Psychologists’ wellbeing

Pressure

Human too

Workforce

Psychologists work in very different jobs. Some see clients all day. Others spend their weeks testing, writing reports, running studies, teaching or consulting. Many do several of these at once.

Each role carries its own pressures, but some threads run through them all: high standards, heavy responsibility, and a culture that can make it hard to admit you are struggling.

In APA’s 2023 practitioner survey, 36% of psychologists said they felt burned out in the past year, and 56% had no openings for new patients. Many reported that patients’ symptoms were becoming more severe.

In APA’s 2024 survey, about a third of psychologists still reported burnout, and more than half of early-career psychologists did. The overall rate had been falling for several years.

Assessment psychologists write reports that can shape school placements, custody, disability decisions or court outcomes. That responsibility can make every word feel heavy.

Forensic work can also mean reading and hearing about violence in detail. In a study of 83 forensic psychology expert witnesses, vicarious trauma was linked with burnout. Psychological flexibility, the ability to stay open and keep acting on your values, helped explain that link.

A large survey of people in accredited clinical, counseling and school psychology programs found that more than 80% had experienced mental health difficulties at some point, and 48% had a diagnosed condition. Faculty were part of that picture, not just students.

The authors noted that rates were similar to or higher than in the general population, and that talking about these experiences remains taboo in the field.

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends one school psychologist for every 500 students, so they can provide comprehensive services. NASP estimates the national ratio is about one for every 1,127 students.

With caseloads that large, there may be little time left for prevention, counseling and consulting with teachers. That gap between what you know could help and what you have time to do can be a quiet source of stress.

Psychology rewards careful, precise work. But a meta-analysis of 43 studies found an important difference. Striving for high standards had little or no link with burnout. Worrying about mistakes and others’ judgment, called perfectionistic concerns, had a medium-to-large link with burnout.

There is another trap in the expert role. Research reviewed by psychologists Johnson, Barnett and colleagues raises serious doubts that anyone, psychologists included, can accurately judge their own competence alone.

Private practice can give you control over your time and work. It can also remove the hallway chats, shared lunches and quick consults that quietly support people in group settings.

The Office for Victims of Crime names social isolation, both on and off the job, as a risk factor for vicarious trauma. It also lists not having a supportive way to discuss the hard content of your work.

Researchers who surveyed psychology faculty and trainees wrote that disclosure and discussion of mental health difficulties remain taboo in the field, even though such difficulties are common.

The APA Ethics Code (Standard 2.06) asks psychologists who notice personal problems that may affect their work to take steps such as getting professional consultation or help, and to decide whether to limit, pause or end some work. Seeking help is the path the code points to, not a sign of failure.

Johnson, Barnett, Elman, Forrest and Kaslow argue that the profession leans too much on individual self-reliance. They propose a more communal approach, with an ethic of care built into training and practice.

Their “competence constellation” is a cluster of relationships with people who take an active interest in your wellbeing and your work. It includes an inner core of close colleagues and a wider circle of peers, built on purpose and with variety.

Reach out if

• Case material or reports replay in your mind long after the workday
• You are drinking or using other things to switch off
• You feel hopeless, trapped, or have thoughts of suicide
• You feel numb, cynical or dread most workdays
• Your health or relationships are suffering

Where to start

1. Talk with someone in your inner circle, a mentor or a consultant.
2. Contact your employee assistance program or your state association’s colleague assistance program, if there is one.
3. Find a therapist of your own.
4. Talk with your clinical provider about your health.
5. Call or text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org, any time you need to talk to someone right now.

You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line, free and 24/7 in the U.S. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free, confidential helplines in many countries.