The protective role of vigor in volunteering against somatic and psychological symptoms in EMDR therapists

Psychology in Russia: State of the Art. 2026. Vol. 19. No. 1. P. 96–108.

Alena A. Zolotareva, Julia S. Vitko, Elena V. Kazennaya

Background. Empirical evidence highlights that psychotherapists and applied psychologists experience stress, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, secondary traumatic stress, and other symptoms of somatic and psychological distress. Although studies suggest that volunteering can protect somatic and psychological well-being in the general population, these relationships have not been investigated in mental health professionals.

Objective. This study aimed to examine the role of volunteering and work-related characteristics in symptoms of somatic and psychological distress among psychotherapists and applied psychologists.

Design. The study had a cross-sectional design. The participants were psychotherapists and applied psychologists who provided volunteer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy sessions. One hundred and twenty volunteer EMDR therapists filled out the forms measuring somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, job satisfaction, meaningfulness of work, and engagement in volunteering.

Results. Correlation analyses showed that symptoms of somatic and psychological distress were negatively associated with job satisfaction, vigor in volunteering, and dedication in volunteering. Regression analyses revealed that vigor in volunteering was the only significant negative predictor of somatic (β = -.247, p = .049), anxiety (β = -.263, p = .004), and depressive symptoms (β = -.263, p = .034).

Conclusion. This study contributes to our knowledge of the benefits of volunteering for the somatic and psychological well-being of EMDR therapists. From a practical standpoint, these findings suggest that psychotherapists and applied psychologists might be encouraged to frame pro bono work as a form of emotional and professional self-regulation. Furthermore, training programs could integrate pro bono activities into their curricula.

Keywords: anxiety, psychotherapy, depression, applied psychology, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, somatic symptoms, applied psychology, psychotherapy

Publication based on the results of: Развитие психосоматических исследований в России (2025)