The Intersections of Race, Burnout, and Self-Care in Social Justice and Music Therapy

Abstract

Burnout, race, self-care, and social justice are multidimensional and dynamic topics that have multiple intersections and implications for music therapists. Exploring the relationship between race and burnout is necessary because centuries of racism have created health and occupational inequities for people of color and because retaining a diverse workforce is essential for quality client care. This is especially important for music therapy, where professionals of color are underrepresented in a field that serves a diverse clientele with music, a culturally centered art form. This article will first explore current research on race and 2 types of burnout. Occupational burnout is a current public health issue and activist burnout is a major barrier to sustaining social movements. These 2 types of burnout may overlap and may be symptoms of larger systemic and social issues. Although self-care is needed to navigate both occupational burnout and activist burnout, self-care is not just a means of burnout prevention and stress management. In the context of race and social justice, self-care takes on deeper meanings and purposes that can be further supported by the principles of moral courage and moral resilience to cultivate progress, strength, equity, and inclusion in the music therapy profession. Self-care can symbolize freedom and compassion, and new perspectives will be offered on acknowledging self-care as an ethical responsibility and honoring self-care as an inherent human right.