Getting Paid: Tips for Preventing and Overcoming Burnout as a Therapist Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT

Burnout is a hot topic for therapists these days since many mental health practitioners face daily challenges like excessive caseloads, long working hours and limited control over their schedules.  As professionals in a demanding field, therapists need to remember to take care of themselves especially when they are overworked and stressed.
Self-care is not a luxury for therapists, it's a necessity—and this skillset, and professional practice, is an essential part of maintaining our well-being, our clinical practice, and preventing burnout. When therapists ignore the signs of burnout it can result in decreased performance and loss of joy in our work. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen or when it does, let’s address it as soon as we can!
Here are some practical, supportive tips, and inspiration, for your professional self-care tool kit. These tips, highlights and inspiration have been selected from articles that have been useful to those who do practice coaching, training, supervision, and consultation with me. I promise you will feel hopeful and optimistic when you read them. They are practical and doable things that don’t cost a fortune or take a lot of time. 
 
Links to the articles are included. 
 
While the tips and highlights from each article do include a few of the usual exhortations to take breaks/vacations/time off from your practice, read them more closely because they are very supportive, and validating of therapist stressors and challenges to making those things happen.

Top Tips & Highlights from each article…….

1. Therapist Burnout: Signs, Causes, and Tips to Prevent it

           Courtney Gardner, MSW
“Burnout—It’s Not A Permanent Condition.
"Experiencing burnout can be a daunting challenge, but it's essential to know that it's not a permanent condition. There are many highly effective strategies can help prevent and overcome burnout. Some of the most efficient techniques for avoiding and managing burnout are relatively easy to apply and can yield significant results. With time and patience, you can recover and return to your optimal self."

"Jumpstart Your Self-Care Routine to Avoid Burnout"
"As a therapist, it is imperative to prioritize self-care to avoid burnout. You should make self-care a habit and a priority in your life instead of considering it an afterthought. 
Prioritizing self-care will help you prevent burnout and enable you to assist your clients from a place of renewal. Take the time to explore activities that help you relax and soothe, and include them in your routine. Although it may be difficult to start implementing self-care strategies, it is essential to remember that your physical and mental health, as well as your ability to care for others, depend on it."

Connect with Other Therapists for Support
As a therapist, it's crucial to establish connections with other professionals who can relate to the demands and pressures of your job. 

The lack of social support can be a significant factor contributing to therapist burnout, emphasizing the importance of fostering connections within the professional community.
Consider joining a local professional organization or support group, or talk to your colleagues to create a robust support system to help you combat feelings of isolation and burnout. Don't hesitate to lean on each other for self-care tips or to vent when needed. Engaging with like-minded professionals is essential for your well-being and longevity in this field.”

      2. How to Manage Private Practice Burnout         
          Zencare Team
“Take a hard look at what is and what isn’t crucial for running your own business"
"Running your own business can be challenging, and chances are you enjoy certain aspects of it more than others. Do an inventory of what professional activities and habits might be contributing to your burnout, and ask yourself what you can delegate or move off your plate entirely. 
Consider the following domains of private practice management that can impact how much free time you have: Billing services, investing in practice management software, hire an office manager, dealing with insurance panels, correspondence and documentation; renting your own office space, office sharing; a jam-packed schedule.”

     3. 6 Ways to Manage Private Practice Burnout
       Christi Gorbett
 
“Nobody said that being a therapist would be easy. As a therapist, your attention is constantly focused on the needs of others, which can be draining. When you add the stress of owning a private practice to an already challenging profession the odds of becoming burned out increase significantly."
 
"Network with Other Therapists"
It's also vital that you have access to a supportive professional network to help you deal with the symptoms of burnout."
 
"When you talk with other therapists, including your own, you'll soon find out that you're not alone; many other mental health professionals have struggled with similar feelings and can help you process what you're going through and support you as you heal."
 
"Give It Time"
"Don't expect that burnout will resolve itself quickly. This condition didn't develop overnight which means it's going to take some time to recover completely. By making conscious lifestyle changes, delegating non-therapeutic tasks, tapping into a strong support network, and allow yourself time to heal, you'll once again find joy and satisfaction in your work."
 
"Overcoming Burnout: A Journey Towards Fulfillment and Balance"
"Remember as a therapist your well-being is not just essential for you but also for the clients you serve. Prioritizing your needs, incorporating joy into your daily life, connecting with your community of therapists, and allowing for recovery time can restore your enthusiasm and dedication towards your profession. Burnout may seem like an insurmountable mountain but with patience, persistence, and the right strategies, it's one that can be conquered.”
 
Enjoy these articles and tips as you continue on your journey of having the best life and practice that you can imagine for yourself. You don't have to live with burnout. All is possible.
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​Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, is in private practice in Santa Monica where she works with Couples and Gifted, Talented, and Creative Adults across the lifespan. Lynne’s been doing business and clinical coaching with mental health professionals for more than 15 years, helping professionals develop even more successful careers and practices. To learn more about her in-person and online services, workshops or monthly no-cost Online Networking & Practice Development Lunch visit www.Gifted-Adults.com or www.LAPracticeDevelopment.com