Burnout and mental health challenges affect people in every walk of life. The constant pressure to do more can take a serious toll, especially for high-achievers who tie success to their self-worth.
For many, recognizing the signs of burnout and talking openly about mental health is still a new yet important step. The high-stakes culture of medicine and similar fields often demands resilience at the expense of mental health, with little room for vulnerability.
But Amber Rivera, director of Learner Life and Wellness at URMC, says there’s a way forward from burnout, starting with the power of self-compassion.
Recognizing Burnout: More Than Just Stress
In her work with trainees at the University of Rochester, Rivera sees these struggles firsthand in some of the people she works with.
“There’s a real sense of dread of waking up in the morning, and you know going in to do something that you used to love and now you don’t love it anymore. You’re dreading it. That’s a real sign of occupational burnout,” Rivera says.
How does burnout show up? The World Health Organization’s definition focuses on three characteristics of burnout:
- Emotional exhaustion: Feeling depleted, worn out, or drained.
Depersonalization: Feeling detached from your own thoughts, feelings, sensations, or actions. Often described as looking at yourself from an outside perspective.
Reduced professional efficacy: A lower sense of effectiveness in one’s work.
Shifting the Conversation: From Perfectionism to Self-Compassion
One of Rivera’s most important messages is the need to humanize the experience of burnout and prioritize mental health—not just for physicians but for anyone navigating high-pressure environments.
Rivera emphasizes how simple mindset shifts—like practicing gratitude and acknowledging personal wins—can start to rewire negative self-talk patterns. These practices aren’t a cure-all, but they’re critical tools in managing stress and preventing burnout.
Support, Resources & Next Steps
Mental Health Resources at UR Medicine
Rivera also announced an exciting step forward: “We’re going to be bringing mental health first aid training to our trainees very soon. I’ll be teaching that course to certify anybody who wants to learn more about mental health first aid and how they can impact the communities around them.”
The Office of Wellbeing is so excited to see [Ms. Rivera’s] mental health first aid initiative for our learners,” said Craig Rooney, PhD, URMC Chief Wellbeing Officer. “Acknowledging both mental health concerns and forms of occupational distress like burnout—and taking organizational steps to address them—helps inform a culture of wellbeing that normalizes our humanity and makes URMC the best place to learn.”
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