Understanding stress and burnout in shelter workers

Crisis intervention workers and other front-line mental health workers often face excessive stress and seek psychotherapy or supervision and support from professional psychologists. The authors sought information on job-related stressors, coping mechanisms, and burnout levels and found that shelter workers who reported high job-related stress and low social support may be most vulnerable to experiencing burnout symptoms. Psychologists providing clinical or consultation services to domestic violence shelter staff should emphasize the importance of creating a supportive work environment, developing a sense of personal accomplishment related to one's work, and teaching and modeling helpful coping strategies.