What is it about?
Although burnout among therapists has been much discussed in the literature, few studies have examined burnout and racial trauma of Black mental health professionals. In this study we examined levels of burnout and racial trauma of 182 Black counselors and psychologists. We found that Black mental health professionals who were assessed after 2020 had much higher rates of racial trauma than a national sample of Black Americans and Canadians, and that burnout rates were high. Black mental health professionals who reported more social support and external locus of control were less likely to be burned out and suffer from racial trauma. We also found that those who met with mentors frequently had lower levels of racial trauma.
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Why is it important?
Research has shown that many Black persons prefer having a Black mental health professional. This may result in secondary racial traumatic stress for clinicians and school staff who hear the racial struggles of Black patients, clients, and students. Therefore Black mental health professionals maybe at greater risk of clinical or professional impairment as a result of walking along side other Black patients and students who share their struggles with racism.
Perspectives
My hope is that training programs, supervisors, and institutions will be aware of the increased emotional workload that Black mental health professionals may face, due to working with client's whose experiences of racism may resonate with their own. As we seek to add more Black professionals within these fields there needs to be greater supports and considerations of the added load these mental health professionals may carry.
Eric Brown
Boston University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Burnout, racial trauma, and protective experiences of Black psychologists and counselors., Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy, July 2024, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/tra0001726.
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