What is Therapist Burnout – and What to Do About It

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We’ve all heard the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

But when you’re a therapist, it can feel like you need to prioritize other people’s needs before your own.

You may be an expert at identifying other people’s problems and helping them find life-changing solutions. But it can be harder to recognize struggles in your own life.

Here at KMA, we know therapists need support too. We’re here to help you learn the skills to take great care of yourself and better help your clients.

After reading this article, you’ll know how to recognize therapist burnout and three strategies to manage it.

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What is Therapist Burnout?

Therapist Burnout happens when the demands of your career exceed the resources you have available to manage them.

If you have a full caseload but lack the mental energy to manage it, you’re probably at risk of experiencing therapist burnout.

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What are the Signs of Therapist Burnout?

Signs you may be experiencing therapist burnout include:

• Starting sessions late or ending sessions early
• Feeling relieved when clients cancel therapy sessions
• Difficulty focusing on clients or paying attention during therapy sessions
• Self-disclosure in inappropriate ways or sharing your experiences in ways that are unhelpful to clients
• Basing treatment plans on methods you’re most familiar with rather than what is most helpful for your clients

Three Ways to Fix Therapist Burnout

1. Set Strong Workplace Boundaries

Especially in helping professions, it can feel like you need to be available 24/7.

Giving yourself time to recuperate will let you help your clients more in the long run.

Setting workplace boundaries can help you prevent burnout by letting you leave work at work, and keep your personal time to yourself.

Four strategies to set workplace boundaries are:

• Don’t take work home with you
• Take vacation time and leave work behind
• Don’t compromise your boundaries for the sake of others
• Create set hours to answer emails rather than answering them constantly

2. Charge What You’re Worth

You may experience burnout when it feels like you’re doing more work than you’re compensated for.

If you offer sliding-scale rates or don’t want to increase your cost per session, effectively scheduling clients or working with a group practice can also help you earn more money as a therapist.

In our experience, therapists can make over six figures per year by following four simple steps.

3. Get Support

When your job is helping others solve their problems, it may feel like you should be able to solve your own problems too.

But seeing a therapist who can focus on your goals, challenges, and needs can be a great way to combat feelings of burnout.

Some tips for finding a great therapist include:

• Find a therapist who specializes in working with other therapists, as well as any other challenges you might be facing
• Read blog posts about issues you’re experiencing and see if the author might be a great therapist for you
• Look for local community groups or supports that you can access

Next Steps for Resolving Therapist Burnout

After reading this article, you now understand therapist burnout and three ways to start fixing it.

But you don’t have to fix it alone.

Here at KMA, we know when your job is supporting other people, you need help too. Our experienced team of therapists is here to help you get the support you deserve.

Register online to book an introductory appointment or contact our team for more information.

If you’re not yet ready to book an appointment, check out these resources for more information:

• To explore more about burnout, read: Why Burnout is More Than Just Stress – and How to Fix It
• To learn about online therapy options, read: The Benefits of Online Therapy in Toronto
• To explore job opportunities, read: How to Find a Job as a Therapist in Toronto