Beyond Burnout

Cary Cherniss is Professor of Applied Psychology at Rutgers University. He is the author of ProfessionalBurnout in Human Service Organizations and Staff Burnout:Job Stress in the Human Services as well as numerous articles on burnout.

"Cherniss...was among the first to note that burnout...must also be viewed as a reflection of a society...Much of the strength of this book comes from its reliance on extensive interview data...Cherniss consistently avoids simplistic conclusions or formulations; burnout and related phenomena are understood...as outcomes resulting from multiple, interactive sources...Similarly, individuals are not criticized...for failing to be extraordinary in nearly impossible situations...this is an excellent and important book. Cherniss has taken a unique, longitudinal perspective on an important topic...he has understood what putative reformers of certain professions too often have not: that the needs of workers themselves must be understood and satisfied in order for clients to benefit from their efforts." -- Teachers College Record,Winter '96"Beyond Burnout presents an in-depth sampling of 25 professionals who have survived stress in their public service fields. The sample size was admittedly small; however, the reports of the unstructured interviews were informative. The definitions of burnout and bureaucracy were especially insightful. The author met the objective of offering help to professionals in the public sector who are beginning their careers. Persons considering a career in the helping professions will find this a thought-provoking book and a resource manual for solutions to the problem of burnout." -- Bulletin of theAmerican Academy of Psychiatry and Law, Vol. 24, No. 4,1996"Beyond Burnout falls in the "must read" category for all those in professional roles. Cherniss carefully tracks how a . . . population dealt with early burnout over a twelve-year interval. Based on those detailed histories, he offers useful policies and practices for moderating the intensity of burnout as well as for inhibiting its onset." -- Robert T. Golembiewski, author of Phases ofBurnout"Beyond Burnout is a remarkable followup to one of the original books on this form of job stress. Cherniss re-interviews people a decade after their bout with burnout, and discovers new insights about effective solutions for this social problem. What he learns from this group of professionals could have important implications for anyone starting down the career path in the human services." -- Christina Maslach, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley and author of Burnout:The Cost of Caring and co-editor of Professional Burnout"Those interested in burnout among professionals will have to rethink their views as a result of this well written, thought provoking book. This book is as much about the modern world as it is about professionals in the human services." -- Seymour B. Sarason, Ph.D., Yale University"Cary Cherniss, one of the pioneers and foremost leaders in burnout research, brings us this important book in which we learn what happened to the new professionals he interviewed ten years ago . . . In the large and steadily growing literature on burnout, there are very few long-term studies . . . this one is a landmark . . . This is a fascinating, enormously useful and readable book, both engaging and practical." -- Ayala Pines, coauthor of Career Burnout: Causes and Cures"Cherniss...was among the first to note that burnout...must also be viewed as a reflection of a society...Much of the strength of this book comes from its reliance on extensive interview data...Cherniss consistently avoids simplistic conclusions or formulations; burnout and related phenomena are understood...as outcomes resulting from multiple, interactive sources...Similarly, individuals are not criticized...for failing to be extraordinary in nearly impossible situations...this is an excellent and important book. Cherniss has taken a unique, longitudinal perspective on an important topic...he has understood what putative reformers of certain professions too often have not: that the needs of workers themselves must be understood and satisfied in order for clients to benefit from their efforts." -- Teachers College Record,Winter '96

• Part One: Setting the Stage: 1. The First Year: "Thought I'd Died and Gone to Hell"; 2. From Stress to Burnout; Part Two: The Next Decade: 3. The Flight from Public Service; 4. More Compassion-For Those Who Deserve It; 5. More Open to change-On Their Terms; 6. Why Work? Shifting Priorities; 7. Fulfillment and Regret; Part Three: HowSome Overcame Burnout: 8. Five Who Prevailed; 9. Antidotes to Burnout: Finding Meaningful Work; 10. Antidotes to Burnout: Finding Greater Professional Autonomy and Support; 11. Antidotes to Burnout: What the Individual Brings to Work; 12. Some Implications for Policy and Practice; 13. What's Missing? The Quest for Meaning.