Stress in mental health professionals: a theoretical overview

Clearly, mental health professionals are subjected to similar organizational stressors as other workers. They also face additional emotional strain by the very nature of their professions in dealing with troubled persons often over extended periods of time. Further understanding of these problems and development strategies, such as insight-oriented training, requires a greater appreciation of the interactions between home-work and the individual. This broader-based ongoing research is imperative not just to protect the health of the carers and their patients/clients but is, we believe, an ethical requirement. Best care can only be provided to others by carers who are themselves well.