Being a busy therapist can sometimes feel like holding your own autonomic nervous system hostage; our own needs are somewhat shelved while we hold space for clients. Empathy is a gift given to the client, but there is a cost. When the mind hears traumatic stories, the threat response in your own nervous system is activated. Busy therapists can be at risk of burnout, even with diligent efforts to maintain resources through self-care.
There are pros and cons: The personal discomfort motivates us to get wiser. Over time, we are almost forced to work out and utilise a self-care regime that actually works for us.
The symptoms therapists experience when their nervous system is stretched are often very similar to those experienced by clients: fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, disrupted sleep, or emotional numbing.
The evidence-based strategies we are teaching clients are what we need to put into practice in our own lives. Doing this:
Not practising self-care sufficiently is like holding your nervous system hostage. But each step we take toward tending to our own needs provides practice at being present, compassionate, and resilient, both for ourselves and for those we support.