Addressing Burnout: Helping the Helpers

On July 23, the Public Health Training Hui welcomed Amanda Martinez, MPH, from Mental Health America of Hawai‘i, for her presentation “Addressing Burnout: Helping the Helpers.” Seventy-five participants from across the state joined via Zoom to learn how to recognize and curb burnout among direct service providers. These providers do crucial work supporting the mental health of their patients, but over time, the emotional weight of that work can lead to burnout and other forms of stress. Here’s what Martinez shared about how we can help the helpers.

First, it’s important to note that not all stress is the same, or inherently bad. Stress can build our resilience, help us grow, and push us to learn new things. But constant, repetitive stress can have lasting effects on mental health, especially when it comes from work.

Martinez distinguished between three chronic conditions: burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. Burnout stems from ongoing work-related stress, leading to exhaustion, mental distance from your job, and reduced effectiveness. Compassion fatigue stems from caregiving, leading to emotional withdrawal, decreased empathy, and physical symptoms like fatigue. Vicarious trauma stems from indirect exposure to others’ trauma, leading to intrusive thoughts, emotional distress, and changes in your worldview. Recognizing the signs early lets us respond before symptoms become harder to manage.

To help combat these conditions, Martinez shared protective factors across the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains of wellness. She asked participants to share their own examples in the chat. For physical wellness, she suggested caring for your body through healthy foods and exercise. Psychological wellness encourages optimism and positive thinking. Social wellness can grow by joining a new club or activity and prioritizing existing relationships. Spiritual wellness might come from finding meaning, helping others, and focusing on personal goals.

Martinez also shared the acronym EQUIP as an easy way to remember coping skills for times of stress:

• Escape: Take time for yourself.
• Quiet: Find time to relax.
• Indulge: Enjoy your favorites.
• Play: Find time for fun.

Recognizing the signs of burnout and learning new wellness and self-care habits help direct service providers continue to make a difference in the lives of those they serve. We extend our appreciation to Amanda Martinez and Mental Health America of Hawai‘i for this informative training. Watch the full recording on YouTube and learn more on MHA of Hawai‘i’s website, No Shame Get Help.

Please also save the dates (October 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 9-11:30 AM) for the Hui’s upcoming Fundamentals of Domestic Violence 101 Series, held throughout October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This four-part training will help participants understand the dynamics of domestic violence, the perpetrator’s perspective, cultural contexts of domestic violence in Hawai‘i, and the impacts of domestic violence on childhood development.

To join the Public Health Training Hui listserv and receive information about upcoming trainings and continuing education opportunities, email publichealthhui@hiphi.org.