There is growing evidence to show that mental health professionals by the n
ature of their work are particularly vulnerable to stress with all its detr
imental effects on service delivery and quality of care. This comes at a ri
me when mental health services in many countries are under considerable str
ain. The present paper examines the multifaceted stressors encountered by t
he mental health team and recommends possible ways of reducing burnout thro
ugh innovative intervention strategies. The detection of emotional distress
and psychological dysfunctioning in mental health providers is outlined an
d their management carefully considered.