By: Karen Schwartz, LMHC and Yvette Triana, LMHC
For many who work in the healthcare industry, Labor Day, a holiday honoring the achievements of American labor, has special meaning. Even on holidays, healthcare professionals frequently find themselves on the front lines of patient care, while most other workers view this day as an opportunity to relax and take a well-earned rest. The steadfast demands of patient care, extended work hours, and psychological stress all increase the likelihood of burnout in healthcare professionals. In my experience as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), burnout has a terrible impact on people’s personal and professional lives. In order to restore their wellbeing and avoid burnout, I suggest that healthcare professionals adopt the tenets of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) this Labor Day.
Understanding Healthcare Burnout
Prolonged stress can lead to a state of emotional, physical, and mental fatigue known as burnout. The high stakes of patient care, personnel shortages, and the psychological weight of routinely witnessing pain and suffering all contribute to this stress in the healthcare industry. Three primary characteristics distinguish burnout from a simple condition of fatigue: depersonalization (a feeling of disinterest or cynicism toward patients), emotional weariness, and a diminished sense of personal achievement.
Burnout has far-reaching effects that impact both the individual and the standard of care given to patients. Higher rates of medical errors, worse patient satisfaction, and higher rates of staff turnover in the healthcare industry have all been associated with burnout. As Labor Day approaches, it’s critical to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by healthcare professionals and look into resources that can improve their mental and emotional well-being.
Introducing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
A type of psychotherapy known as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) encourages patients to accept their thoughts and feelings as they are rather than resisting or becoming overwhelmed by them. ACT encourages psychological flexibility, which is the capacity to remain in the present and make morally sound choices even when confronted with challenging emotions.
ACT is built on six core processes:
1. Acceptance: Accepting ideas and emotions without attempting to alter them.
2. Cognitive Defusion: Thinking less powerfully by considering ideas to be merely ideas rather than unalterable truths.
3. Being Present: Giving your whole attention to the present moment, without letting thoughts of the past or future divert you.
4. Self-as-Context: Realizing that one is more than their ideas and emotions; embracing a more comprehensive sense of who they are.
5. Ideals: Making clear what matters most and directing actions based on these ideals.
6. Committed Action: Making progress toward values-based goals in the face of difficult feelings or thoughts.
These processes work together to help individuals break free from the cycle of avoidance and rigidity that often exacerbates burnout.
Using ACT to Combat Healthcare Burnout
1. Acceptance: Grief, frustration, and helplessness are just a few of the strong emotions that healthcare workers frequently deal with. These feelings could be repressed in an attempt to remain professional, which would raise stress levels and eventually cause burnout. Accepting these emotions as a normal aspect of the human experience is encouraged by ACT. Healthcare professionals can lessen the emotional strain that leads to burnout by recognizing and accepting these emotions without passing judgment.
2. Cognitive Defusion: Negative beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never catch up” frequently serve as fuel for burnout. Cognitive defusion strategies in ACT assist in severing the link between these thoughts and emotional responses. For instance, a healthcare professional may come to understand that these ideas are merely phrases rather than absolute truths. By doing so, the power of these thoughts to dictate behavior is diminished, reducing stress and preventing burnout.
3. Being Present: Healthcare workers are frequently pulled in several ways at once by the demands of their jobs, which can leave them feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. One of the main tenets of ACT is mindfulness, which can assist healthcare professionals in maintaining a sense of present-moment awareness. Practicing mindfulness, whether it be through short mindful meditations during breaks or taking a few deep breaths before seeing a patient, can help lessen the mental clutter that leads to burnout.
4. Values Clarification: Healthcare professionals who experience burnout may forget why they initially chose to work in the industry. ACT helps people rediscover their basic beliefs, which include empathy, morality, and a desire to serve others. By realigning daily actions with these values, healthcare professionals can find renewed purpose and motivation, even in the face of challenges.
5. Committed Action: ACT highlights the significance of acting committedly in accordance with these values when values have been made clear. For healthcare professionals, this could entail establishing limits to guarantee time for self-care, asking for help from peers, or pushing for adjustments at work. Healthcare workers can reclaim control and fulfillment in their job by making tangible progress toward important goals.
Conclusion: A Call to Action This Labor Day
Labor Day serves as a reminder to all workers—including those in the healthcare industry—of the value of relaxation and appreciation. Recognizing the special difficulties that healthcare workers encounter and offering resources to enhance their wellbeing are equally important as we celebrate their efforts. A useful and efficient method for handling the psychological and emotional strains of working in the healthcare industry is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Healthcare professionals can prevent burnout and carry on providing compassionate care by accepting acceptance, engaging in mindfulness practices, reestablishing their beliefs, and taking determined action.
Let’s celebrate the commitment and labor of healthcare professionals this Labor Day by giving them the tools they need to be successful. Keep in mind that you are not alone and that it is okay to not be okay and this is not all in your head. You don’t have to feel or think these things alone. Caliper Wellness is available should you need to get in touch with someone. To help avoid burnout and make sure that medical personnel are taking care of both themselves and their patients, we provide a variety of services.
References
1. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. *World Psychiatry*, 15(2), 103-111.
2. Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2016). *Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change*. Guilford Press.
3. Shanafelt, T. D., & Noseworthy, J. H. (2017). Executive leadership and physician well-being: Nine organizational strategies to promote engagement and reduce burnout. *Mayo Clinic Proceedings*, 92(1), 129-146.
