Managing therapist burnout with self-care

The importance of self-care is becoming even more apparent as we work in these times as therapists. The growing waiting lists and more people struggling with their mental health and well-being, especially since the pandemic. So how do therapists look after their own well-being to ensure they are able to give their best to their clients and manage burnout?  

There is something to be said about practising what you preach perhaps. Admittedly, we are great at exploring and supporting clients with ideas and suggestions of how they can look after themselves better, but this is equally as important for us as clinicians too.

Some of the ways we can do this can include our clinical supervision, continuing professional development and creating a work-life balance. These are quite broad areas that I will expand on below.

Clinical supervision can be utilised in many ways, for example, Proctors' 1988 functional interactive model of supervision focuses on 3 main aspects; firstly the Restorative/Supportive focus on health and well-being, so supportive help for professionals working with stress and distress. Secondly the Normative/Managerial focus on ongoing monitoring and evaluation, the quality control aspects of professional practice. And thirdly, the Formative/Educative focus on development of knowledge and skills. As you can see this is a well-rounded model that can support a therapist professionally and can even touch on personal aspects of their life too, especially if they are impacting upon their work. 

Through the course of some clinicians' working life and career, they may access their own therapy too which can be invaluable. I recall accessing different types of therapists and modalities of therapies that were used whilst I was training which I felt only added, on many levels, to my own personal and professional development. Therefore, I would highly recommend it if possible!

Continuing professional development can be used for professional growth, whether as a refresher workshop or in learning new therapeutic methods. In addition, though, there are a lot more workshops and courses out there now on subjects such as managing our caseloads, complexities of the cases we manage, and more importantly how we look after ourselves. So applying and choosing courses that will not only help our professional development but personal development too is very important.

Creating a work-life balance is crucial for anyone who works, especially if one aspect is very demanding. As a clinician setting boundaries can help us feel safe, for example, not responding to work emails after 5pm or the end of your working day and ensuring we make time for ourselves. This 'Me' time could consist of anything that helps us feel well within ourselves, something that may lift our moods, provide a distraction to work, or an activity that we haven't done for a while that we enjoy.

The above-mentioned ideas are just some suggestions that in my experience can support self-care and reduce burnout. There may be other ways that clinicians can look after themselves too, but it must be agreed that finding the balance is extremely important not just for our well-being, but also how it reflects on how we feel we are doing in both our work and personal lives. After all, if we feel good about our work / job, it will only reflect and further enhance other aspects of our lives.

Take home message: it is important to maintain good self-care as precautionary methods to any potential build-up of burnout. 

Dr Sindeep Lehl is a Principal Counselling Psychologist, working within the NHS. She specialises in physical health, especially in cancer & palliative care as well as obesity, and is a member of the BPS, BABCP, SIGOPAC, and the EMDR academy.