Guide (PDF)
A psychoeducational guide. Typically containing elements of skills development.
Understanding Burnout
An accessible and informative guide to understanding and addressing burnout, written specifically for clients.
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Overview
Our ‘Understanding…’ series is a collection of psychoeducation guides for common mental health conditions. Friendly and explanatory, they are comprehensive sources of information for your clients. Concepts are explained in an easily digestible way, with plenty of case examples and accessible diagrams. Understanding Burnout is designed to help clients suffering from burnout to understand more about their condition.
Why Use This Resource?
This guide helps clients understand burnout. It explains what burnout is, what the common symptoms are, and effective ways to address it, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
- Identify symptoms of burnout and the factors that contribute to it.
- Understand what keeps burnout going.
- Explore effective treatments for burnout.
- Gain insights into how people experience burnout and how they overcome it.
Key Benefits
Comprehensive
Explores what burnout is and what maintains it.
Relatable
Contains detailed examples and relatable case studies.
Supportive
Written in a friendly and accessible manner.
Hopeful
Outlines effective treatment options.
Who is this for?
Burnout
Clients experiencing emotional exhaustion, reduced personal efficacy, or depersonalization who are seeking to understand the causes and impact of burnout and begin recovery.
Integrating it into your practice
01
Assess
Identify clients who may be experiencing burnout.
02
Share
Provide the guide to clients who could benefit from it.
03
Educate
Use the content to inform clients about burnout and help normalize their experiences.
04
Reflect
Discuss the client's personal experience with burnout.
05
Intervene
Plan treatment with the client or direct them to other sources of help and support.
Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance
Many people go through periods where they feel tired or unhappy at work. For many, it is a temporary response to pressure or fatigue. However, when someone begins to feel emotionally exhausted, disconnected from their work, or unable to function as they usually would, it may be a sign of burnout.
Burnout is a common and important issue that can affect people in almost any profession. Research suggests that around 18% of individuals in some countries report high levels of burnout, with many more at risk. Although it's typically associated with occupational stress, burnout can also emerge in other demanding settings, such as education, competitive sport, or caregiving roles. If it is not addressed, burnout can lead to significant difficulties, including problems with mental and physical health, reduced work performance, and broader impairments in daily functioning. Clients who have experienced burnout in the past may also worry about recurrence, particularly when returning to similar environments.
The good news is that burnout is treatable. It can be addressed at multiple levels - through individual-focused work, team-based strategies, or organizational change. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one effective, evidence-based approach that can support clients in understanding and overcoming burnout, while building resilience to future episodes.
What's inside
- Introduction to burnout and key theoretical and clinical literature.
- Guidance for introducing and using the resource with clients.
- Key references for learning more about burnout.
FAQs
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. It's characterized by feelings of energy depletion, detachment, and ineffectiveness.
Common maintenance factors include working in a stressful environment, not being able recharge, and coping in unhelpful ways.
CBT is an effective therapy that focuses on addressing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain burnout.
How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes
By integrating this resource into their clinical practice, therapists can:
- Identify individuals who may be experiencing burnout.
- Help clients better understand their difficulties and what maintains them.
- Explore treatment options.
- Encourage hope and optimism about change.
References And Further Reading
- Ahola, K., et al. (2017). Interventions to alleviate burnout symptoms and to support return to work among employees with burnout: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Burnout Research, 4, 1-11.
- Alarcon, G., et al. (2009). Relationships between personality variables and burnout: A meta-analysis. Work and Stress, 23, 244-263.
- Aronsson, G., et al. (2017). A systematic review including meta-analysis of work environment and burnout symptoms. BMC Public Health, 17.
- De Simone, S., et al. (2021). Organizational strategies to reduce physician burnout: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 33, 883-894.
- Goodger, K., et al. (2007). Burnout in sport: A systematic review. Sport Psychologist, 21, 127-151.
- Hasselberg, K., et al. (2014). Self-reported stressors among patients with exhaustion disorder: an exploratory study of patient records. BMC Psychiatry, 14.
- Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2016). Multidimensional perfectionism and burnout: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 20, 269-288.
- Kaeding, A., et al. (2017). Professional burnout, early maladaptive schemas, and physical health in clinical and counselling psychology trainees. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73, 1782-1796.
- Lindblom, K. M., et al. (2006). Burnout in the working population: relations to psychosocial work factors. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 13, 51-59.
- Madigan, D. J., & Curran, T. (2021). Does burnout affect academic achievement? A meta-analysis of over 100,000 students. Educational Psychology Review, 33, 387-405.
- Maslach, C. (2003). Burnout: The cost of caring. Malor Books.
- OâConnor, K., et al. (2018). Burnout in mental health professionals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and determinants. European Psychiatry, 53, 74-99.
- Perski, O., et al. (2017). A systematic review and meta-analysis of tertiary interventions in clinical burnout. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 58, 551-561.
- Schaufeli, W., & Buunk, B. P. (2003). Burnout: An overview of 25 years of research and theorizing. In M. J. Schabracq, J. A. M. Winnubst, & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), Handbook of Work and Health Psychology. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Schaufeli, W. B., et al. (2001). On the clinical validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Burnout Measure. Psychology and Health, 16, 565-582.
- Towey-Swift, K. D., et al. (2022). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for professional staff burnout: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of controlled trials. Journal of Mental Health, 32(2), 452-464. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2021.2022628
- Van Dam, A. (2021). A clinical perspective on burnout: diagnosis, classification, and treatment of clinical burnout. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 30, 732-741.
- World Health Organization. (2019). International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) (11th ed.).
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