Melissa L. Holland - Burnout and Trauma Related Employment Stress: Acceptance and Commitment Strategies in the Helping Professions

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Caregiving can take a heavy toll on mental wellbeing. As a consequence of providing care to clients (or family members), particularly those who have had traumatic experiences, all caregivers and professionals are at risk for burnout and trauma-related employment stress (TRES) conditions (also referred to as compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma). The need to assertively address this challenge has never been more relevant as the prevalence of increased trauma and stressful work experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have played a role in elevating the risk for post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among public health workers (Bryant-Genevier et al., 2021). When providers are suffering from conditions related to burnout and TRES, there can be profound physical, psychological, and organizational consequences. In addition to affecting the professional, these employment-related injuries can negatively affect the clients that the helper has dedicated themselves to serve. From the review of the literature, which we summarize in this book, we have found that TRES includes commonalities across helping disciplines, including presenting symptoms and preventative factors.

This book is aimed at how to intervene in and prevent burnout and TRES in the helping professionals. As a vehicle for intervention, the theory of, and tools embedded in, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is highlighted. The goal of ACT is not to eliminate certain parts of our experience, but rather to learn how to experience life more fully, without as much struggle and with vitality and commitment. Further, the goal of ACT includes the reduction of suffering via increasing our psychological flexibility, thereby allowing us to engage in committed action toward our valued personal and professional goals.

We hope you find this book useful, whether you yourself are in need of support or are a provider helping others who are suffering from burnout or TRES conditions. Within the pages of this volume, we hope to emphasize that burnout and TRES are both preventable and treatable. We anticipate that this book will help you address the challenge of burnout and TRES and have both greater personal wellbeing and a continued ability to take care of those you serve.

ReferenceBryant-Genevier, J., Rao C.Y., Lopes-Cardozo B, Kone, A., Rose, C., Thomas, I., Orquiola, D., Lynfield, R., Shah, D., Freeman, L., Becker, S., Williams, A., Gould, D. W., Tiesman, H., Lloyd, G., Hill, L. Byrkit, R. (2021). Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation among state, tribal, local, and territorial public health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic United States, March-April 2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7026e1externalicon .