The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy When Burnout Ends Your Therapy Career: An Interview with Ofra Obejas
Nov 10, 2025
Ofra Obejas, a retired licensed clinical social worker, shares her journey of closing her practice after 20 years due to burnout. She candidly discusses the cumulative stress from administrative tasks and the expectations placed on therapists. Ofra emphasizes that burnout is a mismatch between personal values and job demands, not a personal failure. She challenges common self-care advice and suggests practical steps like managing caseloads and pursuing side work. This conversation serves as a poignant reminder for therapists to honor their limits and prioritize their well-being.
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Abrupt Retirement After Two Decades
- Ofra closed her private practice abruptly after 20 years when she realized she had no energy left to continue.
- She describes herself as a 'cautionary tale' about running out of emotional runway.
Administrative Load Erodes Clinical Meaning
- The practical burdens of therapy (billing, notes, audits, scheduling) accumulate into 'death by a thousand cuts.'
- Meaningful clinical work doesn't immunize therapists from bureaucratic and administrative exhaustion.
Therapy Is A Two‑Way Emotional Process
- Therapy is fundamentally relational and impacts therapists emotionally in both directions.
- Training often treats relationship as technique, leaving clinicians unprepared for emotional reciprocity and cumulative impact.