Avoiding Burnout as a New Therapist

Post-pandemic, burnout has become a topic discussed with increasing regularity. We’ve come to understand that burnout can affect people from all walks of life. In fact, it has been observed that burnout may be more common now than before, with longer working weeks, extended commutes, and the pressure of social media all bearing down on us simultaneously.

New therapists can be particularly susceptible to burnout. Their strong desire to help as many people as possible often leads to overworking themselves.

Why Therapists are Vulnerable to Burnout

Therapists can be particularly vulnerable to experiencing burnout at some point in their careers. Traits that make for a highly skilled therapist, such as empathy, can also lead them to take on too much of their clients’ emotional burdens, which, over time, may overwhelm the practitioner and lead to burnout.

Signs & Symptoms

Often, those who’re enthusiastic and passionate for their work are more likely to neglect their own needs, which increases susceptibility to burnout. So, it’s important to be able to recognise the signs:

• Feeling tired or drained
• Feeling of helpless or defeated
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling frustrated
• Feeling down, irritable or hopeless
• Withdrawing from friends and loved ones
• Losing interest in hobbies or activities you enjoy
• Experiencing a negative outlook
• Procrastinating
• Self-doubt
• Loss of compassion
• Emotional numbness

Importance of Self-care to Avoid Burnout

As natural caregivers, it’s important for therapists to prioritise their own self-care so they have the energy to support others. It’s easy to fall into the habit of constantly putting others first and neglecting your own needs in the process.

Make sure to check in with yourself regularly and ask when you last received a treatment. Since many therapies are hands-on, it’s vital for therapists to take good care of their physical wellbeing, allowing the body to rest and reset.

Of course, mental wellbeing is just as important. Taking time to connect with others in the same industry can be hugely beneficial. New therapists, in particular, may find the loss of daily support from tutors and fellow students after qualifying to be quite jarring. This is one of the reasons FHT works with Local Support Groups (LSGs) across the country. Joining an LSG gives therapists the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and support one another.

What To Do After Burnout

The trouble with burnout is that it can creep up on people without them realising. Even the most self-aware therapist may find themselves overwhelmed and burned out at some point in their career. Therefore, it’s important to know what to do if you find yourself in this situation.

Burnout is often a sign that something deeper has become imbalanced, so it’s important to address the root cause as well as the immediate symptoms.

Consider your personal life and work practices as a whole, and whether your commitments across both are sustainable in the long term. Dig beneath the surface and examine where your points of stress and relaxation are coming from, and how you might bring these back into balance. It can be helpful to write this down; seeing a visual representation may help you analyse the situation more objectively and find a solution.

Treat burnout as the catalyst for change, and trust that you’ll regain your balance soon.