How to Care Deeply Without Burning Out: For Therapists

You love the work you do. You’re good at it.

But lately, helping people leaves you drained, wired, and wondering if you’ve actually made a difference.

I know the feeling because I’ve been there.

As a therapist, I thought it was normal to leave work exhausted, tense, and unable to switch off. I figured it was just part of the job.

But looking back now, I can see the truth: I'm a highly sensitive person — I was absorbing everything… and carrying it with me.

If you're someone who feels deeply and works in a high-touch, emotionally demanding role like therapy or counseling, I’m guessing you get this.

You care a lot.
You hold space for people with your whole self.
But after a while, that depth of feeling starts to feel like too much, it starts to feel heavy.

You may be wondering how to work without losing yourself along the way.

Here’s the reality: if you keep going without protecting your own energy, the work you love won’t be sustainable.

When the job becomes too much

When I worked in community mental health, the pace was relentless.

Caseloads were nonstop, referrals kept coming, and it didn't matter how full I was—there was always more. I was overwhelmed all the time.

I carried that pressure in my body, even if I didn't realize it then. Tight shoulders, restless mind, a constant loop of “I should have done more.”

I’d get stuck in my head, spinning about everything I hadn’t done yet, or all the ways I should have been more helpful.

I stopped taking breaks, even when I was exhausted. Some days I didn’t eat, not because there wasn’t time, but because my body had stopped telling me it needed food.

I remember thinking, “Okay, I’ll just run to the bathroom real quick—at least I’ll get a few minutes to myself.” Using the restroom felt like a break.

That's when I knew something wasn't right.

I didn't just push through—I disappeared from myself.

If I’m honest, I didn’t give myself permission to slow down. Not even a little.

There was this ever-present fear that if we didn’t hit productivity, our team—or jobs—might be cut. We were constantly reminded, “At the end of the day, this is a business.”

So I kept pushing.
I skipped lunch.
I ignored hunger cues.
And eventually, I stopped feeling hunger altogether.

I’d go full days without eating—not because I didn’t have time (though that was true too), but because I literally wasn’t hungry. That’s how disconnected I’d become from my body.

For me, that was one of the biggest signs of dysregulation: I didn’t even notice I needed something as basic as food.

Sensitivity as a strength… and a heavy load

Being a highly sensitive person made me a strong clinician.

My intuition is sharp.
I could sense what a client needed, often before they said it out loud.
I could hold powerful, emotional space—and clients felt that. They trusted me deeply.

But, that same sensitivity also made it hard to leave work at work.

If a client was angry, I felt it in my body.
If they left a session still struggling, I carried it home.
If they weren’t making progress, I made it mean something about me—like I was failing them.

I didn’t just care about my clients. I felt responsible for them.

Sound familiar?

Finding the tool that changed everything

Things started to shift when I discovered EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques).

I wish I had found it sooner.

It gave me what I didn't even know I needed:

A way to release the emotional residue after sessions.
A way to tell what was mine and what wasn’t.
A way to feel others' uncomfortable emotions (like anger) without absorbing them.

It became my reset button—helping me pause, regulate, and reconnect with myself before I reached that “too much” point.

It helped me come back to my center.

It was the tool that finally gave me permission to stop carrying everything.

If I’d had this when I was still working in the clinic, things would've been different. I would've known how to pause, to reset, to check in with me. I could have worked with more presence, more resilience, and without disappearing from myself.

What if you didn’t have to be “strong” all the time?

I often ask myself:
If I didn’t feel the need to prove my value by being endlessly strong or constantly available… how would I structure my day?

The answer is simple: I’d build in more space.

More time to connect with myself.
More room to breathe. To regulate. To rest.

Because when I’m connected to me, I can offer my presence without emptying myself out.

As sensitive helpers, our bodies are the tool.

If we’re disconnected from our own body, we’re not able to show up for the work in a sustainable way.

Our work suffers, and so do we.

And let’s be honest: no one else is going to protect that for us. We have to protect it ourselves.

Questions to help you start protecting your energy

Where in your day do you feel most emotionally saturated—and how does your body let you know you’ve hit capacity?
Are you giving yourself permission to rest and regulate, or are you pushing through because of external pressure?
What practices actually help you reset and come back to center after a hard session?
Where does your sensitivity feel like a gift, and where does it tip into over-responsibility?
What would your day look like if you didn’t have to prove your worth by always being “on”?

You can care deeply without burning out

If you're ready to keep helping others and prevent burnout, here are three ways we can work together—choose the one that's right for you:

The Groundwork

Ongoing one-on-one biweekly, monthly, or quarterly sessions for helping professionals who want consistent support to stay regulated in the work they love. We’ll use each session to decompress what you’ve been carrying, release compassion fatigue, and restore your nervous system so you can walk into every client session steady, focused, and present. Learn More →

The Grounded Clinician

An immersive 8-week guided program for seasoned mental health professionals ready to master advanced nervous system regulation strategies and build the capacity to handle complex client work without losing themselves. You’ll develop a repeatable system for clearing client-carryover stress, protecting your energy, and leading from a place of authority and ease. Apply Now →

Book a Free Grounding Call

A gentle starting point to pause, take a breath, and explore what’s been feeling heavy. You’ll leave with a clear, supportive next step—whether that’s a resource, a shift in how you approach your day, or an invitation into one of my programs. Book Now →

You can be sensitive, skilled, and grounded without carrying it all.

Let's get you the tools and support to keep doing this much-needed work, without losing yourself in the process.

Always,
Betsy