From the author: A note about emotional burnout Among representatives of helping professions, it is not uncommon to feel a state when you don’t want to see anyone, work is not a joy, everything is annoying, emptiness reigns in your head and heart - emotional burnout sets in. In this article, I propose to amplify this concept and look to personal and cultural associations for advice on how to deal with it. The first thing that comes to mind is a well or spring from which people draw continuously until it is empty. I remember a parable about a source of living water, which was accidentally discovered by people and gradually turned by them into a source of income. When this happened, the water from the source went underground and appeared in another place - where the same story was repeated again. Thus, the living water each time left due to indefatigable consumption and thirst for profit. Something similar happens with our life energy, if we are guided solely by the desire to earn money, social stereotypes or the desire for stability - gradually inspiration, joy from our service, emotional warmth and courage necessary for truly helping people. Among the “Archetypal Cards” of Zinkevich-Evstigneeva there is a story about the Magic Cow, which gave people milk that brings joy and heals illnesses. People began to come to her with jugs, buckets, cans - until the milk was gone. Then they began to blame the Cow for no longer taking care of them - but a wise hero was found who opened people's eyes to the need to take care of the cow herself. When people moderated their appetites, built her a barn and began to supply her with fresh hay, the Cow again began to give them wonderful milk. In the same way, it is important for us to be able to take care of ourselves - because then caring for others will be more effective; If we give all the time (our time, attention, energy), then one day we will become exhausted. If we constantly allow our boundaries to be violated, then we will not be able to be a reliable container for those who need us. In Julia Cameron's book "The Artist's Way" there is an idea that the source of creativity and vitality in us is the Inner Child - and it is needs care, play, gifts. Therefore, she suggests sometimes pleasing yourself with various purchases or activities that do not have much practical meaning. When I think about burnout among psychologists or doctors, I am reminded of the image of a healer from the game Disciples - it is assumed that it can develop in one of two directions: healing everyone a little or healing one person, but to a significant extent. This can be considered as two strategies of help: systemic and individual; Burnout can occur when one strategy suits us better, and we try to work in another. For example, when a psychologist is more “sharpened” for deep and long-term work, and he has to work in training mode with a whole class. Thus, emotional burnout can be a message that we are not doing our job or not as we should. In order for work to nourish us, we must find our soil - otherwise it will be like trying to grow orange trees in Siberia, which, of course, can be successful, but at the cost of enormous effort, disproportionate to the result. If we find our own ground under our feet, then, in the words of the Chinese thinker, we “will not have to work a single day in our lives.”".