Therapists Need Therapy Too

As mental health professionals, we’re likely to experience compassion fatigue and burnout. It is not unusual to feel like we picked the wrong field.

Or, that we would rather go do anything else (I mean ANYTHING ELSE) than continue listening to our clients’ stories. One of my closest friends (who is also a therapist) and I once had a conversation about what we would rather do than therapy.

I said ”I could be a janitor or mow lawns, they are both independent jobs that are fairly quiet.” She then admitted to walking by the morgue as part of her job, and thinking, ”I could do that, your patients don’t talk back.”

I burst out laughing. Yes, as therapists (like nurses and preschool teachers) we often have a dark sense of humor. It helps us get through some of the difficulties we see. But, the truth was we were both experiencing symptoms of compassion fatigue and knew we needed to do something different than what we were currently doing.

If you have ever had these kinds of conversations, you know you may need a change. You might be thinking you need a practice that flows and preserves your energy to prevent compassion fatigue. You might be wondering if this is even possible?

Yes, it is. You can create a practice that aligns with your empathic self. Does this sound like a change you want to make but you're just not sure how? Check out The Empathic Therapist Course to find out how you can have a private practice that serves your authentic nature.