Working with providers and health systems experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout (IN: Medical Family Therapy, edited by J. Hodgson, A. Lamson, T. Mendenhall, T., & D. Crane.

Caring for families who have experienced trauma, loss, or chronic conditions can have lasting effects on providers, especially when faced with complex situations for extended periods of time. Training programs often do not prepare providers to avoid common challenges such as burnout (BRN) and compassion fatigue (CF). In this chapter, the authors provide operational definitions for these conditions in healthcare based on research conducted with diverse medical and behavioral health providers. The authors include personal and professional recommendations that promote self-care in medical family therapists (MedFTs), that can be taught to other healthcare staff and providers within workplace contexts that are emotionally charged, psychologically draining, and oftentimes physically demanding.