Resilience in the crucible: Compassion fatigue among Indian clinical psychologists and the need for mental health policy reform
Clinical psychologists; Clinical supervision; Compassion fatigue; India; Mental health policy
Objectives: Compassion fatigue (CF) significantly affects mental health professionals, especially in high-stress, resource-limited contexts. Despite its impact on therapeutic outcomes, little is known about how Indian clinical psychologists experience and manage CF. This study explored the lived experiences of CF among RCI-licensed Indian clinical psychologists, focusing on protective and risk factors in the post-pandemic context. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed. Ten clinical psychologists from urban and semi-urban India were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews explored experiences of CF, resilience, and self-efficacy. Thematic analysis was informed by Figley's Compassion Fatigue Model and the Conservation of Resources Theory. Results: Four major themes emerged: (1) Professional Competence and Growth; (2) Therapeutic Relationship; (3) Professional Challenges, including vicarious trauma and boundary-setting; and (4) Self-Care and Support. Participants frequently reported emotional exhaustion and vicarious trauma, but also described post-traumatic growth and reflective practice as buffers. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for policy-level interventions to address CF among Indian clinical psychologists. Enhancing clinical supervision, integrating trauma-informed curricula, and strengthening institutional support systems are critical for sustaining practitioner resilience and ethical therapeutic care in India's mental health landscape. Key practitioner message: Addressing compassion fatigue through supervision, policy reform, and resilience-building is vital for therapist well-being and service sustainability. 2026 Elsevier Inc.
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing;Volume;61;Issue;;Article No.;152061;
Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2026.152061 https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030157038?origin=resultslist
David S., Department of Psychology, JAIN (deemed-to-be University), Bangalore, India; Sadasivan A., School of Psychological Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed-to-be-University), Bangalore, India