1. Healing the Healer
Program and Personal Strategies for Recognizing & Addressing the Realities of Burnout
Clark Hammond, Ph.D.
Kaizen Academy

2. The APA dealt with suicides within the profession by increasing understanding & outlining strategies
Lawrence Kohlberg, 1987
Michael Mahoney, 2006
2 more psychologist suicides in 2008
Led to the formation of an ad hoc committee to better understand this hazard and what the profession can do about it

3. The Serious Numbers
Worldwide, more people die by suicide than by all homicides and war combined
In the U.S., one person dies by suicide every 12.3 minutes
One person attempts suicide every 38 seconds
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 44 and under
In 2016, nearly 43,000 suicides were reported in the U.S.
From , the suicide rate for those 16 or over rose by 21.1%

4. Other factors
People with mood disorders have the highest risk for suicide, particularly within the first 5 years of experiencing the disorder
Those in the early stages of any physical or emotional challenge are at greater risk
Heightened risk factors: past attempts, family history of suicide, experience of trauma or loss

5. The Helping Professions
Several studies indicate that psychologists have an elevated risk for suicide ideation and behavior compared to the general population
40-60% of psychological practitioners reported some disruption in professional functioning due to burnout, anxiety, or depression

6. Unique Challenges
the challenge of managing the intimate, confidential, and non- reciprocal nature of the client/therapist relationship
dealing with negative client or patient behaviors such as aggression and suicide potential
decreased individual control over work
increased time needed for paperwork and/or administrative duties

7. The Culprits Compassion fatigue Secondary Trauma
Overwhelming expectations
High Stakes
Inability to “un-Plug”
Marital strife
Parenting problems
Loneliness
Financial strain
Long hours away
Health issues
BURNOUT ZONE
Challenges
in our
Professional
Life
Challenges
in our
Personal
Life
Industry-wide, Real or Imagined
“Corporate Culture,” Real or Imagined
“Hazards” of the Profession

8. Prevalence – secondary trauma syndrome
Among Social Workers:
48-55% met at least one of the core criteria for PTSD
24% scored above the clinical cut-off
11-15% met the core criteria for PTSD
From Bride, 2007 and Bride & Lee, 2012

9. Prevalence – secondary trauma syndrome
Among Substance Abuse Counselors:
54-57% met at least one of the core criteria for PTSD
26% scored above the clinical cut-off
13-19% met the core criteria for PTSD
From Bride, et al, 2009; Bride & Roman, 2011

10. Prevalence – secondary trauma syndrome
Among Domestic/Sexual Violence Social Workers:
66% met at least one of the core criteria for PTSD
21% met the core criteria for PTSD
From Choi, 2011

11. Prevalence – secondary trauma syndrome
Among Child Welfare Workers
92% experience some symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress
34% met the core criteria for PTSD
From Bride, Jones, & MacMaster, 2007

12. Compassion Fatigue
Those who work with the suffering suffer themselves because of the work
“The phenomenon associated with the ‘cost of caring’ for others in emotional pain Figley, 1982
“We absorb the traumatic stress of those we help” Beaton & Murphy, 1995

13. Burnout is “The single most common personal consequence of practicing therapy”
Kottler, 2003

14. BURNOUT ZONE
The number, size, and intensity of our professional challenges has a profound impact on our personal life, and thus our overall life satisfaction.
The number, size, and intensity of our personal challenges has a profound impact on our professional life, and thus our overall life satisfaction.
Low satisfaction is correlated with high probability of burnout.

15. “All of us who attempt to heal the wounds of others will ourselves be wounded; it is, after all, inherent in the relationship” (Figley, 2002)
“The very act of being compassionate and empathic extracts a cost under most circumstances. In our effort to view the world from the perspective of the suffering, we suffer.” (Figley)

16. REMEMBER…
Challenges in our professional and personal life come with the territory.
BURNOUT is not due to experiencing challenges – it is typically due to allowing the challenges to erode our well-being

17. Symptoms of Burnout Spiritual Physical Cognitive Emotional Behavioral
Interpersonal
Physical
Spiritual
Symptoms of
Burnout

18. Symptoms of Burnout: COGNITIVE
Diminished concentration
Confusion
Loss of meaning
Decreased self-esteem
Apathy
Rigidity
Self-doubt
Perfectionism
Minimization

19. Symptoms of burnout: EMOTIONAL
Fear
Helplessness
Depression
Hypersensitivity
Overwhelmed
Depleted
Powerlessness
Anxiety
(Survivor) Guilt
Anger/rage
Numbness
Sadness

20. Symptoms of burnout: Behavioral
Impatient
Withdrawn
Moody
Sleep disturbances
Appetite changes
Regression
Elevated startle response
Hypervigilance
Use of unhealthy coping strategies
Accident proneness
Losing things
Self-harm behaviors

21. Symptoms of burnout: SPIRITUAL
Questioning the meaning of life
Loss of purpose
Lack of life-satisfaction
Pervasive hopelessness
Questioning prior beliefs
“Soul Sick” (Bill O’Hanlon)

22. Symptoms of burnout: Interpersonal
Withdrawn
Decreased interest in intimacy
Mistrust
Intolerance
Loneliness
Projection of Anger or Blame

23. Symptoms of burnout: PHYSICAL
Weight gain/loss
Aches and pains
Dizziness
Impaired immune system
Restlessness
Little or unrestful sleep

24. Professional Functioning
Morale
Performance
Behavioral
Interpersonal
Impact on
Professional Functioning

25. Impact on Professional Functioning: Performance
Low motivation
Reduced productivity
Increased mistakes
Avoidance of job tasks
Setting perfectionist standards
Obsession about details

26. Impact on Professional Functioning: MORALE
Negative attitude
Detachment
Decreased confidence
Dissatisfaction
Lack of appreciation
Apathy

27. Impact on Professional Functioning: INTERPERSONAL
Withdrawal from colleagues
Impatience
Poor communication
Conflicts with staff, others

28. Impact on Professional Functioning: BEHAVIORAL
Absenteeism
Tardiness
Irritability
Faulty judgment
Irresponsibility
Exhaustion

29. So…What can we do as organizations?
Perform an organizational assessment – how do we fare?
Foster a team-centered culture
Shift “performance evaluations” to personal check-ins

30. Organizational Assessment
Build it into the company culture:
Leadership/management meetings
Conduct employee self-care/health surveys
Anonymous questionnaires
Outside evaluations

31. Create the Culture Examine your company’s core values
Do they support a team-centered culture?
Weave it into EVERYTHING
Be sensitive to schedules, meeting times, demands, etc. and how they impact employees and their families
Establish mutually supportive policies (cover for each other, etc.)
Invest in fun and meaningful team activities

32. Regular Check-ins
Spend time getting to know your team, and their life, challenges, victories, etc. outside of work
Incorporate self-care questions, assessments, etc. into the regular performance evaluations (i.e. Professional Quality of life Scale, Holmes-Rahe Stress scale)

33. The Pathway to Healing Awareness/Discovery
Authentic Self-care/Connection
Healthy detachment/Boundaries
Remember your “Why?”

34. Discovery… The Professional Quality of Life Scale Self-Care Inventory

35. Self-care

36. COMMIT to closing the gap between what you KNOW and what you DO
Go camping
Get personal life in order
Exercise
Head to the mountains
Weekly dates with my spouse
Yoga
Friend-time
Make sure I get enough sleep
HINT: It’s about your “why”

37. Tap Into Your Creativity
Un-Plug when you can
Don’t hesitate to Seek Counseling.

38. Healthy Detachment
“It doesn’t mean we don’t care. It means we learn to love, care, and be involved without going crazy.” M. Beattie, 1992

39. Establishing Healthy Boundaries
Nothing is sustainable
without boundaries.
Brene’ Brown

40. Find your “WHY”

41. Create Meaning in our Work – the “why” not just the “what”
Finding meaning in one's work has been shown to increase motivation, engagement, empowerment, career development, job satisfaction, individual performance and personal fulfillment, and to decrease absenteeism and stress
Rosso, et al., 2010

42. In Conclusion…