Carrying the Weight: Addressing the Emotional Burden of Being a Therapist

People become therapists because they want to help others heal from mental health conditions, navigate challenging situations, build self-confidence, and create joyful lives. Many therapists find their work fulfilling, and they enjoy supporting people in achieving positive change.

However, being a therapist is not easy. Talking in therapy sessions is not like venting with friends. Therapists can hear harrowing stories day after day, and upholding emotional boundaries can be tricky. They might end up wishing they could do more for their clients and wondering if their efforts are enough. Let’s explore why therapy can be a uniquely emotionally taxing career, and how therapists can relieve some of this burden.

Compassion for Your Clients

It’s natural to feel compassion and empathy for your clients. When you genuinely care about the people you work with, it can take a toll to listen to their struggles, day in and day out. This can be true even if you appreciate their courage in opening up to you. 

If you’ve been taking on a heavy caseload, or you’ve been working particularly long hours, you might be experiencing compassion fatigue. Perhaps you’re concerned because you’re finding it harder to hold space for your clients’ complicated emotions and experiences, and you don’t want to appear unsympathetic. Your own burnout can get in the way of your relationships with your clients.

Secondary Trauma

Sometimes, clients might share experiences that you can relate to. In these situations, therapists can choose to self-disclose that they’ve dealt with the same issues, but they are not required to share this information. Whether you typically self-disclose with clients or not when you have experiences in common, hearing about difficult situations you’ve lived through can leave you with secondary trauma. You may end up reflecting on some of the most trying times in your life during sessions while keeping your emotions under wraps.

Feeling Guilty

A therapist can only do so much for their clients. They might wish they could do more, but therapists are only human beings. Ultimately, a client has to want to change, and they must be willing to put in the work. Additionally, some clients might be stuck in situations where they have limited power. A therapist may feel guilty that they cannot change these circumstances for their clients.

Setting Emotional Boundaries

Setting boundaries with clients is a balancing act. Therapists can not have friendships with their clients outside of sessions, yet some clients might have difficulty accepting this. It’s critical for therapists to maintain these professional standards, but for clients who lack close connections, it can seem disappointing. 

Furthermore, therapists might spend lots of time thinking about their clients in their daily lives. It can be tough to draw a clean line between your professional and personal life when you work in the mental health field.

Finding Relief and Space to Talk

Most therapists work with their own counselors at different points in their professional journeys. A therapist can seek counseling to address issues in their personal life, just as their clients would. However, some therapists choose to enroll in therapy to process how their work affects their emotional state in a safe, secure environment. Remember, if you’re a mental health professional, you have the right to work with a therapist as well. You do not have to be stoic at all times, nor do you have to solve all of your problems on your own.

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Are you struggling with your own complex emotions while working in the mental health field? You can open up to a therapist, too. Reach out to us to learn more about our anxiety or trauma counseling options for therapists.