Examining Self-Compassion and Self-Care Practices Among African American Mental Health Practitioners: An Ethical Imperative for Wellness and Self-Care

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of African American mental health clinicians, specifically focusing on self-compassion, as well as personal and professional self-care, emphasizing wellness and clinical competency. Despite the crucial role of self-care, limited research has explored the experiences of African American clinicians, who often confront stress, burnout, and systemic challenges, including racism. The study aims to address this gap by investigating self-care practices, defining, and implementing self-compassion, and tackling challenges such as compassion fatigue, burnout, stress, racism, and microaggressions. Guided by Gilbert's theoretical model of compassion, emphasizing the development of a compassionate self, the research seeks to contribute to effective support systems, training programs, enhanced professional efficacy, and improved overall wellness for African American mental health practitioners. The theoretical framework, rooted in compassion-centeredness, integrates Neff’s model of compassion and compassion-focused treatment from Gilbert’s social mentality theory, particularly exploring compassion-focused treatment rooted in Social Mentality Theory. Conducted virtually through ZOOM, the study involved questionnaires and interviews. Analysis of the recorded Zoom interviews uncovered themes and trends, providing vital information to enhance the wellness of African American mental health clinicians. The researcher organized data into thematic categories derived from inductive insights gathered during the study, anticipating emerging themes and trends that contribute valuable information to research and improve the wellness of African American mental health practitioners.