Provider well-being in the intensive virtual evidence-based psychotherapy team: A program description with preliminary evaluation data in the Veterans Health Administration.

Abstract

Burnout and occupational stress among mental health providers within the U.S. Veterans Health Administration are of critical concern, particularly for clinicians providing trauma-focused evidence-based psychotherapies. Burnout has been defined and measured in different ways across studies. In this article, burnout is conceptualized as a work-related syndrome involving emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy, while recognizing that other constructs such as secondary traumatic stress and moral distress may also affect provider well-being. This article describes the Intensive Virtual Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Team at the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System, a fully virtual 2- to 4-week program that delivers massed prolonged exposure therapy or the Unified Protocol with Whole Health integration. Although the Intensive Virtual Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Team was developed as a clinical care model for Veterans, it was also intentionally structured in ways that support provider well-being at the service-delivery, team, and individual levels. Preliminary local program evaluation findings are presented. In a small retrospective pre-post evaluation, staff reported greater perceived support and lower burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and moral distress after joining the Intensive Virtual Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Team. A second 8-week Employee Whole Health initiative showed favorable descriptive trends and positive qualitative feedback regarding job satisfaction, collegial support, and accountability for personal wellness goals. Findings should be interpreted as preliminary given the nature of the small program evaluation. This article highlights one approach to promote provider well-being and embed sustainable practices into clinical program design in Veterans Health Administration mental health settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).