Compassion Fatigue, Burnout and Resilience: Tools for Professional Self-Care

The occupational therapy profession is full of rewards, but it is not without stress. It is important for therapists to understand the concepts of compassion fatigue and burnout and recognize the mechanism through which they... [ view full abstract ]

The occupational therapy profession is full of rewards, but it is not without stress. It is important for therapists to understand the concepts of compassion fatigue and burnout and recognize the mechanism through which they develop. As occupational therapists, we want to help our clients live life to the fullest, but this means that we need to have a plan for professional self-care. (Costa, 2005) All too often, therapists give everything to their jobs and then have little energy left over for their own personal lives and for tending to their own physical and emotional needs. (Skovholt, 2011) Compassion fatigue is a relatively new term, having first appeared in the nursing literature in 1992 (Joinson, 1992). It is a term that is closely associated with burnout, but with some important differences. Compassion fatigue is a state of tension and preoccupation with traumatized patients by re-experiencing traumatic events, avoiding reminders, and persistent arousal. (Figley, 2002). Burnout is a state of extreme dissatisfaction with one's work that is characterized by excessive irritability, impaired competence, and low energy. A plan for professional self-care will help to improve resilience. (Wicks, 2008; Kottler, 2012) This workshop will have two learning objectives: 1.) to identify the signs and symptoms of burnout and compassion fatigue, and 2.) to describe the essential components of a plan for professional self-care. The workshop will be comprised of both didactic material and experiential learning activities and participants will have the opportunity to self-assess their level of professional quality of life.