The advantages to private practice are many: the ability to create your own schedule, the potential to earn a competitive income, and the capacity to choose your clientele, to name a few.
At the same time, the work can feel isolating. You’re often working alone in an office (or remotely) with clients. Some therapists struggle with setting boundaries for a healthy work-life balance. On top of all that, the work itself can be intense, draining, and stressful. When such stressors accumulate, they can contribute to burnout – which ultimately, may impact the kind of care provided to clients.
The good news is that by making a plan to proactively identify and reduce potential for burnout, you can learn to best care for yourself alongside your clients, and continue to grow a sustainable private practice. Here's how.
Know the Warning Signs of Burnout for Therapists in Private Practice
Some jobs and professions allow for conversations with coworkers throughout the work day, and can help people process their stress on a regular basis. Because therapists often work in an isolated environment, the opportunity for this processing isn’t always available. That’s why it’s especially important for therapists to self-monitor their health and well-being.
Here are some signs to look for that may indicate you're approaching burnout:
Emotional and Physical Exhaustion
When you’re experiencing emotional exhaustion, it’s common to feel drained and unproductive. Emotional exhaustion can also be accompanied by a whole host of physical symptoms, including headaches and body aches.
A Sense of Detachment and Depersonalization from Your Clients and Yourself
It’s normal to have sessions with clients that are more challenging to get through than others, but if you’re starting to feel less engaged with most of your clients, or feeling like you are counting down the minutes to get through your day, it could indicate burnout.
Never Feeling Fully Recharged
Not sure why you’re waking up and dragging your feet after a full nine hours of sleep every night? Even with adequate rest, you might still feel completely drained if you are experiencing burnout.
Difficulty Concentrating
Have you ever realized your client was just talking for several minutes and you have no idea what they said? If you find it’s challenging to follow what your clients are saying, and this wasn’t an issue before, this could be a sign of burnout.
If this list of warning signs is sounding all too familiar and relatable right now, perhaps it’s time to start taking steps to address your potential burnout. The good news is, this doesn’t have to last forever! Here are some great ideas that might help mitigate your burnout.
Consider Taking Time Off to Recharge
It’s easy to find reasons to not allow ourselves the vacation or time off from work we may need. After all, worrying if a client will be okay while you’re gone or having second thoughts about the loss of income are certainly valid concerns.
However, you might find that taking a few intentional days off from work is just the solution to your burnout. Consider swapping coverage with a colleague, and weigh the following ideas to “check out” from work and reset:
Take a Day Trip Somewhere Beautiful
The beach, the mountains, a new park you’ve never explored. Somewhere you can detach from your normal routines.
Book a Weekend Getaway Within Your Budget
This will also depend on your comfort zone during Covid times – camping is a great option for many!
Pull Out the Robe and Slippers for a Staycation
You might find there are places in your own city you have yet to explore. While this is certainly the most budget-friendly option, you’ll need to take intentional steps to make sure you actually unwind and detach from work. No work emails or phone calls!
Whether you are splurging for something fancy, or keeping it simple at home, taking the time away from work might be the rejuvenation your body and mind need right now.
Take a Hard Look at What Is and What Isn’t Crucial for Running Your Own Business
Running your own business can be challenging, and chances are you enjoy certain aspects of it more than others. Do an inventory of what professional activities and habits might be contributing to your burnout, and ask yourself what you can delegate or move off your plate entirely.
Consider the following domains of private practice management that can impact how much free time you have:
Billing Services
Can this be outsourced? Sometimes, therapists who work in therapy groups hire an office manager to help with the daunting and time-consuming task of billing. Solo practitioners might also consider a billing professional, or investing in practice management software that can make submitting claims just a bit easier.
Remaining on Insurance Panels
There are benefits of belonging to different insurance panels, like being able to see more of a variety of clients. However, some therapists opt to not accept any insurance and operate their business on a private pay or sliding scale basis.
Dealing with insurance panels can add a significant amount of correspondence and documentation to the workload. This might feel overwhelming and ultimately contribute to burnout.
Renting Your Own Office Space
Is your office space right for you and your practice? Office space can be expensive, so some therapists choose to office-share, alternating days of the week, and find this is a much more affordable option.
Office sharing also reduces the amount of money you have to spend on rent, which reduces the amount of hours you have to work and may potentially reduce symptoms of burnout in turn.
A Jam-Packed Schedule
Part of the draw to being a therapist in private practice is the ability to make your own schedule. That being said, if you don’t set your own boundaries around when or how often you are willing to work, it could be a recipe for burnout.
Having a full caseload during the week and then agreeing to see a few clients on the weekend might sound like a good way to increase your income, but you might end up feeling so drained that the extra cash just isn't worth the price.
A good thing to think about when evaluating what changes you might make to your private practice in order to feel more balanced is to think about what aspects of your job you value most. If having your own office space is high on your list of things that are important to you, look to make a change in another way!
How Serene Practice Supports Therapists with No-Shows and Burnout
Serene Practice offers a range of tools and features to help therapists manage their practices efficiently and reduce the risk of burnout. Our easy-to-use system, accessible from any device, anywhere, at any time, ensures that you can manage your appointments, billing, and client records without added stress.
With 24/7 customer support just a click away, you can feel confident that help is always available when you need it. Our software streamlines administrative tasks, freeing up more of your time to focus on client care and personal well-being.
By using Serene Practice, you can also set up automated reminders and policies to handle no-shows effectively, reducing the emotional and financial strain of missed appointments. Our integrated features help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, ensuring your practice remains sustainable and successful.
Managing private practice burnout is crucial for your well-being and the quality of care you provide to your clients. By recognizing the signs of burnout, taking intentional steps to recharge, and utilizing supportive tools like Serene Practice, you can continue to thrive in your profession.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common signs of burnout in private practice therapists?
Common signs of burnout include emotional and physical exhaustion, a sense of detachment from clients, never feeling fully recharged even with adequate sleep, and difficulty concentrating during sessions.
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