Occupational Burnout

Objective of this Assignment: To assume the role of an instructor therapist in an IBI setting, then identify factors that may be contributing to occupational burnout and the strategies that can be implemented to mitigate these factors.
This assignment relates to the following Course Learning Requirements:

CLR 1: Use appropriate interpersonal skills and problem solving techniques in working with children, families, clinical teams and service providers
CLR 4: Communicate limitations of their expertise, role, or responsibility to families and service providers and refer to supervisors as appropriate (CLO 29)
CLR 5: Communicate effectively with clinical supervisors and service providers about the need for services for families of individuals with ASD
Instructions:
As you have learned, ABA professionals and those working with individuals with ASD are particularly vulnerable to occupational burnout for a variety of reasons. Consider the following scenario:
Imagine that you have completed the ABS program and are now working full-time during the week as an Instructor Therapist in an IBI setting and working part-time on the weekends as a respite worker for a family with 3 high-functioning teenage children on the spectrum. You have been working with these teens for over one year and thoroughly enjoy their skill level and the activities that you are able to do with them.

During your first two weeks working in IBI, you received extensive training from the senior staff at the organization. You were assigned a full caseload of very young clients who are non-verbal and frequently engage in aggressive and challenging behaviours. You have now been working for this organization for 6 months. During this time you have continued to work with the exact same clients, the majority of whom have made very little progress and are working on many of the same programs as they were when you began. During your infrequent meetings with your supervisor you often discuss the lack of progress that your clients are making however, between answering phone calls and sending emails, your visibly frustrated supervisor tells you “that you better try even harder if you want things to get better”. Some of the other therapists that work at this organization are frustrated with this supervisor as well. This is a common topic of conversation in the staff room at lunchtime; it typically leads to an argument between staff members.

Over time, you’ve noticed that you’ve been feeling less excited about going to work at the IBI organization. Given what you have learned in lesson 14, briefly describe 4 strategies that you will implement to minimize/prevent occupational burnout.

Expectations:

Each student is responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for each discussion. The majority of readings are usually from the course text but additional readings may be assigned by the facilitator from supplementary resources.