I-CARE Reflective Self-Assessment
For awareness, reflection and appropriate referral — never for diagnosis or labelling.
Rate each area honestly using the reflective scale: 1 = Never · 2 = Rarely · 3 = Sometimes · 4 = Frequently · 5 = Very frequently. Nothing you enter is submitted or stored.
This is a reflective worksheet, not a clinical diagnostic instrument.
Burnout, PTSD, trauma, depression, anxiety and compassion fatigue must not be diagnosed on the basis of this worksheet. No score, category or label is produced. Where distress is persistent, severe or significantly affects functioning, consult an appropriately qualified mental-health professional. Referral is a core part of responsible Daʿwah care.
0 of 10 areas reflected on
I feel emotionally exhausted after counselling or supporting others.
Cases I have heard remain in my mind after the encounter has ended.
I find it harder than before to feel compassion when listening to distress.
My sleep is disturbed by the problems people bring to me.
I notice increased irritability with family, colleagues or community members.
I have lost motivation for Daʿwah activities I previously valued.
I feel spiritually fatigued in my own worship and reflection.
I feel a sense of helplessness about the problems presented to me.
I take excessive personal responsibility for other people's decisions and outcomes.
I find it difficult to detach after counselling or emotionally demanding encounters.
Reflective supervision prompts
What happened to me while I was helping this person?
What did I hear?
What did I feel?
What triggered that feeling?
What did I internalise?
What belongs to me?
What belongs to the person I counselled?
What must I return to Allah?
Confidentiality is non-negotiable: do not disclose identifying information unnecessarily during peer reflection or supervision. Use anonymised case discussion wherever possible.
Am I overstretched — or under-engaged?
I-CARE protects genuinely overstretched Imams/Missioners, and equally guards against burnout language being used for avoidable underperformance.
- If I reduced my current Daʿwah activities by half, would anyone notice a significant difference?
- Am I genuinely exhausted from serving, or simply busy with activities unrelated to my core responsibilities?
- How many meaningful Daʿwah activities have I personally initiated or led recently?
- When I say “I am too busy,” is my workload genuinely excessive, or have I failed to prioritise effectively?
- If Allah asked me whether I had used the knowledge, time, opportunities and abilities entrusted to me in His service, would I confidently answer “Yes”?
“I can care without carrying everything.”
Back to the I-CARE Framework