How to prevent psychologist burnout?

Job burnout and Burnout syndrome These are two important challenges in the professional field of psychotherapists. This is due, among other things, to the complexity of his job, the constant exposure to conversations with different people, and the emotional load linked to the problems they deal with, since in many cases they are witnesses of very complicated.

That is why it is essential to apply work methodologies that allow gaining in efficiency and not suffer psychological exhaustion in the face of day-to-day tasks that can be simplified or even automated. Starting from this idea, let's see some Strategies that can be used to prevent job burnout of psychology professionals and that can be applied both at the organizational level and individually by the psychologist.

Why can psychological exhaustion arise in psychotherapists?

These are the main reasons why this profile of professionals is especially exposed to a certain type of job burnout:

1. Secondary PTSD

By supporting people who are dealing with emotional difficulties, therapists can absorb their negative emotions, which can lead to emotional exhaustion and fatigue, or even

secondary post traumatic stress.

2. Need to adapt the schedule to the availability of patients and manage time

The long hours of work, with moments in which there is nothing to do because there are "gaps" in the schedule between session and session, are factors that facilitate the appearance of anxiety problems due to the feeling of wasting time.

3. Fear of compromising the well-being of patients

It's not just about feeling pressure to do better for the patient in therapy sessions; In addition, it is necessary to ensure that confidentiality is ensured and that all protocols for data protection and prevention of information loss are complied with.

4. Need to keep bills up to date and manage appointments

The profession of psychotherapist is very vocational, but in practice, most of these professionals earn money either independently or by forming very small companies, in which everyone is in charge of all. That's why they often find it stressful face routines linked to the responsibilities of entrepreneurs, such as keeping track of collections and doing everything possible to prevent non-payments from occurring. And the same goes for managing the agenda.

Keys to prevent exhaustion linked to the work of psychologists

From everything we have seen, it is essential that therapists take care of their own well-being, establishing clear limits, implementing self-care strategies, managing well the time available to them, and prioritizing their tasks, dedicating most of their efforts and attention to those in which they really make the most of their knowledge and skills. Work-life balance is key to preventing and managing these challenges.

Taking this into account, let's look at some tips to avoid professional burnout for psychologists:

1. automate tasks

The day to day of the psychotherapist is full of micro-tasks that, despite the fact that they are necessary, are of little complexity and can be delegated or better yet, automated. For example, archiving and keeping patient information secure such as medical records or other private data, scheduling appointments without create overlaps between tasks, transcribe conversations with patients, manage billing, send reminders to patients, make all work-related information centralized and easy to access from any device connected to internet etc Luckily, there are options that offer all these automations in a single digital platform; the most notable is eHolo, which is designed by and for psychologists.

2. Include frequent breaks in each working day

No psychologist should be exposed to work days in which there is only a break to eat. It is important to go taking small breaks of five or ten minutes to clear the mind and restore the ability to concentrate at work, as well as to prevent the appearance of disorders. It is not only for the good of the professional, but also influences the service offered to the patient.

• Related article: "How to better manage time at work: 12 tips (and what to avoid)"

3. Establish a schedule with a clear start and end

As much as online therapy has contributed to blur the limitations of the distance between therapist and patient, the line between private and professional life must exist. That's why, It is necessary to be clear about what is the beginning and what is the end of each working day.

4. Seek advice from other psychologists

It is important to normalize the practice of asking other psychologists for advice; it is impossible for every therapist to know everything about every problem that brings patients to their office. Thus, there is a second opinion that can help a lot to develop working hypotheses from which to intervene in patients. In addition, it serves to see with greater perspective the problems that are heard in sessions with patients and that "closely touch" the psychotherapist.