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The Noble Victim:
Stress Management and Burnout
Olive B. Poliks, M.S., N.C.C.
Waldo Middle School
56 Jackson
Aurora, Illinois 60505
Crisis Intervention personnel are more "at risk" than others. Attempting always to be avialable,
they try to remain detached, loving, and non-judgmental. Maslach, a popular researcher on the
topic, reports that stress tends to make people depressed, less emotionally responsive, more
anxious, and less flexible. Behaviorally, individuals under stress reflect these physical and
emotional symptoms, demonstrating less efficiency, less interpersonal involvement, and less
commitment to their profession.
Burnout usually does not occur immediately. It is a slow process, with progressive stages of
disillusionment that gradually reduce motivation and effectiveness. It is a state reached by
professionals who lose all concern and emotional feelings for the persons they work with and
come to treat them in detached even dehumanized ways. Figley describes this as "compassion
fatigue."
Stress management is self-responsibility in action. A willingness to change and adapt new
behaviors and attitudes are a pre-requisite for clients as well as for counselors. A realistic sense of
individual capabilities, a healthy sense of humor, detached concern for clients, an ability to
delegate responsibility, and an awareness of the counselor's own legitimate needs will deter
burnout.
In learning to manage stress, a balanced life is not only helpful, it is essential. Setting boundaries is
critical. Time management needs to include time for work and play, and time for a life beyond the
job. Helpers need to work smarter, not harder. An effective prevention plan includes reivew of
current self-care and the development of specific goals for this plan. Once the goals are
established, resources and resitances must be analyzed. Regular periods of evaluation must be
planned as well.
A prevention plan can only be effective with positive support at home, at work, and in the
community. Support systems can provide a means to implement professional strategies and
intercept and alleviate burnout. CONVENING XXI is an excellent example of the support that is
available. Professional colleagues can provide a wealth of resources for crisis intervention
personnel to learn to manage their stress effectively and prevent burnout.
Maslach, C. & Jackson, S.E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2, 99-113.
Figley, C.A. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in
Those who treat the traumatized. New York:Brunner/Mazel.