Therapy for Therapists: Preventing Burnout Through Personal Growth and Self-Care

Therapy for Therapists: Preventing Burnout Through Personal Growth and Self-Care

Lisa Marie Bobby, PhD, LMFT, BCC

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is a licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified coach, AAMFT clinical supervisor, host of the Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast and founder of Growing Self.

Let’s be real: as therapists, we’re phenomenal at supporting others, but are we really giving ourselves the same care we so passionately advocate for our clients? Have you ever paused and asked yourself, “Am I doing a good job of supporting myself?” If you cringed even a little bit at that question, you’re definitely not alone! And that’s exactly why in this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, we dove deep into one crucial topic: Therapy for Therapists—because we need it just as much as anyone else.

I’m Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby, your friendly therapist-next-door, licensed psychologist, and founder of Growing Self Counseling and Coaching. Today, we’re talking about preventing burnout, preserving your passion, and, let’s face it—getting your therapist mojo back through personal growth and self-care.

Why We Need to Walk the Walk

Here’s the thing: we work with clients who have all kinds of intense, complex emotions and trauma, and we are in the thick of it with them. It’s part of our job to walk into the fire with them when no one else will. But guess what? It takes an enormous amount of personal strength to do that, and—here’s the kicker—it affects us, too.

I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly that happens when we as therapists skip our own self-care. It’s not pretty. Burnout creeps up, and suddenly we’re not just struggling at work—we’re disconnected from our lives, our relationships, and even ourselves. According to studies on vicarious trauma, this emotional toll is real and can lead to significant psychological distress if we don’t address it properly .

That’s why, in this episode, I focused on how essential it is for therapists to be invested in their personal growth, health, and wellness—because we just can’t afford to skimp on this stuff if we want to stay in it for the long haul.

Emotional Awareness: The Secret Sauce

Have you ever found yourself reacting to a client’s story in a bigger way than expected? I’m talking about those moments where you feel a little too triggered or overwhelmed. You’re not alone. Our ability to be self-aware, manage our own emotions, and set them aside (just for a minute) is critical to showing up with that empathy, non-judgment, and positive regard that our clients deserve.

But when we skip doing our own self-reflection, it can be so hard to maintain that presence. One of my favorite recent episodes of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists was all about confronting these blind spots, particularly around cultural bias and countertransference—those sneaky little reactions that can slip into our sessions if we aren’t paying attention. You can catch that conversation right here.

The Burnout Conundrum

If I had a dollar for every time a therapist I know said, “I’m not burnt out—I’m just really tired,” I’d have a private island by now. Burnout is sneaky, multidimensional, and shows up differently for each of us. But here’s one undeniable fact: therapists who aren’t doing their own self-care are significantly more vulnerable to it. (Yes, even if you’re taking bubble baths. And yes, they’re nice, but that’s not what we’re talking about here!)

Real self-care goes beyond the physical. We’re talking about mental and emotional care—engaging in reflective practices that help you process the very real emotional weight you carry from being the one who “holds space” for others. If you don’t have something or someone in place to hold space for you, burnout isn’t just a risk—it’s an inevitability .