the development of negative, cynical attitudes towards clients
Depersonalization – Patient PerceptionsWhat does depersonalization look like or sound
like to patients? My counselor… Doesn’t seem to care about me Seems to view patients negatively Blames me for my problems Cuts interactions short Doesn’t listen very closely to me
Reduced Personal Accomplishment
Reduced personal accomplishment is characterized by feelings of ineffectiveness in one’s professional role
Reduced Personal Accomplishment – Patient Perceptions What does reduced personal accomplishment look
like or sound like to patients? My counselor… Doesn’t seem very energetic Is tense during interactions Gets rattled easily by the problems I bring up Is sometimes sarcastic towards me Frowns, sighs, rolls his eyes at me Leans away from me and seems disinterested in
my problems
Expectations of the ProfessionalClients come to professionals with hope that Clients come to professionals with hope that
the the relationshiprelationship with the professional will help with the professional will help to make their lives betterto make their lives better
That is a reasonable expectationThat is a reasonable expectation
We are expected to be competent to do our jobWe are expected to be competent to do our job
Potential Consequences of BurnoutBurned out professionals provide ineffective
treatment
That ineffective treatment leads to High drop-out rates Lack of progress in treatment Legal and ethical liabilities Danger to health, safety and welfare of
clients
Burnout and Perception
Burnout affects how professionals view patients and themselves, and this affects how professionals interact with clients
Additionally, burnout affects how patients view professionals, view themselves, and view the therapeutic relationship
What Kind of Shape Are You In?Our ability to put forth the Our ability to put forth the energy, attentiveness, energy, attentiveness,
and best use of our skillsand best use of our skills towards helping a towards helping a client is largely determined by what kind of client is largely determined by what kind of shape we are in…shape we are in…
Physically Physically Mentally Mentally SpirituallySpiritually
We can reduce stress and enhance our We can reduce stress and enhance our effectiveness, both personally and effectiveness, both personally and professionally, by attending to all these life areas professionally, by attending to all these life areas
How Does Burnout Happen?
Helping professionals become burned out the same way people in other professions do…
We take on too much, We take on too much, We feel underappreciated, and We feel underappreciated, and We feel helpless to change thingsWe feel helpless to change things
We reach a state of mental exhaustion caused by We reach a state of mental exhaustion caused by the perception of being overwhelmedthe perception of being overwhelmed
Burnout is a reaction to stressBurnout is a reaction to stress
Warning Signs of Professional Burnout Some signs of burnout include…
Losing interest and meaning in your work Losing interest and meaning in your work
Distancing from others Distancing from others
Increasing irritability Increasing irritability
Reduced productivity Reduced productivity
Feeling trapped and unable to do anything about it Feeling trapped and unable to do anything about it
Cynicism, fatigue, feeling drainedCynicism, fatigue, feeling drained
Feeling “oppressed” by the system at workFeeling “oppressed” by the system at work
Job Burnout Symptoms Questions Are you more cynical,
critical and sarcastic at work?
Do you drag yourself into work and have trouble getting started once you arrive?
Are you less patient and more irritable with co-workers?
Are you using food, alcohol/other drugs, or compulsive behaviors to feel better or to not feel?
Have your sleep habits or appetite changed?
Job Burnout Symptoms Questions (Continued) Do you feel
insurmountable barriers at work?
Do you lack the energy to be productive?
Do you have a hard time laughing at yourself?
Do you have unexplained headaches, neck pain or lower back pain?
A ‘yes’ could indicate burnout - or a mental health issue such as depression which needs professional attention
What I Can Do
In order to avoid or to recover from burnout, weIn order to avoid or to recover from burnout, weneed to look at need to look at
what we what we can can do do rather than whatrather than what
we cannot we cannot do to deal with our problemsdo to deal with our problems
Burnout Prevention
Taking steps to prevent burnout is the best way to Taking steps to prevent burnout is the best way to avoid itavoid it
Practice good stress management on a daily Practice good stress management on a daily basisbasis
Know the warning signs for burnout Know the warning signs for burnout Have management strategies in place should Have management strategies in place should
warning signs appearwarning signs appear
Management Strategies for Burnout –Professional Area of Your LifeProfessional Area Consult with colleagues and have clinical or peer
supervision regularly Have a variety of therapeutic approaches Belong to a professional organization Stay current on ethical standards and changes
in laws
Management Strategies – Professional Area (Continued)
Avoid dual relationships Document well Have continuing education Seek therapy as needed
Management Strategies for Burnout –Personal Area of Your LifePersonal Area Be aware of how you are doing physically,
mentally and spiritually Make the effort to take care of yourself when
concerns arise Pay attention especially to learning sound stress
management skills and practice those skills
Taking Care of Myself –PhysicallySome ways that I can take care or myself
physically are to Eat a nutritious diet Exercise Get plenty of rest Drink enough water Have regular checkups with my doctors and my
dentist - follow their advice – and see other practitioners as needed
Taking Care of Myself – MentallyI can take care of my mental health by Making time for family and friends Expressing my thoughts, feelings and needs Taking vacations, honoring time off planned Having hobbies Making fun a priority Doing enjoyable things Being open to new learning So many other ways – name a few of your own
Taking Care of Myself –SpirituallySome ways I can enhance my spiritual health are
to Be flexible Be honest Be curious – remain teachable Practice spiritual principles, esp. love, kindness,
open-mindedness, willingness Practice prayer and meditation Help others
It All Works Together
Body, mind, and spirit all work together
When I am taking care of my body, my mind and my spirit, I am less likely to become burned out and more likely to be effective and competent as a professional
Growth
In his book The Road Less Traveled (p. 11)
M. Scott Peck, M.D. asserts that there is “no distinction between the process of achieving spiritual growth and achieving mental growth. They are one and the same.”
Stress Management
Learning and practicing sound stress management skills are key factors in preventing and recovering from burnout. Some tried and true stress management skills include…
Exercising regularly Meditation Conscious contact with a Higher Power Connecting with people I enjoy Massage Changing my thinking and attitude
Balance
Creating balance in life enhances burnout prevention and management. Create balance between…
Giving and receiving Attention to family and attention to work Involvement and detachment Awareness of power and awareness of
powerlessness The client’s needs and my needs Time spent with people and time spent alone
References
Keith-Speigel, P., & Koocher, G.P. Ethics in psychology: Professional standards and cases. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985, p. 241
McCarthy, W.C. Negative aspects of therapy: Client perceptions of therapists’ social influence, burnout, and quality of care. Journal of Social Issues, Spring, 1999
Maslach, C.,& Jackson, S.E. The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2(2), 99-113, 1981
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Job burnout: Understand symptoms and take action. www.mayoclinic.com
References
National Institutes of Health. Stress management. www.medlineplus.gov, updated 2-6-08
Peck, M.S. The road less traveled: A new psychology of love, traditional values, and spiritual growth. New York: Simon and Schuster, p. 1, 1978
Zur, O. Taking care of the caretaker: How to avoid psychotherapists’ burnout. www.zurinstitute.com