We Didn’t Start the Fire: Avoiding Clinician Burnout in Substance Use Care

CTA: After you listen, please complete SAMHSA’s required Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) GPRA Post-Event Form. This form will gather satisfaction with the event to help improve future episodes.Burnout is a growing crisis in addiction care, driven by increasing demand, emotional strain, and system-level pressures. Yet burnout is not inevitable—and prevention requires both individual and organizational solutions. This episode explores how burnout differs from compassion fatigue and secondary trauma, and what clinicians and healthcare systems can do to address it. Listeners will gain practical strategies to protect their well-being, strengthen resilience, and advocate for healthier workplace environments that support both providers and the patients they serve.Timestamps:[00:01:55] Why Burnout Matters[00:04:10] Personal Stakes and Expertise[00:06:48] Spotting Burnout Signs[00:11:44] How Burnout Develops[00:16:21] Vicarious Trauma Risks[00:18:29] Scrutiny and Workplace Pressures[00:22:20] Compassion Satisfaction Benefits[00:25:00] Boundaries and Staying Engaged[00:30:01] Resilience Strategies for Clinicians[00:31:32] What Employers Should Change[00:38:01] Big Picture Solutions and ClosingLinks:AMERSAFind us online at amersa.org/amersa-podcast Frontiers in Substance Use & Stigma & Substance Use are sponsored by Provider’s Clinical Support System – Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (PCSS-MOUD). Learn more about PCSS-MOUD at pcssnow.org.Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Substance Use Across the Lifespan and Innovation in Action are sponsored by the Opioid Response Network (ORN). Learn more about ORN at opioidresponsenetwork.org.Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI088037 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.