Self-Care Plans For Therapists: Tips For Taking Care Of Yourself

Self-care: It’s a term that gets used a lot in the context of therapy, and with good reason. Self-care practices—behaviors aimed at promoting overall wellness—can play a key role in mental, emotional, and physical health. But what about self-care for therapists?

It can be easy to forget that, just like their clients, mental health practitioners may face challenges in their professional and personal lives, from outside stressors to mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Establishing a self-care routine that includes healthy habits, boundary-setting, and therapy can help mental health providers manage stress and improve their well-being.

What is self-care?

At its most basic, self-care is just what it sounds like: the practice of taking care of yourself. The term is often used to describe behaviors and habits designed to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Self-care is not a one-and-done treatment, but a set of lifestyle habits that are meant to be built into your routine. These can take various forms, such as:

Physical self-care (practices for keeping your body healthy):

• Getting regular exercise
• Eating a balanced and nutritious diet
• Getting enough healthy sleep
• Taking care of your teeth and skin
• Practicing good hygiene
• Getting regular check-ups
• Avoiding excessive alcohol and drug use

Mental self-care (practices for keeping your mind healthy):

• Reading books or listening to podcasts
• Taking classes in subjects that interest you
• Practicing mindfulness or meditation
• Practicing stress-reduction activities
• Seeking treatment for mental illnesses
• Regularly checking in with yourself about your mental health
• Avoiding excessive social media use 

Emotional self-care (practices for emotional well-being):

• Journaling
• Spending time in nature
• Engaging in enjoyable hobbies
• Practicing gratitude
• Building awareness of your emotions
• Setting realistic personal goals
• Practicing self-compassion

Social self-care (practices for promoting healthy relationships):

• Spending quality time with loved ones
• Setting healthy boundaries
• Practicing honest and open communication
• Practicing healthy conflict resolution
• Seeking support from loved ones and offering support in return
• Being assertive when needed
• Practicing empathy

Regularly practicing self-care habits like these may have various benefits, such as reduced stress, improvements in physical health, and lower levels of depression and anxiety. 

Self-care for therapists: Why is it important?

In a 2018 study, researchers in the U.K. conducted a survey of over 600 clinical psychologists. Two-thirds of the people surveyed reported that they had experienced mental health challenges themselves. This might seem surprising, but it may be worth remembering that as fulfilling as working in mental health can be, it can also be demanding. Therapy sessions can be intense and emotionally draining, and mental health providers are often exposed to a lot of stress and pressure. This can contribute to mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and burnout. 

Another common concern among mental health professionals is compassion fatigue, also known as “secondary traumatic stress.” This describes the mental health symptoms that can emerge for people who frequently work with survivors of trauma. These are often similar to the symptoms of PTSD, and may include:

• Social withdrawal
• Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Trouble concentrating
• Changes in appetite
• Aches and pains
• Feelings of numbness or helplessness
• Reliance on substances like drugs or alcohol

In addition to work-related stressors, mental health professionals may also face the same life challenges that other people do outside work, such as: 

• Relationship challenges
• Financial worries
• The loss of a loved one
• Becoming a parent, getting married, or getting divorced
• Major illnesses
• Moving 
• Changing jobs

Life events like these can often trigger or worsen mental illnesses, and this goes for therapists, too. 

Given the various challenges people working in mental health services may face, practicing self-care can be especially important. Tending to one’s mental, physical, and emotional health can be a key factor in avoiding these issues and managing them when they arise.

How to practice self-care as a mental health professional

If you work in mental health, taking care of yourself can be just as important as taking care of your clients. Whether you’re dealing with a specific challenge or you just want to make sure you can keep doing your best work, the following strategies may be helpful:

Establish a consistent self-care routine. Between working with clients and managing outside stressors, it can be easy to let self-care take a backseat. Setting a consistent schedule may help you make self-care a habit. You might consider scheduling time to yourself in advance, even if it’s just five minutes a day. Finding ways to integrate self-care into your daily routine may also be helpful. For example, you could try meditating between therapy sessions, taking hourly stretch breaks, or packing a healthy lunch ahead of time. 

Tend to your physical health. Staying physically healthy may have benefits for mental health and overall well-being. Consider starting an exercise routine, which may help reduce stress and generate endorphins and other feel-good chemicals. Being mindful of your diet can also be helpful, even if that just means making small changes, like reducing your sugar intake to keep your energy levels steady. It may also be worth making sure you’re getting enough rest by practicing good sleep hygiene and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. 

Prioritize healthy boundaries. When you’re a mental health professional, it can sometimes be hard to disconnect yourself from your clients’ lives and worries. That said, maintaining healthy professional relationships can be important for staying well and helping others. Make sure you establish clear boundaries with your clients, and give yourself permission to decline new work if you believe you’re spread too thin.

Consider personal therapy. Seeking counseling can help round out your self-care practice, whether you have a mental health diagnosis or you would just like extra support. Therapy can be a source of guidance and advice, as well as a tool for building self-awareness and resilience. With the help of a counselor, mental health workers may be able to better prioritize their well-being and keep doing their best work. 

One potential challenge of seeking therapy is finding a counselor in your area who understands the unique challenges you face. Online therapy may make this process easier, offering the option to be matched with a therapist or choose your own, and to change therapists whenever you want. 

Studies have shown that online therapy is an effective treatment for mental health challenges that may be common among therapists. In a 2021 study, 63 medical residents facing high levels of stress and burnout were given a three-month online psychological intervention. After finishing the program, participants showed significantly lower levels of burnout, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. 

Takeaway

Self-care practices are habits designed to promote mental, physical, and emotional well-being. This can be especially important for mental health professionals, who may face unique challenges in their work, such as stress and compassion fatigue. Strategies like establishing a self-care routine, setting boundaries, and seeking therapy if needed may help mental health workers manage stress and improve their own mental health.