Professional therapists provide help to people in need, but how freely do they seek therapy themselves? A recent survey revealed that a whopping 86% of therapists surveyed have sought therapy themselves — an average of 221 sessions — and 62% say they're depressed. Burnout was identified as the most frequent problem, with finding a therapist and lack of time being identified as the greatest obstacles to seeking therapy. If it seems strange that people who are trained to help others need help themselves, it’s important to remember that the nature of their work may predispose them to experience certain problems. Compassion fatigue, counter-transference, and a history of personal trauma can all take their toll on those practicing in the field of mental health. Burnout often manifests itself as exhaustion, a lessened sense of personal accomplishment, a tendency to place others’ needs before their own, negative client behaviors, and demands of paperwork and administrative duties. The cost of burnout in a therapist can be quite high, including personal distress, turnover costs for employers, and potential harm to clients who are receiving services from a therapist working in a diminished capacity. For these reasons, therapists are encouraged to seek therapy if they see any of the warning signs. There is no standard for how often therapists should go to therapy. Some choose to go sporadically, on an as-needed basis, while others choose to attend regularly.
