Burnout in Psychotherapists:

Approximately 2-6% of psychotherapists can be considered burned out, a condition most often attributed by therapists themselves to the nonreciprocated attentiveness, giving, and responsibility demanded by the therapeutic relationship. Institutionally based and inexperienced therapists seem most at risk for burnout. What prevents most therapists from experiencing burnout is the satisfaction of being in a position of helpful intimacy. Three types of therapist burnout can be delineated: those who in response to frustration work increasingly harder; those who in response to frustration give up entirely; and those who perform their work perfunctorily, having lost interest in work they now find unchallenging.