Believe it or not, even therapists need therapy. Sure, therapists might specialize in helping their patients work through their traumas, insecurities, and harmful memories, but even therapists have their own issues to navigate—and it’s difficult navigating those problems by yourself.
That’s why we’ve always committed our therapy talents to other therapists. Sure, we work with mothers, married couples, first responders, nurses, professionals, and plenty of other people, but we also focus on therapy for therapists (and we even offer group supervision).
Unfortunately, there are plenty of misconceptions out there, so let’s address them together:
Table of Contents
4 Reasons Therapists Should Have Therapists
Why Some Therapists Resist Going to Therapy: 3 Common Excuses We Hear
How to Find A Great Therapist For Therapists
Book With My Wellness Center
4 Reasons Therapists Should Have Therapists
Even therapists can benefit from regularly meeting with a therapist! Here are some of the biggest reasons why:
1. If You Preach Self-Care, You Should Practice It Yourself
As therapists, we’ve all recommended self-care for our patients.
But with such a busy schedule, do we always practice it?
It’s critical to take some of our own medicine, and not everyone does. A 2022 study found 45% of psychologists were burned out—a metric that has remained high from the fallout after COVID.
Most importantly, if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t be fully present for your own clients—and your relationships (and business) could deteriorate as a result.
One study found patients with PTSD saw 8% better success rates while working with therapists who didn’t have burnout versus therapists who did have burnout.
2. Vicarious Trauma
Many of the therapists we know deal with some sort of vicarious trauma from the constant barrage of terrifying, depressing, and heartbreaking stories we hear from patients every day.
Those stories take a toll. Even though we’re not experiencing them, we care about our patients. Seeing them struggle and hearing their stories can be traumatic.
In fact, research shows 40%-85% of “helping professionals” (people like first responders and therapists) have developed vicarious trauma at some point.
As a result, we need someone to talk to as well. Even if we don’t need true therapy to work through vicarious trauma, we at least need a safe place to “dump” the burdens we pick up throughout the week.
3. You Know What You Need (Usually)
In our experience, therapists are often able to move through therapy quicker because they’re more in tune with where they actually need support.
As a therapist, you can likely articulate where you’re struggling—and that can help your therapist respond in turn.
With that in mind, you may also be better qualified than the average person to identify the right therapist for you, especially someone with the right credentials and background to provide the support you require.
4. Even Coaches Have Coaches And Mentors Have Mentors
The most successful people in society rarely rise through the ranks on their own. Instead, most have been blessed with one or more mentors who have guided them through their biggest personal and professional challenges.
Therapy is the same way. You might be the best therapist in the world, but you could still benefit from having someone to help you navigate through life’s tougher moments and experiences.
Why Some Therapists Resist Going to Therapy: 3 Common Excuses We Hear
Although we frequently hear from fellow therapists who are curious about receiving therapy, we just as frequently hear protests. Some of the biggest reasons therapists give for not wanting therapy include:
1. They Think They Don’t Have Enough Time
As therapists, we balance busy professional schedules, and many of us also have busy personal lives as well. It’s hard enough to find time for the gym, coffee with friends, and other self-care activities—how can you possibly find time for therapy as well?
You make time for the things that matter. And therapy does matter—a truth your clients experience over and over again with every session they spend together.
2. They’re Too Embarrassed
Some therapists might not admit this outright, but many are simply too embarrassed to see their own therapist.
Unfortunately, there’s a misconception in the therapist community that because we help people move beyond their own mental and emotional struggles, we should be capable of overcoming our own challenges on our own.
That’s simply not the case.
As we explored earlier, everyone benefits from a second opinion, and therapists often walk around with so much vicarious trauma, they’re perfect candidates for therapy!
3. They Need to Find Someone They Respect But Who Isn’t In Their Own Practice
One challenge of finding a therapist as a therapist is connecting with someone who’s talented and not in your immediate practice.
Working with someone inside your practice can be uncomfortable and even unprofessional; working through your own traumas with a co-worker could negatively impact your working relationship.
But there are many therapists and therapy practices out there that specialize in working with other therapists—just like we do at My Wellness Center!
How to Find A Great Therapist For Therapists
If you’re nervous about finding a great therapist, don’t fret; here are two tips for success:
1. Find An External Expert
As we mentioned earlier, finding someone outside of your own office is critical for therapy success.
For help finding the right individual, start by checking out our team at My Wellness Center, check out Psychology Today, or simply start with a Google search.
2. Find Someone You Can Trust
You know how important it is to trust your therapist. Finding that right expert with the right credentials can help you jump into your first therapy session with the confidence that you’ll be well cared for.
Book With My Wellness Center
To see if My Wellness Center could be a good fit for you, contact us! Our team is standing by to give you the support you need.