What Happens When Therapists Need Therapy?

-

Waking up with anxiety can be a difficult experience, especially for mental health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, coaches, and therapists, who are often relied upon as the 'go-to person' for individuals struggling with anxiety and other difficult emotions.

Consider this situation: You have a busy day ahead with multiple clients, meetings, and a family dinner to attend later. As you glance at your schedule, you begin to feel a sense of apprehension or fear, and your mind may start to race with negative thoughts and worries 'I won't be able to make it to dinner, this is the third time I cancel. I should not have taken seven appointments today, I don't think I can make it. I need to prepare for this meeting. I don't know what is wrong with me, I feel overwhelmed.' Physical symptoms like sweating, a rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing are also common.

Most of us have been experiencing an increase in distress and anxiety today for many reasons, such as financial struggles, excessive dependence on social media platforms, and heightened work demands and expectations, which can make it harder to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

As mental health practitioners, we are often the ones people turn to for help with their mental health problems. This has been beautifully described by the well-known physician, Doctor Edward Livingstone Trudeau, when he described the role of healthcare professionals as follows: 'to cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always'. 

Yet, it's a common misconception that mental health professionals are always in control of their emotions. Psychologists and other mental health practitioners are just as susceptible to stress, burnout, and mental health issues as anyone else. If you're feeling anxious or stressed in the morning, before heading to work, or at random times throughout the day, it's important to recognize these feelings and take a moment to acknowledge them. 

Have you ever stopped to think about your own well-being as a therapist?

Here's three reasons why your mental health should be a priority:

  1. Role Modeling: By prioritizing their own mental health, psychologists serve as a positive and credible example for their clients. When you are take care of your mental health and ‘practice what you preach’, your input in therapy will be more credible and authentic. This includes exercising regularly, connecting with others, doing things you are passionate about and getting adequate sleep.

  2. Avoiding Burnout: Providing therapy can be emotionally overwhelming, and without proper self-care, psychologists are at risk of experiencing burnout. Reach out to colleagues, supervisors, or other trusted professionals in the field for support and guidance. Talking to someone can help you see things clearer and provide new perspectives on your work and capabilities.

  3. Maintaining Objectivity: Good mental health is crucial for maintaining objectivity and empathy when working with client. For instance, psychologists who are struggling with significant mental health problems may struggle to provide effective therapy. That’s why it is very important to reflect and notice when your own struggles are interfering with your ability to practice ethically and professionally.

In short, by taking steps to manage their workload, prioritize self-care and seek therapy when needed, psychologists can maintain their well-being and serve their clients effectively. 

How can we deal with anxiety in an effective way? 

The most common question is 'How can we get rid of anxiety?' as many people try to tame their anxiety by avoiding it or suppressing it. However, this can make it even worse.

What we should do instead is to be friends with our anxiety (yes, you read it right!). In ACT words, the key is to accept our anxiety. The word 'acceptance' is sometimes misinterpreted as tolerance or resignation, which is why many people feel uncomfortable to hear it. However, what we mean by accepting our feelings is to simply allow them to be with kindness and understanding..

As we gain more psychological flexibility around acceptance, we can behave in different ways and try new things. So, the focus shifts from ending or taming an uncomfortable feeling to building a life! Only after acknowledging our anxiety and holding it with kindness, we can think of things that we never thought about before, like joining dance classes, painting, deepening our relationships with our friends, reading a new book, going on a hike, or doing anything for the first time.

Anxiety could be a difficult experience, and there are things you can do to manage the anxiety and improve your well-being:

  1. Practice deep breathing: Slow and deep breathing can help calm your mind and body, and reduce the intensity of your anxiety. 

  2. Identify triggers: Try to identify what might be triggering your anxiety, such as a stressful job or relationship. Once you identify the trigger, you can work on finding ways to manage or eliminate it.

  3. Reframe your thoughts: Once you have identified negative thoughts, reframe them into more positive, realistic thoughts. For example, if you wake up worrying that you will have a terrible day, try reframing the thought to 'I don't know what the day will bring, and I can handle whatever comes my way or ask for help when I need it'.

Take home message: 

Managing anxiety  is a process, and it may take time to see results. Be patient with yourself, and celebrate each small step you take towards managing your anxiety. If your struggle is interfering with your daily life, consider seeking help from a mental health professional.

Yours truly,

Dana 

Kindness is not just a virtue, it's a way of life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Between loss and grief, there is life.

-
Between loss and grief, there is life. And it took me time to accept that. I’ve studied grief and learned the psychology behind it- everything from the Kübler-Ross model to what I’ve seen with my clients in therapy, and of course, what I’ve experienced myself. Grief is bottled-up love that can no longer be expressed, either because the person, place, or connection is out of reach - or gone entirely. I’ve experienced grief throughout my life and often reminded myself that the pain is temporary. But only recently have I truly understood that suffering is an inseparable part of life. It cannot be avoided, and it often shows up when we least expect it. I never imagined I would be unable to return to my house- my bedroom, my balcony. This fear, something I never acknowledged before, was unlocked in the past few months. I grew up hearing stories about war, and I even lived through the 2006 war. Back then, thanks to my still-developing frontal cortex, I mostly remembered the moments of...
Read more

Letting Go and Holding On: Five Green Flags for Healthy Friendships

-
Unpopular opinion: As you grow, some friendships may go offstage.  It is not because you are 'losing people' or 'cutting them off'. This happens more naturally as you are growing, expanding, and shifting your focus to new priorities that matter to you. And most importantly, that align with your identity and purpose. Some people would still have a place in your heart, and you might decide to check on them and catch up from time to time, but this does not mean that you should necessarily allocate your time and energy to invest in them regularly. Erik Erikson, the very well-known German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst, suggested it is a normal stage of development to focus on relationships that are most important to us and we may have less time or energy to maintaining a large network of friends as we move into adulthood. We may prioritize other responsibilities such as our career, the family we are creating and our personal growth, which can lead to...
Read more

Adult Friendships: how to make and maintain!

-
Image
Adult friendships aren’t as straightforward and easy to make as we wish them to be. Truth is, as adults, we need to have the intention and put in the effort to make and maintain these friendships. As children, making friends was easier because we spent more time together in school, neighborhoods, or even within our families (we call this in psychology the proximity effect). Not only that, but these encounters made us experience and share vulnerability as we unintentionally went through many difficult and meaningful moments together (Remember the stress before exams or the joy of being on the same football team?). These factors are essential for building the foundations of friendships - meaningful and deep connections. Did you know that adults who believe friendships don’t need effort reported feeling lonelier after 5 years compared to those who understand the effort required? So, Show up to the volunteering groups. Make time to have coffee with your friends. Say yes to the reun...
Read more