An Ecological Systems Framework for Professional Resilience in Social Work Practice

The cumulative effects of chronic work-related stress pervasively and persistently affect the well-being of the human services workforce. As a preventive measure, the ongoing commitment to self-care strategies and resources is essential in maintaining a healthy and resilient professional quality of life. This article describes a holistic approach to cultivating professional resilience through the ongoing practice of self-care. A model for self-care using an ecological systems framework with activities across the biological, interpersonal, organizational, familial, peer-related, spiritual, and recreational aspects of the biopsychosocial self is proposed. Within this model, emphasis is placed on the role of compassion satisfaction and vicarious resilience as key components to fostering meaningful and rewarding careers for social workers.