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5 Biggest Changes I've Made In My Practice To  Decrease Burnout

1/22/2025

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Specializing in working with kids is one of the most challenging paths as a therapist. 

For one thing you likely don’t have voluntary clients (hello precontemplation in the stages of change model!) that may lack insight into why they are even in therapy.  I mean, flipping chairs in the classroom isn’t that bad right? That was the old me!

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You also likely have to navigate tricky and sensitive systems including parenting systems that may or may not be aligned.  Or…. may be in high conflict divorce or co-parenting situations as well as school, county, or other involved parties.  

And this my friends? Well… it takes up a lot of extra time, effort, and energy. 

Then, don’t get me started on brain development. At times the people and systems in a child’s life may expect waaay more than a child is capable of and treatment also involves not only the agenda of all of the parties above BUT also involving parents, caregivers, and advocates within treatment. 

All of this to say - working with kids can be a recipe for burnout.  I wanted to share the top 5 changes I have made in my practice to avoid burnout 

Working a four day work week 

This has been transformational for me.  With my personal work style I still see a ton of clients and consultees but with some of my proven methods for how I arrange my schedule I don’t have gaps in the middle of my therapy day and see significantly more clients than when I was working multiple evenings per week and five full days in community mental health.  It also gives me a day to prioritize - whatever.  Right now that looks like spending more time with my kids, but in the past it has looked like booking in personal appointments, getting those big projects done around the house, meal prepping, or just reading a dang book.  If you want more support on scheduling check out this resource HERE!  

Not working evenings 

The next thing I stopped doing was working late evenings.  I have two days a week I get off at 5pm and two days per week I get off at 4pm.  And let me tell you - I am allllll morning person.  I am not the therapist you want at 7pm AND I wasn’t present at home the way I wanted to be when I worked late nights.  And if I wanted to work later I had two options.  Give up morning spots (those sweet 7 - 9 am spots that get kids in right at the start of the school day and parents before work) and shift my work day later OR keep the morning spots and work 12 hours in a row.  Again if you need more support with scheduling check out this resource HERE!  


Not taking paperwork home 

This is likely one of the biggest needle movers to avoiding burnout. Not only am I talking daily notes, but all the other paperwork we need to do with clients.  I schedule off time in my calendar for lengthy tasks (such as big records requests or extra paperwork I need to complete for an IEP or 504 plan), do a ton of documentation with clients (like updates on treatment plans or custom documentation they would like me to complete to make sure I have everything needed and verify things like symptoms I am documenting or dates), but the biggest of all of these is….NOTES! I do all my notes within my therapy day, without staying hours extra after the playroom door shuts after my last client.  If you need support in this you need to check out this resource HERE for a pain-free notes system that you can do between clients!  

Taking vacation or time off 

Okay - for this one I understand it has tons of privilege. I know there are some clinicians who couldn’t afford to cancel out a week of clients or travel, however I think time away from clients is a must.  And a little PSA moment - visiting your family of origin over the holidays maaayyy not be the “break” you actually need.  I had an amazing co-worker that took one week off per quarter to travel and she said it was the best thing she could ever do for her practice.  I like to take at least one to two vacations per year.  Some are more stay-cations and some I need to board a plane.  But what I’m not doing? Thinking about work! For therapists with a tight schedule or little ability to take time off - this might be an afternoon to dip out of the office early and do something just for you.  A massage, getting lost at the library, a yoga class, a sauna and cold plunge? Yes, please!   

Not feeling pressure to schedule or reschedule clients into times outside of my time boundaries 

This one is a GOOD one.  So. Good. In the past when I would take a vacation or need time off I would attempt to schedule all my clients back into the days before or right after my days off.  And certainly there are some clients who need this.  But all of them? Probably not. When I would schedule long days leading up to a vacation and then come back to a marathon of clients two things would happen.  One was a higher rate of no-shows for these reschedules AND I definitely wasn’t in a good mindset when I left for my time off.  Now, I typically offer some of the spots I have available in my existing calendar and if it isn’t a good fit we will wait until our next scheduled appointment! 

This also means for new intakes being very clear on your time boundaries at intake.  The client who NEEDS a Thursday at 6pm when you leave at 5, and all of your Thursday appointment spots are filled may not be a good fit for your practice unless they can find a time that aligns with your schedule. 

 
So that’s a wrap - over the years since I was just starting out on my therapy journey I have learned a TON about what it means to have a sustainable practice and my hope is you can take some time to look at your practice, what your strengths are, and what might be burning YOU out! Don’t worry - it’s never too late for change! 

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    Hi, there!

    I'm Ann Meehan, an LPCC,
    ​RPT-S
    ™, and EMDR Consultant. I help therapists that work with kids and teens go from a place of stress and survival to inspired and thriving.  I give child therapists the resources, tools, and skills they need to be effective and confident in their practice!

    I am organization obsessed, coffee loving, playful therapist who is showing up for life in the north woods of Minnesota. 

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  • Home
  • Blog
    • The Playful Therapist Blog
  • Courses
    • Online Courses and Training
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  • Supervision
    • Supervision | Consultation
  • Resources
    • Downloads
    • About Play Therapy
    • Continued Growth and Learning
    • Recommended Readings
    • Online Sources for CE
    • Professional Groups