In this conversation, Dr. Jen Blanchette interviews Andy Benckart about his experience with burnout. Andy shares his burnout story from working in residential treatment and how he decided to go back to school as a way to alleviate burnout. They discuss the challenges of being a former client working in the recovery community and the blurred boundaries between work and personal life. They also touch on the feelings of resentment and frustration that can arise when clients don't make progress in therapy. Andy talks about his current experience as an MSW student and how the structure and support of the program have been helpful in preventing burnout. The conversation explores the importance of community and connection in preventing burnout among therapists. It highlights the transition from a supportive and communal environment in graduate school to the isolation of solo practice. The lack of emphasis on community care for therapists is discussed, as well as the need for intentional efforts to cultivate peer supervision groups and support systems. The conversation also touches on the concept of counterbalance rather than balance, emphasizing the need for small, daily actions to restore energy and prevent burnout. The importance of self-care and making non-negotiable commitments to oneself is emphasized. The conversation concludes with a discussion on finding joy in small things and the potential for change and growth in the field of mental health.
takeaways
- Working in a high-intensity setting with blurred boundaries between work and personal life can contribute to burnout.
- Former clients working in the recovery community may experience unique challenges and feelings of resentment.
- Therapists may feel frustrated when clients don't make progress in therapy, but it's important to remember that everyone has their own journey.
- Structured support and supervision in a graduate program can help prevent burnout and promote self-care. Community and connection are crucial in preventing burnout among therapists.
- Transitioning from a supportive graduate school environment to solo practice can be isolating and contribute to burnout.
- Intentional efforts are needed to cultivate peer supervision groups and support systems for therapists.
- Counterbalance, rather than balance, is important in preventing burnout, and small daily actions can help restore energy.
- Non-negotiable commitments to self-care are essential for therapists to prevent burnout.
- Finding joy in small things and making 1% changes can lead to personal growth and prevent burnout.
Sound Bites
- "I was so overworked at residential and not moving up at all that somehow the way to be less burned out for me was going to school."
- "Being a client and then a provider is impactful and helpful, but it also led to feeling like I had no control over my life and job."
- "I wanted clients to change their lives and when they didn't, it built resentment."
- "We go from all of that supervision, talking about our work, being seen in our work, to then not doing any of that. Being alone, which I think is really the problem."
- "There should be more of a built-in community system that we just don't have."
- "We talk about community all the time with our clients. And I did it. But on the back end, we never do that for ourselves."
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