Abstract
Burnout is defined in the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary (2005) as “exhaustion of
physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or
frustration.” Burnout can happen to caregivers who care for people with special needs, the
terminally ill, and the aging population, for example. Any caregiver can experience burnout, the
day in/day out caregiver and the part-time volunteer alike. At some point, caregivers may
develop a negative attitude towards their client or job (Abbit, 2017). The purpose of this study
was to understand how caregivers currently reduce burnout and see if art making could improve
the reduction of caregiver burnout. The primary focus of the art-based group was to learn from
the participants' experiences with art to address burnout. Caregivers have been identified as
often under a tremendous amount of stress, due to the nature of their work. This study aimed
to identify art-based tools that could help reduce burnout. The participants in the art-based
group indicated that burnout had been lowered because of the art-making.
