On Burnout & The Stewardship of Pain

Eric Brown, PhD
Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

ABSTRACT:
This talk examines burnout among mental health professionals through the concept of the "stewardship of pain," metabolizing one's own suffering into deepened compassion for self and others. It explores how personal history, institutional stressors, and therapeutic presence shape clinician wellbeing, and offers evidence based strategies, including self compassion, social support, and the CE CERT model (Components for Enhancing Clinician Experience and Reducing Trauma), for sustaining a long, meaningful career in the field.