Therapy for Helping Professionals experiencing anxiety, burnout, and overwhelm. In-person in Southington, CT and virtually across CT and MA.
You give support, empathy, and compassion to others. Now, it’s your turn.
You never expected your job to affect you this much.
You got into this profession because you were determined to make a difference in the world. You’ve earned the degrees, completed the training, built the years of experience-and somehow, it feels like you know less than you ever did. Not because you have gotten worse at your job- you’re still going above and beyond for your clients, patients, or students- but because you’re carrying all the pain you witness, long after the workday ends.
Each day, you’re asked to make choices that go against the values that brought you to the work in the first place. You tell yourself it’s just how the system works, it is above your pay grade, there aren’t enough resources. But it still feels awful. You’ve stopped taking time off because you worry everything will fall apart without you.
By the end of the day, you are numb, exhausted, and tearful. You crash through the door with takeout and collapse on the couch, too drained to do anything but watch the same show on repeat. You are complete disconnected from your loved ones-cancelling plans and dodging phone calls because you don’t have it in you to support one more person.
And then the guilt sets in - ‘I should be able to handle this. Everyone else seems fine. What is wrong with me?’
This is called compassion fatigue. You may be struggling with it if you are experiencing:
Physical and emotional exhaustion
decreased empathy
Intrusive thoughts of events at work
Feeling disconnected from others
Poor sleep/nightmares
You don’t have to endure this alone.
Getting Help When You’re the Helper.
How therapy can help
Becoming physically and mentally worn down is a natural result of being a helping professional- one that is not often discussed in the workplace. Asking for support can feel like admitting you can’t do your job well, but the truth is, noticing that your work is affecting your wellbeing is a sign of strength.
In therapy, we’ll create a restorative space where you can finally do what’s not possible during your workday:
Slow down
Take up space with your own needs
Process the emotions you usually push aside
Together, we will practice
Self-care and Balance
When your stress comes from things like limited resources, systemic issues, and chronic understaffing, it can be hard to take time for yourself to heal. Together, we’ll unpack the worries and unhelpful thought patterns that keep you in the cycle of overworking and stress.
You’ll start to recognize your physical, emotional, and mental signs of exhaustion so you know when you can lean in and when to step back. We’ll make sense of what self-care and balance actually mean for you-creating small, sustainable practices that restore you rather than add pressure.
Forget the spa-day version of self-care. We’ll focus on what truly lowers your body’s stress levels and helps you feel more grounded day to day.
Boundaries
Your work is deeply values-driven- you care about the people you serve and the mission you’re part of. That’s why it can feel wrong to say no.
Together, we’ll explore how to set boundaries that protect your energy and allow room for your personal life. You’ll learn to challenge the belief that saying no is selfish and begin to build a life outside of work that feels restorative, not just productive.
You deserve healing and rest- not so you can give more at work, simply because you are a person who needs and deserves rest, too.
Therapy for helping professionals can help you:
Understand your physical, emotional, and mental signs of compassion fatigue
Process the difficult situations you are bearing witness to everyday
Learn to set boundaries so you can take the breaks you need
Challenge the thinking patterns that contribute to overworking
Engage in filling activities outside of work so you build emotional and physical resilience
Reconnect with yourself and your loved ones to feel whole
Frequently asked questions about therapy for helping professionals
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If you found yourself nodding along with this page, then probably yes! The term ‘helping professional’ is intentionally vague- you get to decide if this type of therapy will benefit you.
You might find this work helpful if you work in
mental health
healthcare
education
If you feel like you are supporting others at the expense of yourself in your job, reach out to see if we will be a good fit to work together.
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Let’s face it- you passed ‘stressed out’ a long time ago. The physical and emotional exhaustion, decrease in empathy, and intrusive thoughts about traumas you’ve seen or heard at work go far beyond normal work stress.
Therapy for helping professionals specifically addresses the compassion fatigue you are experiencing because of your challenging work environment. We will use a blend of grounding, processing, and skill building to develop the resilience you need to live a full life while working in a mission driven field.
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It’s completely understandable to worry that seeking therapy might make your workplace see you differently. But the truth is, getting support often leads to better wellbeing-both personally and professionally.
I take your privacy seriously. I follow all health information privacy laws and will never share information with your employer (or anyone else) unless I’m legally required to do so. Your sessions are a confidential space just for you.