Abstract
Burnout and compassion fatigue are pervasive in the medical professional field. Healthcare workers have a need for self-care techniques beyond the average professional because of a high stress and emotional work environment. Art making can provide the needed time for reflection and relaxation to assist in increasing empathy and reducing stress. This study used a narrative qualitative format to explore the personal experiences of two medical professionals, exploring their use of art as self-care and its effect on their ability to handle stress. This paper explores in a literature review the prevalence of burnout amongst medical providers and looks at how art is being used with medical professionals and mental health professionals to facilitate self-care. The researcher of this study found that the two participants found art to be helpful in their self-care regimen and utilized it to prevent burnout.
