Early Childhood Mental Health Treatment: Training Reference Guide

FAQ’s
& Guided Reflection
Personal Well-Being
Q. What are the key indicators of burnout
A. Kahill (1988) has outlined 5 categories of symptoms that indicate burnout:
a) physical symptoms – fatigue, sleep difficulties, specific somatic complaints such as
headaches, gastrointestinal irritations, colds, etc.
b) emotional symptoms – irritability, anxiety, depression, sense of helplessness
c) behavioural symptoms – aggression, callousness, pessimism, cynicism, substance
abuse
d) work-related symptoms – poor performance, absenteeism, lateness, theft, misuse
of breaks, quitting
e) interpersonal symptoms – inability to concentrate/focus, withdrawal from co-workers,
dehumanizing and intellectualizing clients
Q. What is the nature of secondary traumatic stress
A. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) has been defined as “the emotions and behaviours resulting
from the knowledge of the traumatizing events of others, and the painful and disruptive
impact this may have upon the helper” (Howe, 1998). Hearing directly from the victims of
trauma, seeing physical suffering and encountering a family’s hopelessness, touches the
professional as strongly as having had the first hand experience.
Q. What are common pitfalls in a therapeutic relationship with parents
A. Practitioners are especially vulnerable to taking on too much or becoming overwhelmed by
the traumas and heightened emotional experiences of high-risk families. Typically such issues
as over-identification, failure to set boundaries for oneself, and the concrete need for
assistance with families, place the practitioner at risk for burnout. Setting boundaries is essential
not only for the practitioner but it also provides a model from which the family and
client can learn to set their own boundaries.
cont’d...
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