Burnout

Although this profound reflection is written within the context of the caring professions where the challenge of burnout has been intensified over the past 18 months, the existential implications are universal. Burnout is associated with extreme stress and exhaustion where we are brought to a dead stop and are unable to continue. Something has to change when we have reached the limits of our capacity to cope. Stephen writes from both professional and personal experience with a real sense of concern and compassion, illustrating his narrative with pertinent case histories while also using figures to identify the extent of the issue within a managerial, box-ticking culture that also entails strain on relationships – over-giving while under-receiving (p. 39) His most important insights relate to burnout as a spiritual crisis – 'what burns out is only the everyday self, the soul cannot burn out.' It does, however, recognise our true calling.

Stephen lists signs and portents of burnout while also providing useful self-assessment exercises and practical suggestions in a series of R's: retreat, reconnection, recollection, reflection, re-visioning, recovery, right relationship – all of which involve soul care, support and the realisation that 'we are essentially loved and lovable and worthy as we are.' (p. 67) I think he is right to identify burnout as a spiritual problem in terms of meaning, connection and purpose – loss of connection with the Source. All this becomes evident in his own story related in the Afterword where he discovers that 'who we think we are is not necessarily who we really are.' (p. 79) We are 'human belongings' as well as human beings and we thrive most in connection and collaboration; at a deeper level we can recognise 'our mutual I-Amness.' This is a wise and poignant work.