by Megan Sy, M.S.
Some of the most hardworking people I know are psychologists, counselors, and social workers. It makes sense that those of us in helping professions spend most of our time focused on the needs of others. After all, that’s one of the characteristics that makes us successful at our jobs. However, it is this same quality that often leads to burnout and emotional fatigue. When this happens, we are unable to provide the best care to our clients.
As clinicians, we are likely driven by self-imposed demands that we must be able to help those we work with and that failure to affect change would be horrible. Other irrational beliefs (e.g., “If I stop pondering over this case, it will mean I’m a bad therapist) can make us keep working long after our clients have left the office. These thoughts will inevitably be associated with unhealthy negative emotions, such as guilt or anxiety, and will likely lead to emotional depletion.
In order to prevent burnout, the idea of enlightened self-interest is an important one to remember. Ellis argued that emotionally healthy people put themselves first most of the time and take into account both short-term and long-term goals. Thus, if our goal is to remain at our best in order to continue providing good treatment, it may mean sitting with the discomfort of taking a break to recharge every now and then. We may also need to challenge our irrational beliefs in order to be able to engage in self-care. Regardless of how we choose to practice self-care, finding the right balance is key. Remember that therapy is a two-way street; we are not the only ones who should be working hard.
