https://doi.org/10.4081/qrmh.2023.11261
“It’s real. It’s a thing:” Mental health counselors’ listening exhaustion during COVID-19
Submitted: 21 February 2023
Accepted: 24 May 2023
Published: 1 August 2023
Accepted: 24 May 2023
Abstract Views: 1542
PDF: 526
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Mental health counselors regularly use active listening skills to be present with each client; however, active listening may cause burnout due to high emotional labor, inadequate staffing, excessive workload, and many other issues, each of which contributes to career exits. COVID-19 exacerbated all of these factors, and—adding to already stressful conditions—most mental health professionals were forced to conduct therapy sessions via telehealth. For this study, twenty licensed mental health counselors at various stages of their careers were interviewed during the height of the pandemic to understand their experiences with the technology and other factors related to their workload during that time. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to explore effects of active listening—including requisite adjustments made for virtual therapy sessions—on counselors’ emotional exhaustion and burnout levels. Results show how back-to-back, daily therapy sessions increased listening exhaustion levels and that counselors experienced both long-term and short-term listening exhaustion when utilizing telehealth due to lack of nonverbal cues and other related factors pertaining to online delivery. Implications for counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals are discussed.
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How to Cite
Ricks, Damla, and Grace Ellen Brannon. 2023. “‘It’s Real. It’s a thing:’ Mental Health counselors’ Listening Exhaustion During COVID-19”. Qualitative Research in Medicine and Healthcare 7 (2). https://doi.org/10.4081/qrmh.2023.11261.
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