If you’re a therapist reading this then one thing is probably true…you care deeply. You care about your clients, about creating safe spaces for vulnerability, and about supporting others through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. You care enough to be here (reading a blog about burnout prevention) which tells me you also care about doing this work sustainably.
In the mental health profession, I have experienced just how easy it can be to care for the needs of others while simultaneously forgetting to tend to your own. When you are new to the field there is usually this sense of eagerness and excitement as you start your work. It’s so important to find ways to hold onto those motivations. One of the best things you can do for yourself is integrate self-care strategies early on in your work. We can’t support others if we’re chronically depleted!
Throughout my career I’ve heard a lot of different self-care tips and strategies. Everyone is unique in what works best for them, but I want to share what has made the biggest difference in my ability to do this work long term. Not just to survive it, but really to stay connected to myself within it.
Understanding Therapist Burnout
I used to think burnout was something that happened to people in the wrong job. I looove being a therapist. Meaningful work, watching healing happen, helping others create a deeper sense of purpose…the list goes on. But I’ve learned that loving the work doesn’t make you immune to burnout. If anything I think the more invested you are, the more likely you might be to overextend.
The starting place for burnout can look a little different for everyone. For therapists it often stems from a combination of emotional intensity/overwhelm, limited opportunities to truly decompress, and the weight that comes with consistently being the supportive one in the room. Symptoms can look like…
- Emotional exhaustion
- Detachment from clients
- Cynicism about the work
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dreading sessions
- Frequent headaches or fatigue
If you’re nodding your head right now…you’re not alone. You’re not failing at being a therapist. And no, you don’t have to quit your job. Sometimes we don’t know our capacity until it’s tested, but hopefully you’ll be encouraged to consider some of these strategies for self-care.
What is Self-Care?
Let’s talk about self-care for a second because depending on who you ask, it means a dozen different things. For some people it’s about bubble baths and spa days. For others it’s sleep, boundaries, or a quiet evening without anyone needing anything (or is that just me?!). Sometimes it’s those things, but it can also be something less obvious like walking away from your desk for five minutes between sessions or turning off your work phone at a reasonable hour.
Self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all. And it’s definitely not only for when you’re already burnt out. Self-care strategies help you stay resourced before the burnout happens. Every client, every note, and every emotionally loaded moment asks something of you. And if you’re not doing anything to fill your own tank, that stuff can add up. Here’s my top strategies for all therapists seeking to prevent burnout…
Create Transition Rituals
This has changed everything for me. Depending on the clinical setting you might have various breaks in your day, but I know how typical it is to see a number of clients back-to-back with a small window of time in between sessions. I know the urge to check your phone, send a quick email, get the note done, etc. And then maybe a bathroom break and we’re right back into the next session! Our bodies and brains need a moment to pause and shift. A small ritual (something done with consistency) can help…a short walk around the office, three deep breaths while washing your hands, a moment to reflect on how you feel following your session. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Transition rituals help your nervous system shift gears.
Set Boundaries
Boundaries with clients are important, but have you given thought to your internal boundaries?
Maybe it sounds like… “I’ll just catch up on notes tonight at 10 p.m.” Or, “I know I can squeeze in just one more client.” We’ve ALL been there. I’ve found, though, that there will always be more to do. If you don’t set boundaries early on, it can be easy to let work consume everything. I want to encourage you to look at the times in the day where you feel the most stressed, tired, or overwhelmed. Seek to add some structured time around those moments to give yourself a break or a moment of focus – whatever the moment calls for.
Get Clinical Support
I can’t say this enough: therapists need therapists. And clinical consult groups. And supervision (even when you’re fully licensed). There’s a unique weight to holding others’ trauma and we need places where we can lay some of that weight down or get support in the right areas. One of the most nourishing things I’ve done for my career was finding consultants who specialize in my area of practice where I could talk not only about tough cases, but also about the emotional toll of the work. Having those spaces is so so important.
Remember Your Nervous System
As therapists our nervous systems do a lot of bouncing around as we see different clients. And by the end of the day you might notice you’re carrying tension or heaviness in your body. Nervous system-based practices become essential. Movement, breathwork, stretching, even a slow walk around the block…these are ways your body can release what it’s been carrying. We need somewhere for all that energy to go! Your body is a core part of how you show up in this work.
Reconnect to Purpose
When burnout starts to creep in you might notice yourself measuring productivity a little too much. How many clients did I see? How many notes did I finish? How full is my schedule?
But that’s not why we become therapists! Take a moment to pause and reflect on a moment where you felt truly connected in session. Maybe a client had a breakthrough. Maybe someone felt seen for the first time. Write those moments down. Keep a running log of ‘meaningful moments.’ It can be so motivating to come back to those in moments where you’re feeling discouraged or run down.
Check Your Workload for Imbalance
Sometimes burnout isn’t about having too many clients. Sometimes it’s about the way we’re holding the work or the type of work we’re doing. Are you carrying your clients home with you in your mind? Are you taking responsibility for their healing? Check in with yourself to see if your thought life has more real estate in your brain than it actually needs. That awareness alone can be a form of self-care. Also: check your caseload variety. Are you seeing too many trauma-heavy clients back-to-back? Is your day stacked with high-intensity sessions? That matters!
Tend to Your Non-Therapist Self
It’s surprisingly easy to keep the ‘therapist hat’ on long after the workday ends. You might find yourself scanning for patterns in conversations, holding space in every group text, or automatically slipping into the role of providing emotional support. Give yourself permission to take the hat off! Who are you when you’re not guiding, supporting, or interpreting emotional nuance? What reconnects you with your own weird, joyful, messy, creative self? You don’t need to always be regulated, reflective, or helpful. Do things that serve no other purpose than to remind you that you exist outside of your clinical identity!
You’re Allowed to Need What You Offer
We spend so much time reminding our clients that their needs are valid. That rest isn’t lazy. That boundaries are healthy. That healing takes support. So…let’s take our own advice.
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong field. It doesn’t mean you’re doing a bad job. It means you care and maybe you need some self-care strategies to help prevent burnout.
One of the driving forces behind Mindemics is my passion for making sure therapists feel supported and not just clinically, but as real humans doing incredibly hard work! So much of my heart is wrapped up in building spaces where therapists can connect and gain resources. If that kind of community sounds like something you’ve been craving, check out the Mental Health Hype Squad. It’s a monthly gathering of mental health professionals intentionally designed to help therapists build a network of support.
