Therapy for Therapists - FL, GA, NC, SC & WV

Therapy for TherapistsBill Bradley2023-07-20T00:20:00+00:00

Are you a therapist who’s struggling with your mental health?

Do you feel frustrated with your work as a counselor?

Is trauma, anxiety, or depression interfering with your ability to confidently relate to your clients?

Do you feel guilty, as if you don’t deserve to be helping other people because of your mental health struggles?

Maybe your gift is that you’ve dealt with many of the same issues your clients have. This helps you be more empathetic and compassionate. But at the same time, the very things that make you a good therapist make it hard to be one. You feel like you relate to your clients too well, because you’re struggling just like they are or your highly-sensitive nature makes you feel their pain deeply. Perhaps you suffer from imposter syndrome and feel like a fraud when you’re in sessions.

Additionally, you may feel burnt out and exhausted from your client’s troubles. Maybe you’re tired of carrying your clients’ emotional baggage with you in day-to-day life and you don’t know how to tune it out.

You may be a mental health professional, but you don’t need to have it all together. You are human just like everyone else and there is no shame in struggling. If you want to overcome feelings of inadequacy and renew your self-confidence, I encourage you to pursue therapy for therapists with me.

Many therapists are wounded healers who wrestle with vicarious trauma

Therapists are people first. Many of them have struggled with depression, anxiety, addiction, and childhood trauma. Oftentimes, these experiences are what drew them to therapy in the first place. Their experiences as wounded healers help them empathize with their clients on a deeper level.

At the same time, it’s very normal for old traumas and wounds to resurface when a therapist starts counseling or new challenges arise in their personal lives. Nowadays, therapists are on the front lines of a world in crisis, leaving them susceptible to burnout, stress, and trauma.

What’s more, many therapists constantly hear about difficult experiences from their clients. They’re also usually highly empathetic people, which makes them likely to identify very strongly with clients’ emotional pain. As a result, many therapists wrestle with vicarious trauma.

Therapists often feel like they have to hide their struggles

Most counselors are used to supporting their clients in overcoming their concerns about the stigma around mental health issues. But what often goes unsaid is that this stigma is present even among therapists. Many of them are afraid to admit their vulnerabilities. They fear that their colleagues will see them as unfit to help others. These fears are not unfounded—after all, there are times when a client or colleague may view a therapist differently because of mental health issues.

When I was teaching, I often told my students that they could become much better therapists by doing their own work in therapy. Now, I tell my clients who are therapists the same thing. This is why I began doing counseling for professionals. With my support, I believe you can navigate your mental health struggles while still being effective in your work.

Therapy can help therapists heal from trauma and learn to be kind to themselves

Healing often happens in layers. Maybe you worked through one layer of your struggles a long time ago, only to find that a deeper layer still exists. This is often the case with therapy. When you’re working with clients on deeper issues, you may have some whose issues remind of your own or your personal life may bring that deeper layer to the surface. You can become a better therapist by dealing with this emotional pain.

One of the great things about therapy for professionals with me is that it’s all done via telehealth. This way, there is no risk of you being seen in my office’s waiting room. You have a private space to unpack and heal from trauma and learn to manage your high sensitivity to clients’ issues. What’s more, the focus is entirely on you. You don’t have to worry about the wellbeing of your clients or the impression you leave on your colleagues.

What to expect in sessions

Therapy for therapists can help you find a healthier balance between your personal and professional life. This is a chance to go deeper than you’ve ever been before and use your wisdom and expertise to heal old emotional wounds. What’s more, you don’t have to be at rock bottom to pursue counseling with me. Even if you’re not really struggling, you can come here simply to deepen your awareness and work on personal development.

Together, you and I will explore what coping skills and adaptations helped you in the past that may not work anymore. Perhaps you learned to deal with stress through perfectionism, overworking yourself, or isolation. I want to help you update the ways you deal with your mental health just as you would help your clients. Additionally, I want to help you show yourself and your loved ones the same empathy and compassion that you show your clients.

Tailoring your treatment plan

I draw from a wide range of modalities, including mindfulness, EMDR, and hypnotherapy. I also like to bring in some creative therapies from time to time, such as writing, collaging, and drawing. My ultimate goal is to help you heal old attachment patterns, enjoy deeper relationships with your clients and loved ones, and soften your perfectionism. After all, being a therapist does not mean you have to be perfect. I want you to learn to be gentle with yourself and allow space for your emotions.

Therapists have been coming to me for guidance and support for many years. I am confident that I can help you do the inner work to live a more balanced and purposeful life and become a better therapist in the process.

You may have some concerns about therapy for therapists…

I’m a therapist—I should already have it together.

Doing your own work is the best way to improve your practice. After all, I believe that we can only help others heal as much as we’ve healed in our own lives. Besides, you’d be surprised at how many therapists are in therapy. It’s perfectly normal and it’s something that needs to be talked about more openly between practitioners.

I thought I’d already dealt with all my trauma and mental health issues.

Healing is an ongoing process with no expiration date. We spend our lives healing from old wounds and traumas. It’s normal for them to resurface periodically. Maybe you found a way to cope with the pain of the past, but you didn’t fully resolve its impact on your life. Therapy is a chance to heal the deeper layers that you haven’t tended to yet.

I’m afraid that stirring up trauma will affect my ability to be present for my clients.

My approach is very gentle. I know a lot of therapists tend to go deep really fast, but I don’t. I make sure that my sessions are well-contained so that you can go back into the world feeling comfortable and at ease. We can also talk about strategies to help you if stuff does come up between sessions. What’s more, I believe that taking the time to heal from trauma can help you more effectively cope with the stressors you’ll face as a therapist.

You don’t need to have it all together

The work you’re doing is hard—you deserve to have a place where you can process it with someone else. If you’re a counselor suffering from burnout, vicarious trauma, or any other mental health issues, I encourage you to pursue therapy for professionals with me. To get started, you can use the contact page to book a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Contact Sara

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