Teachers have their own teachers for their personal career goals or to use as a mentors. Their children may be taught by a different teacher depending on the grade level and subject.
Nurses, doctors, and dentists will go to their own primary caregiver or dental provider. Tax advisors may hire their own tax advisors. Even lawyers will have their own lawyer instead of acting as their own.
While these individuals may all be considered experts in their fields, they still don’t have the resources, capacity, or time to blend their work life with their personal life and provide the same services to themselves or their family members.
The same can be said about therapists. Let’s learn more about why therapists need therapy too.
Boundaries
Boundaries are extremely important in all types of relationships. Therapists may have a harder time than most with having their boundaries crossed. It can be extremely easy for a therapist to take their work home with them and not truly have a separation or a work-life balance.
It’s important to set boundaries and enforce them. If someone, even a client, isn’t respecting those boundaries, it’s crucial to make it clear to them that they need to respect your boundaries just as much as you respect theirs.
Career
Not only is attending therapy as a therapist extremely beneficial personally, but it’s also an amazing move for your career. Consider going to therapy as a way to continue your education, learn, and connect with like-minded individuals. Another therapist will be able to relate to what you’re experiencing.
Since you’re not able to talk about a lot of what happens during the sessions with your clients due to client-patient confidentiality, speaking with a therapist can help relieve some of that burden that you carry with you each day. You may even be able to pick up on some techniques, practices, or coping mechanisms that can be beneficial for yourself and your own clients.
Empathy
Connection is a basic human need just as much as food, water, and shelter. Your clients just want to feel heard and understood. When you put yourself in your client’s shoes, it can help you become a better and more empathetic therapist.
Sitting in a chair in front of a therapist can help you see things from your client’s point of view. This will provide you with a better frame of mind to help you help them through any sessions moving forward.
Self-Care
Everyone needs self-care. Therapists often put their client’s wants and needs before their own. This can make it increasingly difficult to take care of their own wants and needs. But self-care isn’t selfish. In fact, it’s needed.
You can’t expect to water someone else’s cup if yours is completely empty. You have to make sure that your battery is fully charged so you can give your full and best self to your clients each day.
Transference
Transference can happen to therapists during sessions with their clients. It can be difficult to pull apart their own thoughts, feelings, and emotions from their clients. Since therapists aren’t able to talk to others about what occurs during a session with a client, attending therapy with their own therapist can help them work through these pent-up feelings to provide separation and relief.
Next Steps
As you can see, there are many different benefits for you personally and professionally by attending therapy. You preach this to your clients each and every day. It’s about time you took your own advice. As a therapist, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with attending therapy.
It’s time you start putting yourself first again. You owe yourself the same attention as you give your clients. You can find out more about therapy for therapists here. Reach out today to set up a consultation.
