Book Review: Burnout and Self-Care in Social Work, 2nd Edition

Burnout and Self-Care in Social Work, SaraKay Smullens, NASW Press, ISBN 9780871015709, 2021, 2nd edition, 143 pages, $43.11 paperback

     Let’s face it. We’re all attempting to practice social work in an era of political strife, widespread turmoil, and an unprecedented pandemic. Most of us had difficult jobs before these factors, and nobody’s workload has lightened or become more manageable in the last few years. Enter this practical, enlightening book by SaraKay Smullens.

     The book begins by covering the four attendant syndromes of burnout: compassion fatigue, vicarious (secondary) trauma, countertransference, and moral distress. These are each explored, and several case studies are provided for clarity.

     Following this, the author delves into the different arenas of burnout, which include professional, personal, relational, physical, and societal burnout. I found Smullens’ commentary on societal burnout especially relevant. Using plain language, the author lays out how the dysfunctional leadership we’ve faced on multiple levels in addition to the domestic terrorist attacks on the Capitol in January 2021 have created a traumatizing and frightening landscape. Being a human being is difficult with these factors, let alone a helping professional.

     This book is not the typical self-care text that often focuses on things we as individuals should do with ourselves. Instead, this text broadens the approach. Functional leadership is called for in our agencies, our governments, and our supervisors. Concrete ideas are provided for positive change in each of these arenas.

     The author’s writing style is moving and compassionate, while also calling out the more toxic behaviors social workers engage in that we often label self-care—for example, the boundaries between building co-worker/peer support networks and becoming mired in negativity as we all bemoan our clients and the hardness of our work.

     Smullens readily discusses race and its impact on self-care. The author identifies the experiences of BIPOC people as especially fraught during recent years and offers real life examples. The author also highlights the experiences of Asian and Asian American people in the United States during the pandemic, including the sharp increase in hate crimes and aggression. Smullens continues with examples of dysfunctional leadership and racism that have led to these events. Concrete steps and expectations for white and privileged social workers to further social and societal change are identified. Finally, there are sections on functional leadership and the specific self-care that many BIPOC and people with other marginalized identities may choose to engage in to care for themselves and their communities.

     The book concludes with many concrete self-care action steps, for everyone from the individual to broader agencies and societies. No matter how long we’ve been in the field, self-care and compassion are lifelong skills to build. I would recommend this book to all in service of those skills.

Reviewed by Libby Trammell (she/her/hers), Missouri LMSW, Program Manager with Healing Action.