Indian Journal of Health Social Work
(UGC CARE List Journal)
RESPONSE TO BURNOUT AND CARING FOR SELF BY THE
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLORS IN DELHI: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Manju Goel1, Kannappa V Shetty2 & Shaurya Prakash3
1Regional Director, IGNOU Regional Centre, Khanna, Punjab. 2Assistant Professor, School of
Social Work (SOSW), Section H, Block 15, IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi: 110068. 3Assistant
Professor, Programme of Social Work, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Assam down
town University, Guwahati, Assam.
Correspondence: Manju Goel, e-mail: manjugoel@ignou.ac.in
ABSTRACT
Background: Nowadays, because of demanding and challenging work life, counsellors experience
stress, resulting in burnout. Methods and Materials: The present study was conducted with
counsellors working in the Delhi NCR, and the data were gathered using an interview guide.
Results: It was found that the professional counsellors know the importance of self-care, but
still face burnout. The study’s respondents cited many reasons for their inability to care for their
physical and emotional well-being, like too much caseload and demands to meet the technologically
associated tasks without any other helping hand. Counsellors experienced feelings of frustration
and an unpleasant level of stress. They recommended that the counsellors be given a dedicated
time for the mindfulness activities, relaxation exercises, and meditation in their job profile
schedules. Conclusion: It was discussed and realized that the client’s and counselor’s well
being and wellness are crucial.
Keywords: Burnout, self-care, stress, well-being, emotional intelligence, mindfulness.
Submitted: 19.08.2025 Revised: 01.10.2025 Accepted: 27.10.2025 Published: 28.01.2026
How to cite this article: Goel, M., Shetty, K. V., & Prakash, S. (2025). Response to burnout
and caring for self by the professional counsellors in Delhi: A qualitative study. Indian Journal
of Health Social Work, 7(2), 35-41.
INTRODUCTION
Burnout is very common among counsellors.
Listening to the problems of others throughout
the day, and dealing with really difficult cases
often makes counsellors prone to burnout.
Counsellors face challenging conditions in
order to meet the demanding needs of work.
Burnout results in fatigue, pessimism, and
emotional weakness. The person facing
burnout cannot manage the expectations of
self and others. They feel helpless in
shouldering the new responsibilities and their
routine work. In any situation, on any day or
time, the counselors extend help to the needy
and troubled clients. It is natural to be under
stress when you are performing the role of
caring for distressed people. Listening to the traumas experienced by the clients also puts
the counsellors under tension. Helping a client
suffering from life disturbances can also
cause disturbances in the counselor’s life. This
situation is not new to a person whose
profession is caring for people in need.
The prerequisite for a professional counsellor
is to realize the importance of self-care. All
t he professional counsellors are well
acquainted with the significance of self-care.
The counselors know the principle of help
yourself first, but many times this is not
practiced by the counselors. It is a known fact
that if we invest all our energy in dealing with
the client and nothing comes back into restock
the energy of the counsellor, then the
counsellor will suffer from physical and
mental fatigue. Hence, it is essential for the
counsellors to care for self. Wellness of both
the client and counsellor is indispensable.
The burnout and self-care suggested that,
generally, counsellors work in an atmosphere
of one-way caring. The client also did not
realize the mental health status of the
counsellors and expected a great level of
emotional support from the counsellors (Guy,
2000; Skovholt et al., 2001). In order to
create an empathetic environment for the
client, the counsellors neglected their own
mental health and well-being needs (Skovholt
et al., 2001; Barnett et al., 2007). As the
client’s well-being progressed, the counsellors
often neglected their well-being (Barnett et
al., 2007). Self-care was the last option on
the to-do list of the counsellors, but it should
have been the priority. Self-care was central
to a helping career. The therapists also
suggested caring for oneself should be a
priority for mental health care professionals
and counsellors. Caring for the self-prevented
the negative outcome of burnout for the
mental health care professional (Guy, 2000;
Barnett et al., 2007; Jennings & Skovholt,
1999).
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
▪️To understand the physical and
emotional conflicts faced by the
professional counsellors.
▪️To describe the burnout issues confronted by the professional counsellors.
▪️To find out the strategies adopted by the professional counsellors to respond to burnout and for self-care.
▪️To describe the burnout issues confronted by the professional counsellors.
▪️To find out the strategies adopted by the professional counsellors to respond to burnout and for self-care.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
The research design of the study on response
to burnout and caring for self was descriptive
in nature. The data was collected through
qualitative research methods and tools. In this
study, the researcher interviewed the 60
counsellors working in Delhi NCR with the help
of an interview guide. The interview guide
consisted of eight points, i.e., open-ended
statements. A purposive sampling technique
was used in the selection of the respondents.
The counsellors working in Integrated Testing
and Counselling Centres (ICTC), Prevention
from Parent to Child.
Transmission centres (PPTCT), Sexually
Transmitted Infections/ Reproductive Tract
Infections (STI/RTI) clinics, Anti retro Viral
Therapy (ART) centres, Tuberculosis (T.B.)
care counsellors comprised the sample of the
present study. The analysis of the data was
done using descriptive scripts of the
statements given by the respondents.
RESULTS
The findings of the study were thematically
organized under eight themes
◾ Dissatisfaction from the job
◾ Feeling of physically and emotionally drained
◾Feeling of frustration
◾ Feeling of isolation –Have no one to talk
◾Feeling of neglected at work-place by the co-workers
◾ Feeling of taking wrong decision to be in a particular organisation
◾ Feeling of unpleasant level of stress and failures
◾Strategies adopted by the counsellors in caring for the self
Profile of the respondents
The respondents of the study were the
professional counsellors practicing
counselling in Delhi NCR. They were practicing
counselling at ICTC, PPTCT, STI/RTI clinics,
ART centres, and TB care centres across all
the districts of Delhi NCR. All the respondents
were post-graduates in the Psychology
discipline. A total number of respondents
interviewed was 60.
Age and Gender
Table 1 reflects those 29 respondents
belonged to the age group of 35-45 years. 25
respondents belonged to the age group of 25
35 years, while 6 respondents belonged to the
age group of 45-55 years. The study
represents almost equal representation of
male (33) and female (27) respondents.
Experience of Counsellors in Counselling
Figure 2 depicts the data on the experience of counsellors in counselling. The findings reflected that 20/60 respondents were practicing counselling for more than 10 years, 28/60 respondents were practicing counselling for the past 5 years, while 12 respondents were practicing counselling for the past 2 years.
Figure 2 depicts the data on the experience of counsellors in counselling. The findings reflected that 20/60 respondents were practicing counselling for more than 10 years, 28/60 respondents were practicing counselling for the past 5 years, while 12 respondents were practicing counselling for the past 2 years.
Dissatisfaction from the job
The respondents were asked whether they were happy with their job or not, and the level of dissatisfaction. Most of the respondents (45/60) stated that there was a feeling of dissatisfaction. They did not see a correlation between the level of their work and the satisfaction they achieved from that work. The reasons cited by them reflected that too much of a case load, being engaged in too much paperwork, and technology made a few things easy, but it also increased the work pressure. One of the respondents said, “Easy access to WhatsApp messages connected the client with the counsellors, making the counselling process easy, but that created a lot of tension in the life of a counsellor. It was difficult to practice saying no to clients for WhatsApp messages.“ Feeling of physically and emotionally drained The feeling of physical and emotional exhaustion arises when someone is stressed and unable to manage their personal and work life. The person faced burnout, and their level of patience decreased. They did not like to spend time with friends and family. They experienced irritation all the time. The respondents (36/60) of the study revealed that many times they experienced irritation and did not like to talk to anyone. They felt apathy and did not enjoy the company of friends and family. In a study conducted by Schaufeli et al. (2023), Counsellors complained of fatigue, mental exhaustion, and disturbed thoughts to an extent that they could not manage their emotions properly in daily routine tasks and interactions. Another study conducted by Awa et al. (2010) analysed how stress related to counselling work affects counselors’ emotional and physical health. However, it is not necessary that the same stress would cause burnout.
The respondents were asked whether they were happy with their job or not, and the level of dissatisfaction. Most of the respondents (45/60) stated that there was a feeling of dissatisfaction. They did not see a correlation between the level of their work and the satisfaction they achieved from that work. The reasons cited by them reflected that too much of a case load, being engaged in too much paperwork, and technology made a few things easy, but it also increased the work pressure. One of the respondents said, “Easy access to WhatsApp messages connected the client with the counsellors, making the counselling process easy, but that created a lot of tension in the life of a counsellor. It was difficult to practice saying no to clients for WhatsApp messages.“ Feeling of physically and emotionally drained The feeling of physical and emotional exhaustion arises when someone is stressed and unable to manage their personal and work life. The person faced burnout, and their level of patience decreased. They did not like to spend time with friends and family. They experienced irritation all the time. The respondents (36/60) of the study revealed that many times they experienced irritation and did not like to talk to anyone. They felt apathy and did not enjoy the company of friends and family. In a study conducted by Schaufeli et al. (2023), Counsellors complained of fatigue, mental exhaustion, and disturbed thoughts to an extent that they could not manage their emotions properly in daily routine tasks and interactions. Another study conducted by Awa et al. (2010) analysed how stress related to counselling work affects counselors’ emotional and physical health. However, it is not necessary that the same stress would cause burnout.
Feeling of frustration
A person may experience the feeling of frustration when they constantly do not perform well and achieve something. The respondents (24/60) stated that sometimes they felt frustrated and confused. They experienced forgetfulness, difficulty in concentration, and loss of memory. Other respondents (36/60) did not experience such health issues as they were engaged in regular exercise and physical fitness.
A person may experience the feeling of frustration when they constantly do not perform well and achieve something. The respondents (24/60) stated that sometimes they felt frustrated and confused. They experienced forgetfulness, difficulty in concentration, and loss of memory. Other respondents (36/60) did not experience such health issues as they were engaged in regular exercise and physical fitness.
Feeling of isolation –Have no one to talk
When someone encounters stress, the feeling of loneliness and isolation emanates naturally. Physical and emotional exhaustion affected the relationship with the family members and also with friends. The respondents (30/60) of the study expressed their limited ability to maintain relationships with their family members and friends. They experienced that they had no one to talk to and share their life challenges. They felt that no one wanted to maintain a social relationship with them. The respondents faced low self-esteem and a lack of zeal to do any work. One of the respondents cited, “A few years back, I felt lonely, that was my problem, and I did not speak to anyone about it. I doubted that the family members liked me, and I had to help myself. The negative feeling of loneliness overpowered me many times, I constantly tried to fight against the feeling of isolation.”
When someone encounters stress, the feeling of loneliness and isolation emanates naturally. Physical and emotional exhaustion affected the relationship with the family members and also with friends. The respondents (30/60) of the study expressed their limited ability to maintain relationships with their family members and friends. They experienced that they had no one to talk to and share their life challenges. They felt that no one wanted to maintain a social relationship with them. The respondents faced low self-esteem and a lack of zeal to do any work. One of the respondents cited, “A few years back, I felt lonely, that was my problem, and I did not speak to anyone about it. I doubted that the family members liked me, and I had to help myself. The negative feeling of loneliness overpowered me many times, I constantly tried to fight against the feeling of isolation.”
Feeling of neglected at work-place by the
co-workers,
The feeling of being neglected/ignored at the workplace was traumatic for many people. Was the feeling of neglect by the co-workers genuine, or was the manipulation of one’s own thoughts a matter of concern? It was important to have a feeling of job satisfaction and job involvement. The respondents (27/60) agreed that they had experienced ignorance by their teammates on many occasions. They talked to the people who mistreated them or did not talk much with them at the workplace. But nothing changed; they had experienced the feeling of neglect by their co-workers.
The feeling of being neglected/ignored at the workplace was traumatic for many people. Was the feeling of neglect by the co-workers genuine, or was the manipulation of one’s own thoughts a matter of concern? It was important to have a feeling of job satisfaction and job involvement. The respondents (27/60) agreed that they had experienced ignorance by their teammates on many occasions. They talked to the people who mistreated them or did not talk much with them at the workplace. But nothing changed; they had experienced the feeling of neglect by their co-workers.
Feeling of taking wrong decision to be in
a particular organisation
The feeling of working with the wrong organisation arises when someone faces low self-esteem and a low level of confidence. Many times, one felt that they were in the wrong profession. The study’s respondents (30/60) felt that they had faced this problem of being in the wrong organisation, as it was very difficult for them to manage their personal and work life efficiently. Few of them (15/60) said that they tried to leave the job, but because of financial insecurities, they did not leave the job. One of the respondents stated, “Being the single earner in the family, he could not take the decision to change the organisation or leave the job.” In a study conducted by Turner and Rankine (2024), it was found that counsellors were unintentionally unable to recognize the symptoms of burnout faced by them. As a result, self-care has also been neglected. The study pointed out that personal as well as organizational factors created chaos in the life of the counsellors, which resulted in burnout being faced by the counsellors, recognized at a very late stage.
The feeling of working with the wrong organisation arises when someone faces low self-esteem and a low level of confidence. Many times, one felt that they were in the wrong profession. The study’s respondents (30/60) felt that they had faced this problem of being in the wrong organisation, as it was very difficult for them to manage their personal and work life efficiently. Few of them (15/60) said that they tried to leave the job, but because of financial insecurities, they did not leave the job. One of the respondents stated, “Being the single earner in the family, he could not take the decision to change the organisation or leave the job.” In a study conducted by Turner and Rankine (2024), it was found that counsellors were unintentionally unable to recognize the symptoms of burnout faced by them. As a result, self-care has also been neglected. The study pointed out that personal as well as organizational factors created chaos in the life of the counsellors, which resulted in burnout being faced by the counsellors, recognized at a very late stage.
Feeling of an unpleasant level of stress
and failures
Feeling of Stress and failures were associated. Increased work demands at the workplace lead to interpersonal conflicts, feelings of being ostracized, and mistreatment by teammates. The respondents (24/60) shared that workplace mistreatment shattered their confidence. They had faced the physical and emotional fatigue. Many times, they had difficulty falling asleep. And some of them (9/ 60) said they had overslept the day and night. One of the respondents said, “When we were not able to complete the tasks, some of the staff members made mockery, which gave a bad feeling and sense of hopelessness.” Feeling of Stress and failures were associated. Increased work demands at the workplace lead to interpersonal conflicts, feelings of being ostracized, and mistreatment by teammates. The respondents (24/60) shared that workplace mistreatment shattered their confidence. They had faced the physical and emotional fatigue. Many times, they had difficulty falling asleep. And some of them (9/ 60) said they had overslept the day and night. One of the respondents said, “When we were not able to complete the tasks, some of the staff members made mockery, which gave a bad feeling and sense of hopelessness.”
Feeling of Stress and failures were associated. Increased work demands at the workplace lead to interpersonal conflicts, feelings of being ostracized, and mistreatment by teammates. The respondents (24/60) shared that workplace mistreatment shattered their confidence. They had faced the physical and emotional fatigue. Many times, they had difficulty falling asleep. And some of them (9/ 60) said they had overslept the day and night. One of the respondents said, “When we were not able to complete the tasks, some of the staff members made mockery, which gave a bad feeling and sense of hopelessness.” Feeling of Stress and failures were associated. Increased work demands at the workplace lead to interpersonal conflicts, feelings of being ostracized, and mistreatment by teammates. The respondents (24/60) shared that workplace mistreatment shattered their confidence. They had faced the physical and emotional fatigue. Many times, they had difficulty falling asleep. And some of them (9/ 60) said they had overslept the day and night. One of the respondents said, “When we were not able to complete the tasks, some of the staff members made mockery, which gave a bad feeling and sense of hopelessness.”
Strategies adopted by the counsellors in
caring for the self
Dealing with physical and emotional exhaustion was very important. People experiencing physical and emotional exhaustion underwent a significant conflict between their personal and work lives. They needed to take care of their physical and emotional energy level and recharge them on time. The respondents were asked to suggest strategies to be adopted by the counsellors for caring for themselves. The respondents (45/60) highlighted the fact that increased work pressure resulted in i ncreased stress and caused job dissatisfaction. Hence, the respondents suggested being assertive in saying no to overwork and taking too many extra assignments. However, the counsellors (36/ 60) revealed that increased case-loads were not under their control. However, they suggested that for the digital (computer-data entry) work, a helping hand could be given to the counsellors. One of the respondents commented, “The task of counselling a client was okay, but doing the entry of counselling data in the computer made us tired.” All the respondents suggested being cautious to maintain their physical and emotional energy levels. They said that the client and counsellor both needed to understand the value of regular exercise and meditation. The present study reflected that the respondents who were engaged in regular exercise and physical fitness did not experience any difficulty. Hence, it stressed that physical exercises also help maintain mental health. It was also recommended by the respondents (45/60) that vacations were essential to spend time with family and friends and to have some rest. In order to reduce the level of stress, time management was needed. If a person were organized with their daily activities, personal and professional, it would reduce their stress level. The respondents (36/60) realized that spending time for weekly leisure activity was again of an utmost importance. One could paint, read, garden, play musical instruments, watch movies, go on a picnic, and spend time with pets. Maintaining social relationships was highlighted as vital by many respondents (42/ 60). They stated that no one can live happily in isolation. A healthy and positive relationship with the team workers should be encouraged. Working in cooperation and coordination with the team members reduced the stress. The feeling of frustration triggers many associated health problems like aggression, depression, and anxiety. The respondents (48/ 60) reflected on the necessity to take care of their emotional intelligence. Recognizing and noticing the feeling and understanding that the feelings were fleeting, so need to respond appropriately and empathetically. The respondents (30/60) responded that they understand the value of active mindfulness exercises, but practicing to live in the present moment was difficult because of multi-tasking job requirements. In a study conducted by Hardiman and Simmonds (2012), self-care was expressed as one of the difficult tasks by the counsellors. They found it difficult to balance the equilibrium of caring for themselves while caring for clients. While another study conducted by Patsiopoulos and Buchanan (2011) stressed the need for better self-awareness and observing the physical and emotional changes and challenges the counselors face. They said that enjoying nature and doing breathing exercises or muscle relaxation exercises were some mindfulness activities, but it was tough to practice. However, counsellors must take time out of their busy schedules for mindfulness activities. The respondents suggested that some time period should be dedicatedly allotted in their job profiles for the relaxation exercise.
Dealing with physical and emotional exhaustion was very important. People experiencing physical and emotional exhaustion underwent a significant conflict between their personal and work lives. They needed to take care of their physical and emotional energy level and recharge them on time. The respondents were asked to suggest strategies to be adopted by the counsellors for caring for themselves. The respondents (45/60) highlighted the fact that increased work pressure resulted in i ncreased stress and caused job dissatisfaction. Hence, the respondents suggested being assertive in saying no to overwork and taking too many extra assignments. However, the counsellors (36/ 60) revealed that increased case-loads were not under their control. However, they suggested that for the digital (computer-data entry) work, a helping hand could be given to the counsellors. One of the respondents commented, “The task of counselling a client was okay, but doing the entry of counselling data in the computer made us tired.” All the respondents suggested being cautious to maintain their physical and emotional energy levels. They said that the client and counsellor both needed to understand the value of regular exercise and meditation. The present study reflected that the respondents who were engaged in regular exercise and physical fitness did not experience any difficulty. Hence, it stressed that physical exercises also help maintain mental health. It was also recommended by the respondents (45/60) that vacations were essential to spend time with family and friends and to have some rest. In order to reduce the level of stress, time management was needed. If a person were organized with their daily activities, personal and professional, it would reduce their stress level. The respondents (36/60) realized that spending time for weekly leisure activity was again of an utmost importance. One could paint, read, garden, play musical instruments, watch movies, go on a picnic, and spend time with pets. Maintaining social relationships was highlighted as vital by many respondents (42/ 60). They stated that no one can live happily in isolation. A healthy and positive relationship with the team workers should be encouraged. Working in cooperation and coordination with the team members reduced the stress. The feeling of frustration triggers many associated health problems like aggression, depression, and anxiety. The respondents (48/ 60) reflected on the necessity to take care of their emotional intelligence. Recognizing and noticing the feeling and understanding that the feelings were fleeting, so need to respond appropriately and empathetically. The respondents (30/60) responded that they understand the value of active mindfulness exercises, but practicing to live in the present moment was difficult because of multi-tasking job requirements. In a study conducted by Hardiman and Simmonds (2012), self-care was expressed as one of the difficult tasks by the counsellors. They found it difficult to balance the equilibrium of caring for themselves while caring for clients. While another study conducted by Patsiopoulos and Buchanan (2011) stressed the need for better self-awareness and observing the physical and emotional changes and challenges the counselors face. They said that enjoying nature and doing breathing exercises or muscle relaxation exercises were some mindfulness activities, but it was tough to practice. However, counsellors must take time out of their busy schedules for mindfulness activities. The respondents suggested that some time period should be dedicatedly allotted in their job profiles for the relaxation exercise.
CONCLUSION
From the findings and analysis, it can be
concluded that the counsellors were well
aware of the reasons for burnout and how to
respond to burnout. However, practicing self
care was missing from their routine. They
cited many reasons for being unable to care
for themselves, overworking, a lack of quality
time for family and self, and a lower priority
on self-care. They recognized the changes in
their mood, attitude, and thinking because of
the stressful situations, but ignored the
condition of not being well. It was realized
that frustration tolerance was important; one
needed to know how to deal with the
frustration. Coping with emotions and
challenging situations comes with the ability
to deal with the frustration. If someone got
irritated and distressed easily even on small
tasks, then it needed to be dealt with
empathetically. The physical and emotional
turbulences counselors face could be
responded to well if they developed emotional
intelligence. Counsellors should be cautious
of mindfulness in order to gain physical and
emotional energy and deal with burnout
situations. When one started understanding
positively and appreciating the things around
the environment, life became easy and full of
optimistic energy.
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Conflict of interest: None
Role of funding source: None
ISSN: 2582-1393 (Online)