Wendy, a mental health professional, works in a very busy county…
Question Answered step-by-step Wendy, a mental health professional, works in a very busy county… Wendy, a mental health professional, works in a very busy county social service agency and carries a large caseload. The agency is understaffed, and she is constantly asked to take on more clients than she can adequately serve. When Wendy is asked to take on extra work, she has a difficult time saying “no.” On the one hand, she is a people pleaser and, on the other, she harbors fears of losing her job. She likes being seen as a hard worker by her colleagues. Ironically the quality of her working relationships with colleagues is poor; they see her not as a hardworking stable employee but as a workaholic and a pushover. She skips meals, works overtime to complete paperwork, functions on only a few hours of sleep each night, and worries about how her schedule is affecting her family.At a recent physical examination, Wendy’s physician prescribed blood-pressure medication and cautioned that her health is at risk. Although Wendy is aware of herstressful situation, she does not see any way to change it. Her husband has a severe disability, and she is the sole provider for the family. In addition, her supervisor is alsooverworked and has no time to deal with Wendy’s problems.Wendy being chronically stressed herself has difficulty dealing with the stress of hearing her client day in and day out speak of their problems and their inability to dealwith them. She is the empathetic listener her profession demands her to be all through her consulting hours; this requirement causes additional stress as she is addressingother’s problems without taking a hard look at her own. All indications suggest that she is reaching breaking point.1. Analyze Wendy’s work environment in general and how it affects her and her working relationship with her clients?2. Do you think Wendy’s is a case of burnout or is she heading toward it? Explore the meaning of burnout and its causes.3. What advice would you offer Wendy if she wants help with reassessing her work and life in general? Social Science Psychology PSYCH MISC Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)
