Silent Burnout: The Sneaky Enemy of Therapist Well-Being
Triggers, warning signs, and what you can do about it
When it comes to burnout, we tend to think of the most severe or noticeable symptoms, or the worst-case scenarios that cause it. But what I’ve found is that burnout can often be sneaky. It can happen without us realizing it - we may not even realize we feel bad, or if we do, we can’t pinpoint why. And it’s not just client work that burns us out. In fact, sometimes that side of our job is the least of our problems. It’s the administrative stuff, the bureaucratic stuff, that really gets us. Because that stuff is not rewarding, and we often can’t do much about it.
If you’re wondering if you’ve experienced silent burnout, see if anything here resonates with you:
Examples of Triggers
Insurance/billing issues
The administrative burden and financial woes can sometimes feel like too much to bear. This wears on therapists more than almost anything, in my opinion. It can feel very devaluing and discouraging.
Constant late cancellations/no-shows
Those weeks where it seems like half your clients are sick or on vacation can be frustrating, especially if this impacts you financially. And of course it’s disappointing being the only one who shows up to a session.
Falling behind on documentation
The more notes we have, the less we want to do them. It creates a vicious cycle of being behind on our documentation, which can feel insurmountable.
Taxes
Especially as a solo practice owner, quarterly and annual tax time can be a scary one. It hurts seeing that number you owe, and watch your hard-earned money fly out of your bank account. It’s especially jarring if this is new for you, or if you didn’t plan ahead properly.
Being ghosted (possibly without payment)
Having clients ghost you without paying their balance is a uniquely crappy feeling. I’m sure people have their reasons, but regardless, it feels a bit like being stolen from. And of course, when clients we feel connected to disappear, this causes a grief of sorts. It’s a weird part of our job that no one really prepares you for.
Difficult bosses, supervisors, or coworkers
A lot of the time, our clients aren’t even the ones burning us out. It’s a demanding boss, or a condescending supervisor, or a frustrating coworker. The workplace dynamics created by these sorts of people are a GIANT unrecognized source of burnout in our field. You can have the best clients in the world, but if your boss is mean to you or forces you to work in a way that exhausts you, it may not feel like enough.
Broken systems/large corporations that put profit over people
Working for huge for-profit (or even nonprofit) companies can expose therapists to tons of burnout triggers. Long hours, gigantic caseloads, no freedom or flexibility, and little time off... not the ideal working conditions. This is another massive source of burnout that I think gets overlooked when we talk about it.
Sneaky Warning Signs (that you may mistake for other things)
Being tired all the time
Irritation or frustration
Distractibility
Brain fog
Feeling sad and being unsure why
Needing more alone time than usual
You like your clients, but sometimes you secretly wish they’d cancel
Sometimes we’re quick to write off these symptoms as just needing more sleep, or not trying hard enough, or being too needy/too weak. We may assume that there’s something wrong with US that is making us dysregulated. We may wonder if we actually hate our jobs and somehow don’t know it. But that’s usually not the case! You may not hate your job - you may just hate how you feel being forced to work in a certain way. Or you may hate certain parts of your job, but not your job as a whole. And no, the solution isn’t to find a way to do more, or “just power through”, or force yourself into shapes you don’t fit into.
You may just need to make real, tangible changes in the short-term to make your job more sustainable. Try turning inward and reflecting to get to the bottom of your feelings. Your own therapy can be great for this, especially if this is a pattern you’ve found yourself in for a long time. Self-care isn’t just about baths and meditation. It’s about shifting your hours, changing the layout of your schedule, updating your policies, and enforcing boundaries. Seek advice or supervision from people who you know will get you - and avoid the people who might make you feel bad for having needs. Trust me on that one. You know you better than anyone. And knowing yourself is the first step toward honoring your own limits.
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