Compassion Fatigue Across Professional Development: A Systematic Literature Review of Psychologists and Counsellors-in-Training

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dc.contributor.authorSochan, Daniel
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-10T00:51:10Z
dc.date.available2026-01-10T00:51:10Z
dc.date.issued2025-12
dc.description.abstractCompassion fatigue (CF) is a well-documented occupational hazard within psychotherapy and counselling, yet significant gaps remain regarding how CF develops and is experienced at different stages of professional growth. This systematic literature review examines how compassion fatigue manifests among psychologists and counsellors-in-training (CITs), integrating Burnout Theory as the primary conceptual framework alongside secondary perspectives from Vicarious Trauma Theory and Self-Compassion Theory. A structured search of PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the City University Library identified peer-reviewed literature published between 2010 and 2025, resulting in approximately 50 studies that met inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis revealed five major patterns: (1) conceptual overlaps among CF, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma; (2) heightened developmental vulnerabilities in trainees related to emotional regulation, empathic over-identification, fragile professional identity, and supervision inconsistencies; (3) protective factors such as self-compassion, mindfulness, reflective supervision, and compassion satisfaction; (4) comparative differences between trainees and experienced psychologists in boundary setting, resilience, and coping strategies; and (5) persisting methodological and conceptual gaps in the existing literature. Findings indicate that CF is a dynamic, developmentally shaped process influenced by individual, relational, and systemic factors. Implications emphasize the ethical importance of early intervention within training programs, as well as the need for trauma-informed supervision, wellness-based curricula, and institutional policies that support sustainable clinical practice.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11803/5117
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.institutionCity University of Seattle (CityU)
dc.subjectcompassion fatigue
dc.subjectcounsellor in training
dc.subjectexperienced psychologist
dc.subjectempathy
dc.subjectburnout theory
dc.subjectstudent
dc.subjectsupervision
dc.subjectself-compassion
dc.subjectresilience
dc.subjectvicarious trauma
dc.subjectprofessional development
dc.titleCompassion Fatigue Across Professional Development: A Systematic Literature Review of Psychologists and Counsellors-in-Training
dc.typeCapstone
thesis.degree.disciplineCounselling
thesis.degree.grantorCity University of Seattle (CityU)
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Counselling
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