Why Therapists Need to Grow Too

Lisa Marie Bobby: As a therapist, you are on a mission to support the growth and well-being of your clients, but are you growing personally and professionally through your work as a therapist? If you are not, that makes you vulnerable in many ways, but most importantly. I can make you vulnerable to burnout and to boredom and to losing this.

Fundamental experience of joy and satisfaction that you should have in your role as a helper. And on today’s episode of Love, happiness, and Success for Therapists, we’re talking about why your continued growth, intentional growth, is so incredibly important and how to cultivate it. Through your work because there’s a lot of opportunity here.

And so just to dive right in. you know that I am the founder of growing self counseling and coaching, and this journey has taken me from, being a private practice solopreneur to really being centered on a different mission at this point in my career, which is around supporting.

The authentic growth, wellbeing, and, personal and professional love, happiness and success of clinicians because, they are heroes. They are helpers. If clinicians are healthy and whole and practicing at the fullness of their potential, they can create. Intergenerational positive transformation in the lives of their clients’, families, and truly, generations that come after.

But in order to be able to do that, they need to be in a good place. They need to be supported, nurtured, taken care of. I’m the longtime host of the Love, happiness and Success podcast, which is more like for the issues that maybe clients might experience to put that insight out into the world.

This podcast is for you as a therapist, as my way of bringing some of this energy out of my private practice, growing self and bringing it to you to try to take care of you a little bit. And what I have found over the years is that one of the very most important things that has to happen for any of us.

To really be well in this profession for a long time is the experience of continuous growth, of learning, of personal development and of professional development. And that’s why growth for clinicians is one of the primary values, but also, activities that happens in growing self It’s so important because to have a commitment to personal and professional development, it has a huge impact on everything.

the reason I think why is because we are in such a unique position. People come to us. Seeking help seeking guidance and support, a place to grow, to heal, maybe, or to develop into their highest and best version of themselves. And in order to facilitate that and have it work, it is really vital that we are bringing our best selves to every single session.

And that means. Being engaged, passionate, interested, and also, knowledgeable and effective and clear in ourselves about how to be helpful. But it’s almost an energetic place that we need to be in that can be difficult to maintain over a long period of time. And what I have learned is that in addition to obviously self-care and support and nurturing, the way that we as therapists can reconnect with our passion, our enthusiasm, our excitement, our zest for what it is that we do often comes through learning and by challenging ourselves to grow, Life-giving energy in contrast. And I’ve also experienced this, not in my practice so much, but in other environments, is what happens when therapists stop learning and stop evoking that generative, zesty energy, becoming complacent, routine and I have seen that lead to significant consequences on both sides of the equation, both for therapists but also for their clients because what it ultimately results in over time can be disengagement.

career dissatisfaction, feeling bored. It can contribute to burnout, I think, because if we’re not really coming into it with our full presence and energy, our work can feel extremely stressful.

Or they can leave the profession, and decide that there’s. Nothing else here for them, that if they want to have that sparkle back, if they wanna experience joy in their career again, they’re gonna need to find it elsewhere. and certainly sometimes that can be true, and if that’s a conclusion that you come to, that might be the right decision.

But I think what the missing piece is oftentimes is that therapists particularly, after they’re licensed and more established in their careers, don’t have. the same kind of opportunities and support around them that helps cultivate that growth and learning. So yeah. To stay licensed, you have to take continuing education credits and do that.

And I can tell you that if I have had to produce some continuing education credits in order to be like, yes, there, I can stay licensed that. Box-checking kind of thing has zero relationship on the kinds of true, professional development activities that have really felt life-giving and exciting and energizing for me.

I think it requires either. Actively seeking those out or being environments, being in communities where we’re surrounded by that kind of energy that carries us along with it. And, and that’s not just in order for us to have long-term career satisfaction, I think we have to be considerate of the other side of the equation as well, which is that of our clients, right?

think about it like, would you want to open up, share your heart, be vulnerable, do like super deep work with a therapist who’s bored or disinterested or like. Forgets what you say or seems like they don’t really know how to help you. Of course not, right? Our clients are trusting us. It’s a sacred trust.

They’re trusting us to help them grow and move forward. And they deserve our very best. even if you are checked out, burnt out, disinterested, bored, That’s not why you got into this profession. That was not the dream that carried you into this place. And that too can be energetically depleting.

Like even if you do not have anything left to give, you might still feel bad about that. You might feel guilty about it. You might know that your clients deserve more than they’re getting from you. And that, I think, too, can contribute to this downwards. Spiral of burnout and emotional, unwellness, that therapists can be vulnerable to.

So let’s talk about moving this into the light by finding and fueling your professional passion. So from my own journey, I can tell you that incorporating new. Modalities and really actively learning about new things that feel exciting to me, that I can then take in and think about.

For the people in my practice around me is It feels a little bit risky. It feels anxiety provoking. You know that we’re learning something new and we’re developing, we’re on that growing edge. We’re not quite sure what’s gonna happen next all the time, and so that in itself can be energizing.

But I think it also comes from intentionally cultivating a very powerful growth mindset, which is, I. I am on a path of development. I am continually learning and growing, and every single experience is an opportunity for me to learn something new, especially when I do things that, maybe don’t go the way that I want them to.

For me personally, I love having those kinds of experiences, and that’s why to this day, I. Still seek out professional mentorship with people who are tough and who are going to tell me the truth because to have somebody who cares about me enough to shine lights on my blind spots and say, tell me more about why you made that decision, or what was going on for you in that moment, Lisa I.

Relish that, because it helps me expand and see things differently and create a fresh perspective that I would not be able to do on my own. And it’s very much seeking those things out big. piece of that and one that’s. Still continues to create a lot of energy for me in my professional life.

And that I also see being a very exciting, just like whole new world for the clinicians in my private practice is learning about coaching psychology. And so certainly, we do clinical trainings and different presenting issues and different modalities when it comes to psychotherapy, which is.

Always valuable and well and good and part of ethical practice, and I love it. And the energy that I’ve seen from me and from others coming out of moving into a different realm of coaching, it feels like a game changer because I became, credentialed as a certified coach a number of years after I did all the traditional, counseling, school and mental health licensure, that’s exciting and it still excites me. And part of it is because of the impact that I noticed on my work and the outcomes that my clients were experiencing. It felt like rocket fuel. I felt more empowered. I felt like I had more clarity and direction and confidence in being able to help my clients, but I also felt more energized.

And like I was just able to make a bigger impact in the lives of many of the people that I was working with than I was able to do as a therapist because, with the focus of therapy being on healing and treatment, whereas coaching really around growth and change and transformation.

It was so exciting. And I think too because, the coaching psychology model and what I was able to develop that into professionally felt like a better fit for my personality, my values, the kinds of work that I really enjoyed doing with clients was extremely congruent with coaching in a way that therapy was less.

and I still love therapy. I practice therapy. There is a important place for it in the world, but it’s not the whole story. And I didn’t know, about this whole new world until I invested time and energy into it. And I see clinicians coming into our practice and being exposed to these ideas for the first time and they’re like, this is so exciting.

That has been really fun. But what lights up my world or clinicians in our practice might not be the same for you. I have known people who go to A conference around, trauma-informed treatment with this presenting population and really narrow their focus on, I want to work with people who are struggling with, Tourette’s and TIC disorders.

And they come back and they’re all energized and happy and that is fantastic. I know some people who get that. Spark from attending academic conferences or staying on top of latest research, right? So they’re more theoretical as opposed to technicians, and it’s all okay. The key is to think about where you.

Feel excited and energized and what keeps you engaged and what feels like the next chapter forward for you. And then being able to find, environments and support that allow you to go all into that. so many different opportunities.

I have colleagues who are pursuing asect credentialing for sex therapy, and they’re very jazzed about that, and so it’s really so unique to you, but the important part here, the big takeaway is that you figure out what that is. And plug into it so that you have this fresh energy that comes into not just your career, but really energizes you.

And I will say that as your career evolves, we have to keep continually challenging ourselves. And so to not be afraid to do that One of the limiting factors here can be a perfectionistic or fixed mindset, especially if you’re more advanced or secure in your career. You’re like, I got this. That feels comfy.

And there’s pros and cons to all things. It can be sometimes nice to feel comfortable and secure and yes, I know what I’m doing. But to understand that’s not where growth energy comes from. And so to challenge yourself to learn new things, try new things, explore different modalities, dive into new topics, expand your.

Skillset, get a mentor, get a group like somebody who can help you do it well, because this not only makes you a more versatile and effective therapist or coach if you go in that direction, but it really ensures that you’re going to stay passionate about your work and that you are going to be showing up in this vibrant and energetic way for your clients who are really looking to you for that.

So tips on how to get connected. For example, at Growing Self at my practice, one of the things that is just a foundational basic value is around growth, as well as love and happiness and success, but really growth is key. And in that we’ve created a culture that supports and encourages continu.

Learning. and part of this is by creating an emotionally safe environment that’s conducive to that very important self-therapist growth, which we haven’t even talked about yet. But additionally, it’s bringing in speakers, trainers, doing internal trainings, gathering together to have group discussions, consultation group.

on-demand support, but also like it’s a culture where it’s safe to, need and receive feedback. But I think because of that cultural piece, it keeps the whole team engaged, inspired, always learning, and really eager for, The fresh perspectives, and I think that the benefits of this approach are immense because not only is this enhancing our individual skills and knowledge, but I think that over the years it’s created this community of like-minded professionals who, even though they may show up in different ways and be interested different things, share that common value of being committed to their own growth.

It keeps you connected to what your clients are going through and how the process actually works and creates this bond of empathy.

Because even if you’re doing different things and on different paths, the process is often so parallel and to stay really intimately connected to the experience of your clients happens when you are also doing it. I think another piece, that I had mentioned here for therapists and that I think is extremely unique to our profession more than any other, is the opportunity for growth and continued learning that comes through self-reflection and that self of therapist work that we all.

Also have to do because it’s not just going to a training and learning new interventions or modalities. The real growth work that we do in our shared profession is one about uncovering, hidden aspects of ourselves that show up through our work. And these can be subconscious biases or blind spots or unconscious core beliefs.

Or old triggers, old unfinished business with a past our own relational patterns and understanding how, our way of being intersects with that of our clients to create different outcomes. But I think, that comes from this deep sense of healthy personal responsibility and a desire and a willingness to unpack our own stuff, but also being in a.

Space where we can do that. And what that requires is to be in. Relationships with other people, other professionals, where there’s a lot of emotional safety, where there’s a shared growth mindset and where there is an appreciation for the learning opportunities that only come from those kind of angsty moments.

and it’s a safe place to be authentic and vulnerable, and like this happened and I, let’s talk about this. you have to have that kind of relationship in order to do that. Just a word of encouragement. Take trainings, take the programs, and if you’re not already in some kind of professional support group or consultation group, or have a professional mentor who can do that with you, or even sometimes a personal therapist could serve that role, that’s a very important component.

Of our ongoing growth and learning. And when we do this, when we’re learning new things about, therapy or coaching, but also about ourselves, this is what ensures that we’re growing right alongside our clients. We’re pushing our own boundaries and challenging our own beliefs in healthy ways, because as that saying goes, we can only help others to the degree that we have developed ourselves.

And in order to continue developing our capacity to be helpful, we need to develop our own capacity Doing this intentionally is one of the most protective factors from burnout that I know of.

Yeah, self-care is great. Take a bubble bath. Unplug. That’s good. But that’s an avoidance strategy for burnout, which is valid. We all need to do that sometimes, but that’s different than a proactive energy generating strategy, which has to be part of the plan if we’re going to stay happy and healthy and zesty and joyful in this career long term

Putting ourselves in a constant state of growth and learning and having a devotion to always becoming the best version of ourselves. So every client session, every clinical supervision, every group meeting is always an opportunity for us to learn and grow. Every time we do a case conceptualization or even do our notes, it’s a chance for us to reflect, gain new insights.

Think about what we know, what we don’t know, and really ensure that we’re providing the best possible support for those who seek our help, but using it as opportunities to challenge ourselves in the process. So what are your key takeaways from today’s episode? I’d love to hear your thoughts, your reactions, your feelings.

I invite you to come connect with me. You can, join our community, growingself.com forward slash therapists hop in. There’s all kinds of articles and free resources, podcast playlists, free self-awareness assessment that you can take and also you can join our social community. On YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Just look for growing self on all of those channels. I do keep other channels that are client facing that are with my name, so like Dr. Lisa’s, Instagram, I’m talking to my clients, but through growing self channels, I’m talking to you and I really wanna hear about what’s on your mind and what your reactions were to what we were talking about today around the importance.

Of continuous growth and learning and how that’s such an important strategy to stay engaged, energized, and passionate for the long haul. I hope this conversation was helpful for you and I will be back in touch with you next week for another episode of Love, happiness, and Success for therapists for you.

Talk to you later.