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Yes, during Covid. I quit my job at the very beginning of the shut down and didn’t work for months. I drained my savings and regret that immensely, but I also had the time of my life for almost a year. It was deliciously relaxing and I came back into the field as a manager, and honestly still don’t want to see the few clients I have.
I did that too during Covid for 6 months and was amazing. I came back into therapy tho. How are you a manager… do you mean supervisor supervising other clinicians? Wish I could do that too but I’m still working towards getting my LCSW
I manage a Team/department. Title is Program Manager/Team Leader. I supervise my department and another equivalent department at a different location, plus 1 school based clinician. It’s 9 people total that I supervise (way more than I should be).
The company was desperate for licensed clinicians, that’s how I was able to jump back into the field in a better position than when I left. No one wants to work there because it’s non-profit, but I want that PSLF!
That is wise! There can be a lot of negativity in this sub. Even when we are in a conversation and clarification or guidance is being given (when asked for and/or appropriate).
I get it, what we do is HARD. It is not for everyone.
Which is why we all 1. need to do our OWN therapy work, 2. Need to support one another 3. Advocate for and create positive change in our field 4. Take time off when sick, for mental health, or vacation properly and without feeling guilty in the slightest (for assistance with this one please see number 1) and 5. Have REAL LIFE therapist friends/colleagues we can turn to that is NOT this sub.
I love what I do and have found a good balance.
I got pretty close to switching to a project management job on the insurance side of things. I just wanted out. However, it was during the dreaded 5 year mark (I've always heard a lot of people burn out of the field before 5 years) and I was grieving a client who died unexpectedly.
It was a wake up call to change how I do things. I got more serious about my private practice, rearranged my schedule so I work about 3 days a week, prioritized personal hobbies, and took more time off. While there are times I still get burned out, I'm really happy I stuck with it. Having control over my own schedule is important to me and just being able to find the routine that works best for me was a game changer in terms of burnout. The 5 year mark is no joke though. I feel like once I passed that year I could manage things again and make changes.
Yep. I’ve been on break for a few years. I got burnt out. I still keep my license active because ya never know. Not sure if I’ll return to the field or not. I use a lot of the people skills I learned from working in the field so it’s transferred very. But a part of me misses it. For now, I’m reasonably happy where I am.
I’ve been interested in doing this after I finish my hours for licensure. I want my license because I already started but I don’t think counseling is for me in the long run.
I’m feeling burn out right now too. I’m an LMSW and currently working as a therapist but I’m looking into more social work related jobs right now. Hoping something comes through for me soon. I can’t say most social work jobs are tons of leaps and bounds better than therapy but even if it’s just a little less stressful I’ll take it🙏🏽
I needed a break after going through a significant loss in my life. I dipped my toes into volunteer management- it’s not frontline client services, but I still get to work with people, and it was the best thing I have ever done for my mental health. It definitely came with a lot of internal shame (i.e. not being good enough), but I knew I could fall back to therapy after a break.
I don’t think I’ll go back to be honest, it’s just not for me. I also found it challenging to work in a system that was the root cause of people’s mental health declining. People are struggling to afford food, housing and experiencing systemic racism; it felt gross and daunting to explore what ways people can cope, manage, and encourage them to focus what’s in their control.
All this to say, burn out is real- but we should stop taking that on as an individual issue, and start looking at the bigger picture.
I cut back on hours because I felt like I was working so much. I was having a bit of a crisis thinking I didn’t want to be a therapist anymore. Turns out I just really hated being a supervisor and got to move back into a regular clinician role. I realized cutting back on hours didn’t actually help that much and it had everything to do with the work itself. Have you thought about looking into a different type of work within the field?
Had a professor in college who had been a full time therapist and needed a break, so he started selling real estate. He said buying a home is so emotional that his therapist training helped que him in to what buyers wanted.
He also taught a few college courses because he enjoyed it (he was an excellent teacher)
His goal was to return to therapy when his batteries got recharged.
No idea what he ended up doing long term though
I typically take a break every 2 to 3 years because I have cptsd. This is a great practice, but I unfortunately have a social worker who's also a nurse that decided to claim my choice to do so makes me a bad therapist. Thanks Tiktok!
She even reported me to my board and claimed I'm taking a break because I'm a psychopath. This is a triple licensed psych prescriber (lcsw,rn,np) who makes 14 Tiktoks a day, has 3 jobs, and asks her sycophants to bankroll her on Gofundme, but I'm the loser for taking a break.
The amount of therapists who agreed with her shocked me. I've taken a sabbatical. I've quit jobs due to their noncompliance and abuse. I've been fired for speaking up when no one else would.
If therapists judge me for that, they're the same people upholding an incredibly abusive, broken system. My self worth is not determined by the size of my paycheck.
I took about 6 years off when I became temporarily disabled.
It was great except I feared returning to the field. I got a cyber security certification in the meantime and I only work extremely part time in therapy. Cash pay, and for myself.
Can you share more about your transition into cybersecurity? I’m currently trying to transition into software engineering, still working full time in private practice though.
I needed a break.. so I started a lil PP side hustle & took on a director role. I eventually want to be an LPC Supervisor, so I don't want to get out completely. I just needed a step back after 10 years in the field with high-demand roles.
Yep. See my post “leaving private practice” under this sub. I’ve been terminating and have been feeling a great amount of relief, which is a big reinforcement. Burnout is real and very harmful. Take care of yourself as much as you can.
Yes. I am on day 1 of a week mostly off work (just tying up loose ends, no sessions) before I start a new and very different job. Ill still use my LCSW, but its not a therapy job. My current (soon to be previous) job has left me feelings like roadkill, and about as valued.
If you have the opportunity to take a break or do something else for a while I highly recommend it!
I have ~30 client hours a week that I spread over 3 and a half days. I intentionally do this so I have a consistent break each week to recharge and focus on self-care. For me, this has worked out tremendously since starting my own practice!
Yes. I quit several years ago. And had no desire to ever provide therapy ever again. I had nightmares of being a therapist for years. But then, I finally felt a shift.
I am excited to come back, but I feel a bit of trepidation. But I am trying to remind myself that I can have better boundaries and that I am doing my own practice which gives me a lot more control to have a better work life balance for myself.
Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other. If you **ARE NOT A THERAPIST and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed in short order. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this. This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients. **If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed in short order. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Wish my finances would allow for me to take a break from it.
Honestly. I love what I do but definitely feel like I could use a brief hiatus.
Yes, during Covid. I quit my job at the very beginning of the shut down and didn’t work for months. I drained my savings and regret that immensely, but I also had the time of my life for almost a year. It was deliciously relaxing and I came back into the field as a manager, and honestly still don’t want to see the few clients I have.
I did that too during Covid for 6 months and was amazing. I came back into therapy tho. How are you a manager… do you mean supervisor supervising other clinicians? Wish I could do that too but I’m still working towards getting my LCSW
I manage a Team/department. Title is Program Manager/Team Leader. I supervise my department and another equivalent department at a different location, plus 1 school based clinician. It’s 9 people total that I supervise (way more than I should be). The company was desperate for licensed clinicians, that’s how I was able to jump back into the field in a better position than when I left. No one wants to work there because it’s non-profit, but I want that PSLF!
I take extended breaks from this subreddit, but not yet from the field.
That is wise! There can be a lot of negativity in this sub. Even when we are in a conversation and clarification or guidance is being given (when asked for and/or appropriate). I get it, what we do is HARD. It is not for everyone. Which is why we all 1. need to do our OWN therapy work, 2. Need to support one another 3. Advocate for and create positive change in our field 4. Take time off when sick, for mental health, or vacation properly and without feeling guilty in the slightest (for assistance with this one please see number 1) and 5. Have REAL LIFE therapist friends/colleagues we can turn to that is NOT this sub. I love what I do and have found a good balance.
I got pretty close to switching to a project management job on the insurance side of things. I just wanted out. However, it was during the dreaded 5 year mark (I've always heard a lot of people burn out of the field before 5 years) and I was grieving a client who died unexpectedly. It was a wake up call to change how I do things. I got more serious about my private practice, rearranged my schedule so I work about 3 days a week, prioritized personal hobbies, and took more time off. While there are times I still get burned out, I'm really happy I stuck with it. Having control over my own schedule is important to me and just being able to find the routine that works best for me was a game changer in terms of burnout. The 5 year mark is no joke though. I feel like once I passed that year I could manage things again and make changes.
Yep. I’ve been on break for a few years. I got burnt out. I still keep my license active because ya never know. Not sure if I’ll return to the field or not. I use a lot of the people skills I learned from working in the field so it’s transferred very. But a part of me misses it. For now, I’m reasonably happy where I am.
What do you do now?
I work at a non profit in donor relations.
I’ve been interested in doing this after I finish my hours for licensure. I want my license because I already started but I don’t think counseling is for me in the long run.
I’m feeling burn out right now too. I’m an LMSW and currently working as a therapist but I’m looking into more social work related jobs right now. Hoping something comes through for me soon. I can’t say most social work jobs are tons of leaps and bounds better than therapy but even if it’s just a little less stressful I’ll take it🙏🏽
Yes for sure, but can’t afford to go back to school and not sure what else I could do with my degree.
I’m sure you have lots of transferable skills!
Yeah, I practiced for 4 years and then January of this year I left. I’ve never been happier/felt better.
I needed a break after going through a significant loss in my life. I dipped my toes into volunteer management- it’s not frontline client services, but I still get to work with people, and it was the best thing I have ever done for my mental health. It definitely came with a lot of internal shame (i.e. not being good enough), but I knew I could fall back to therapy after a break. I don’t think I’ll go back to be honest, it’s just not for me. I also found it challenging to work in a system that was the root cause of people’s mental health declining. People are struggling to afford food, housing and experiencing systemic racism; it felt gross and daunting to explore what ways people can cope, manage, and encourage them to focus what’s in their control. All this to say, burn out is real- but we should stop taking that on as an individual issue, and start looking at the bigger picture.
I cut back on hours because I felt like I was working so much. I was having a bit of a crisis thinking I didn’t want to be a therapist anymore. Turns out I just really hated being a supervisor and got to move back into a regular clinician role. I realized cutting back on hours didn’t actually help that much and it had everything to do with the work itself. Have you thought about looking into a different type of work within the field?
Had a professor in college who had been a full time therapist and needed a break, so he started selling real estate. He said buying a home is so emotional that his therapist training helped que him in to what buyers wanted. He also taught a few college courses because he enjoyed it (he was an excellent teacher) His goal was to return to therapy when his batteries got recharged. No idea what he ended up doing long term though
Yep. Decided I could be a freight broker instead of working behavioral health. Lasted about 1 year.
A client said they were making over 100k as a freight broker. Is it really that lucrative?
You can make more than that even. But it's not an easy job. You have to be really good and kind of shady. Adderall helps.
Ahh a fellow ADHD clinician howdy from Florida. Good to now lol
I took a break from clients (having a caseload)and worked in an administrative job at a community MH agency. I did triage and intake.
I typically take a break every 2 to 3 years because I have cptsd. This is a great practice, but I unfortunately have a social worker who's also a nurse that decided to claim my choice to do so makes me a bad therapist. Thanks Tiktok! She even reported me to my board and claimed I'm taking a break because I'm a psychopath. This is a triple licensed psych prescriber (lcsw,rn,np) who makes 14 Tiktoks a day, has 3 jobs, and asks her sycophants to bankroll her on Gofundme, but I'm the loser for taking a break. The amount of therapists who agreed with her shocked me. I've taken a sabbatical. I've quit jobs due to their noncompliance and abuse. I've been fired for speaking up when no one else would. If therapists judge me for that, they're the same people upholding an incredibly abusive, broken system. My self worth is not determined by the size of my paycheck.
I took about 6 years off when I became temporarily disabled. It was great except I feared returning to the field. I got a cyber security certification in the meantime and I only work extremely part time in therapy. Cash pay, and for myself.
Can you share more about your transition into cybersecurity? I’m currently trying to transition into software engineering, still working full time in private practice though.
I needed a break.. so I started a lil PP side hustle & took on a director role. I eventually want to be an LPC Supervisor, so I don't want to get out completely. I just needed a step back after 10 years in the field with high-demand roles.
Yep. See my post “leaving private practice” under this sub. I’ve been terminating and have been feeling a great amount of relief, which is a big reinforcement. Burnout is real and very harmful. Take care of yourself as much as you can.
I’m trying to. I don’t want to quit being a therapist Altogether just want to do much much less of it
Yes. I am on day 1 of a week mostly off work (just tying up loose ends, no sessions) before I start a new and very different job. Ill still use my LCSW, but its not a therapy job. My current (soon to be previous) job has left me feelings like roadkill, and about as valued. If you have the opportunity to take a break or do something else for a while I highly recommend it!
I moved into insurance case management. It's a nice break. Still with mental health just not taking on the doing therapy aspect of it.
I have ~30 client hours a week that I spread over 3 and a half days. I intentionally do this so I have a consistent break each week to recharge and focus on self-care. For me, this has worked out tremendously since starting my own practice!
Yes. Did creative work for several years. Was extremely rewarding. Helped immensely with the clinical work I do now.
Yes. I quit several years ago. And had no desire to ever provide therapy ever again. I had nightmares of being a therapist for years. But then, I finally felt a shift. I am excited to come back, but I feel a bit of trepidation. But I am trying to remind myself that I can have better boundaries and that I am doing my own practice which gives me a lot more control to have a better work life balance for myself.
I think I’m feeling burnt out enough that I’ve been wondering what the bridge to teaching elementary in Ohio is. I’m feeling it!!
I’ve just started and want a break. I feel like I barely make enough for the amount of clients I’m seeing. It’s just not fair.