BURNOUT IN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AFTER THE PANDEMIC: A REVIEW OF THE COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL APPROACH IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Abstract

The emotional exhaustion of healthcare professionals has become a widely observed phenomenon following the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing the fragility of working conditions and the insufficiency of public policies aimed at occupational mental health. Continuous exposure to suffering, death, overwhelming workloads, and emotional instability triggered a wave of illness marked by an increase in Burnout Syndrome cases. This study aims to review Brazilian scientific literature related to the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a strategy for preventing and treating burnout in healthcare workers in the post-pandemic period. It is a qualitative study, conducted through a literature review. Open-access publications were analyzed, focusing on CBT-based interventions applied in institutional healthcare contexts in Brazil. The results indicate that CBT contributes to emotional reorganization, reduction of exhaustion symptoms, and strengthening of adaptive coping strategies, proving effective even in short-term and low-cost formats. Additionally, the approach was applicable to various contexts, allowing for individual or group interventions, whether in-person or remote. The findings suggest that CBT should be permanently incorporated into workplace mental health promotion programs, not merely as a reactive measure, but as an ongoing preventive strategy. It is concluded that the systematic use of CBT represents progress in valuing psychological care for healthcare professionals, promoting favorable conditions for ethical, humane, and sustainable healthcare practice.