New York, NY – 2025   The emotional toll of a social work education is greater than most comprehend. In Burnout in Social Work Field Education: Mitigating the Risk, Dr. Mary Powell makes a critical call to action for schools of social work, educators, and agencies to meet what she calls a "neglected crisis" burnout during student field placements. Based on emerging research, firsthand experience, and years of clinical supervision, the book provides a map for structural change and student resilience.

Published by Springer in its SpringerBriefs in Social Work series, the book is a necessary part of the professional education of social work educators, field instructors, and students alike. In a profession characterized by empathy, this book brings the only occasional pairing of compassion and scholarship required to confront the vulnerabilities of new entrants into the field.

"Fieldwork is social work's signature pedagogy," says Dr. Powell. "It's where students learn to implement theory in the real world but it's also where many are first exposed to the emotional push that can result in burnout."

Embedded in the book is the theory of role ambiguity the confusion students typically experience regarding their responsibilities, expectations, and status within an organization. Dr. Powell's studies validate that ambiguous roles and inadequate supervision have a direct correlation with elevated burnout rates. Although schools have adopted the rhetoric of self-care, Dr. Powell contends that without institutional reforms, they will not suffice.

She states, "Burnout isn't a failure of individual resilience. It's a signal that the system needs attention."

The book demands institutions to:

·         Train field supervisors to establish clear expectations

·         Offer structured mentorship and emotional support

·         Implement coping and self-care skills early in coursework

·         Develop organizational accountability for student wellbeing

These findings are supported by Dr. Powell's dissertation research, which sampled 203 MSW students and uncovered counterintuitive findings regarding the impact of age, coping, and perceived role clarity on emotional exhaustion. Emotion-focused coping, a commonly misunderstood concept, was found to be a protective factor for students contrary to prevailing assumptions in burnout literature for practicing professionals.

Dr. Powell's education is complemented by actual experience. Trained in outpatient mental health and maintaining a private psychotherapy practice, she has also supervised MSW interns and taught faculty members in social work education for years. Her many years of interest in psychoanalysis and self-care principles guide the tone of the book so that it is clinically solid and highly empathic.

Co-written with Dr. Linda Riggs Mayfield, a teacher with decades of experience, the text is designed to facilitate its adoption into graduate courses and in-service training for educators and social workers. It's already making waves as a possible foundation in the changing conversation regarding mental health in the workplace and classroom.

"We cannot afford to wait for students to learn this after they have graduated," says Dr. Powell. "Burnout begins early. Prevention needs to begin even earlier."

Burnout in Social Work Field Education is now available in print and e-book formats, providing a compelling and useful tool for recasting the way the profession trains and safeguards its own.

Buy the book here:

Amazon Link
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG
ISBN: 978-3-031-45921-4 (Print), 978-3-031-45922-1 (eBook)

Dr. Mary Powell
Book Available: Springer Nature Switzerland AG