Question
What is collective self-care?
Answer
Collective self-care involves addressing issues at their source through communal efforts, emphasizing that burnout, especially systemic burnout, requires a systems-level response. This approach recognizes that burnout is not just an individual problem but is deeply rooted in the broader system within which individuals operate. By identifying which parts of the system are most linked to burnout, collective self-care seeks to implement changes that can alleviate stressors on a larger scale, fostering a supportive environment where everyone contributes to and benefits from shared well-being.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the webinar, Burnout and Proactive Self-care: Safeguarding Well-being in Helping Professionals, presented by Stephanie Carnes, PhD, MSW, LCSW, LL.M