Social workers have one of the highest rates of burnout and often there are feelings of helplessness, chronic exhaustion and a sense of dread about going to work. This is often a problem for many social workers at some point in their careers for the following reasons:
Therapists often have very intense work schedules, which allows for few breaks and a high level of stress. They often also work in agencies that provide 24 hour crisis services, which leads to social workers feelings as if they never really “get away” from the job.
There are daily challenges due to working with difficult populations, which can be very tiring. While this is one of the main reasons social workers are originally attracted to the field (they want to help people in need), others’ needs can often quickly become overwhelming and it becomes easy for the social worker to feel ineffective. (more…)