Understanding compassion fatigue among child and adolescent psychotherapists: insights from a thematic analysis

BACKGROUND: Compassion fatigue is a critical professional challenge for child and adolescent psychotherapists. It stems from prolonged exposure to clients' trauma and emotional suffering, resulting in the depletion of emotional and empathic resources. METHODS: This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological approach and used thematic analysis to examine data collected through semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Participants described compassion fatigue as a gradual erosion of empathy and vitality that extends beyond emotional exhaustion to impair their ethical and relational capacities. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the necessity of systemic and culturally sensitive supports, such as clinical supervision, balanced workloads, and organizational awareness, to protect therapists' emotional well-being and maintain compassionate engagement in psychotherapy.