Overcoming Therapist Burnout is Easier Than Said, But Possible!
Are you struggling with your energy and passion for therapy? I bet that you’re overworking yourself! You try to keep up with your expectations, of what a “successful therapist” is. But you’re burning out of your career, that you once loved so fiercely.
Burnout can happen anytime in our career. We can fall into the trap believing we’re only valuable, if we have a full client caseload, and we have a six digit income. No wonder we can become depressed and anxious with worry, when we don’t feel successful. This can be so hard on our self esteem, confidence and our identify as a therapist. I get it, I used to be so hard on myself for things that were out of my control. Anytime something negative happened, I would take the blame, which fed into my belief that I was “not a good enough” therapist.
Guess what, we cannot always control what happens in our schedule, like when we get multiple client cancelations, or when clients drop out of therapy suddenly. We also have no control what happens to our clients outside of therapy, such as when they get sick, have an accident, or when they’re struggling with suicidal ideation.
I found a way to prevent giving away my energy, so I can enjoy my career without burnout This is why I’m so passionate working with Clinicians, so you too can prevent burnout and have the energy and motivation for therapy!
Here’s 3 tips on preserving your energy from burnout:
Set firm business boundaries. Don’t work outside of your work days or hours. And try not to think about work during your personal time.
Decrease your client caseload, or space out your most difficult clients. This will give you a break during your work day, from having back to back challenging clients.
Stick to a daily self care routine, so you can tend to your mental, physical and spiritual needs. After all your overall health matters! And your loved ones and your clients, will benefit from your self care.
I strongly believe that we need to work “smarter, not harder!” I stand by this motto, because it’s saved me from burning out of this field! We can make small changes starting with our business boundaries, which not only supports us but our clients too. After all we want to provide good support to our clients, without jeopardizing our therapeutic relationships.