Quarantine Self-Care for Therapists

Curt and Katie chat about the challenges for therapists during the pandemic. We look at what is unique to therapists’ experiences, causes of burnout, and ways in which therapists can work to protect their mental health and wellness during this time.

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

In this episode we talk about:

How therapists can take care of themselves during this time
The risks for burnout during COVID – study in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry
Taking on clients’ emotions, reacting together in real time
Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma
The strain of “in this together”
Lack of the usual go-to self-care practices
Lack of in-person community and connection
Difficulty in getting feedback related to how we’re being received
Not knowing if we’re providing effective therapy
The concept of stasis, and just waiting for things to go back to normal
Longer term therapy due to lack of progress or on-going stressors
The lack of distraction from work or other responsibilities
The danger of filling time with work
The struggle or concern related to raising fees during a pandemic
How work may have become more of a grind
Lack of creativity or inspiration
The importance of taking a self-assessment
Realistic expectations
Priorities and values
All the roles we are playing right now
What resources do we have available to us?
Creating separation between work and personal space (through physical separation, ritual, structure)
How to identify opportunities with what is happening now
Identifying new challenges and risks, how to mitigate risks
Creating a sustainable situation even if it is just for now
Managing your schedule
Connecting with your community, so you don’t feel so isolated
The importance of breaks