Primary care behavioral health (PCBH) has been shown to reduce burnout for primary care physicians (PCPs) (Zubatsky et al., 2018), but how are behavioral health consultants (BHCs) impacted by burnout? In the realm of specialty mental health, research has found that nearly half of psychotherapists experience moderately high levels of burnout with correlations to younger age, less work experience, and being “overinvolved in client problems'' (Simionato & Simpson, 2018). While literature on how burnout impacts BHCs is sparse, Zubatsky et al. (2020) suggests that BHCs experience relatively lower levels of burnout compared to clinicians who do not work in integrated settings. So, what is the secret to experiencing less burnout? The presenters will provide a brief review of the literature on burnout in primary care, share their unique perspectives and experiences, and offer suggestions for BHCs at any stage in their career.
Gabriela Gibson-Lopez, Behavioral Health Consultant, Defense Health Agency Gabriela Gibson-Lopez PsyD
Staci Grant, Pediatric Psychologist, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital Staci Grant PsyD
Rachael Mark, Behavioral Health Consultant, Connectus Health Rachael Mark M.S.
Tulio Ortega, Psychology Intern, National Psychology Training Consortium Tulio Ortega MA