What's one self-care practice that's been essential for preventing burnout in your clinical psychology career? How has it specifically helped you maintain your effectiveness as a therapist?

One self-care practice that's been absolutely essential for me is **taking intentional, tech-free walks right after my last client session of the day**. I started doing this a few years into my clinical psychology career when I realized I was carrying everyone's emotions home with me—like, I'd be cooking dinner still thinking about someone's trauma disclosure or a session that didn't land the way I hoped. I used to think self-care had to be something big or luxurious, but honestly, just stepping outside, without a phone, without podcasts—just me and the fresh air—gave me a reset I didn't know I needed. It's like it marks the end of the therapist part of my day and lets me return to being just a person again. Since making it a non-negotiable habit, I've noticed I'm *more present* in sessions and way less prone to emotional fatigue. It clears my mind, grounds me, and helps me show up as a better listener, every single time. Please let me know if you will feature my submission because I would love to read the final article. I hope this was useful and thanks for the opportunity.

The self-care practice that's saved my career? Learning to disappoint people on purpose. Most therapists won't say it out loud, but chronic over-giving is just people-pleasing in a lab coat. I had to stop trying to be the "good therapist" who's always available, always flexible, always self-sacrificing. Now I protect my energy like it's a clinical tool, because it is. That means not responding to messages after hours, saying no to 'quick favors,' and refusing to shrink my fees to soothe someone else's discomfort. The moment I stopped rescuing everyone, my empathy got sharper, my sessions got deeper, and my burnout disappeared. Self-care isn't soft, it's boundaries that make other people uncomfortable while keeping you effective. That's what actually sustains longevity in this field.

One self-care practice that's been essential for me in preventing burnout is something I call "quiet time." It's nothing fancy—just a few moments of stillness between sessions or tasks to let my mind and body reset. Sometimes that means going outside in the sun, pausing over a cup of tea in my rooms, or just taking a couple of slow breaths before I get out of my car. It's a small ritual, but it's become a really important part of how I look after myself as a psychologist. In psychology, our work relies heavily on emotional presence. We attune to other people's pain, uncertainty, and stories day after day, which can be incredibly rewarding but also taxing if we don't have consistent ways to decompress. Early in my career, I used to power through the day, telling myself I'd "rest later." What I eventually realised is that without micro-pauses, I started to feel foggy, reactive, and detached. "Quiet time" changed that. It helps me shift my nervous system out of constant engagement and back into regulation. From a psychological perspective, this practice aligns with what we know about stress physiology and cognitive performance. When we remain in a prolonged state of arousal or demand, our prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain we rely on for empathy, reasoning, and decision-making—becomes less efficient. Research in occupational health psychology shows that short, mindful breaks improve concentration, emotional regulation, and job satisfaction. In my own practice, those few minutes of calm are like a neural reset button. They help me approach each client as a new person, rather than as the next appointment in a long day. What I've learned over the years is that self-care doesn't always have to look big or elaborate. It's not just about holidays, yoga, or spa days (though those are important and lovely too). It's about the small, intentional pauses. Quiet time helps me stay grounded and when I show up from that place—steady, centred, and recharged—my clients can feel it too. And that, ultimately, is one of the most powerful things I can bring into the room.

My essential self-care practice is "Active Compartmentalization," a non-negotiable ritual that leverages both my psychological and social educator training. It's the structured antidote to the "automatic pilot" that leads to burnout. How it works: At the end of my workday, I perform a 5-minute "shutdown ritual." I physically tidy my desk, write down one emotional insight from the day, and then consciously close my notebook. This simple act is a cognitive boundary that signals to my brain that my role as "therapist" is over. Why it's effective: As a Clinical Psychologist, I know that empathetic fatigue stems from "emotional bleed"—carrying clients' trauma home. This ritual stops that bleed. As a Social Educator, I know my effectiveness as a human depends on being present in my own social system (my family). This practice ensures I am not just a "therapist-at-home," allowing me to recharge fully and maintain my long-term effectiveness.

Hi, I'm a therapist and founder of LightLine Therapy, a group psychotherapy practice in NYC. I try my best to manage two self-care techniques on a rotating basis: one that is focused on giving me space for my hobbies/interests, and one that is focused on helping me process my clinical work and enforcing my own mental boundaries. Currently, my first self-care practice is going out to a movie, by myself, once per month. I love going to movies (and going with other people), but it's sometimes too difficult to line up schedules with somebody else and figure out what movie we want to see. Going by myself is so easy and stress free. My other practice is taking a cold shower after a particularly heavy or long day of sessions. I often feel drained at the end of the day and taking a cold shower reinvigorates me so that I have energy for my family after work. It's not fair to them if I come home completely wiped out, so taking a cold shower helps make sure that I'm showing up for them in the way I want to. I'm happy to provide more context or details if you like. If I'm included in your article, please include a link to my website or bio: https://lightlinetherapy.com/jacob-mergendoller. Thanks, Jacob

As a psychotherapist, it's so important to have strong self-care practices to prevent burnout and take time away from client work to recharge. One practice that has made a tremendous difference for me is charging my phone in another room at night and spending the first 30 minutes of my morning without picking it up. This allows me the time and energy to wake up, meditate, do my morning routines, and center my energy today without any distractions or immediately jumping into responding to any tasks for the day. I find that this small act allows me to show up for myself first thing in the morning, ensuring I make time for it, and consequently to show up better for my clients for the rest of the day!

Regular consultation and community with other therapists is an absolute must for me. Especially now, in the age of AI, it's easier than ever to work in isolation, But no technology can replace the regulation that happens through real human connection. Consultation gives me a place to process the emotional impact of my work, get perspective, and to remember that the challenges I face are not personal failures but part of doing therapy well. These conversations then help me access vicarious resilience, the growth that comes from witnessing healing, both in my clients and my colleagues. Staying connected to a supportive community keeps me grounded, accountable, and reminded that being human is not a liability in this work, it's what makes it effective.

Being in my own psychoanalytic therapy consistently since entering this field has helped me feel supported and maintain the capacity to support others. In my clinical work, it has been essential to recognize and work through the difficult emotions that may arise during sessions so that I can respond to my patients in a meaningful way. The more I understand my own feelings, the stronger I become as a clinician—and the better equipped I am to help my patients understand theirs.

One self-care practice that's been essential in preventing burnout in my psychology career is practicing regular mindfulness and reflection time between sessions to ensure my own mental wellbeing. Taking a few minutes to pause, breathe, and reset helps me release residual emotions from one client before engaging with the next. This practice prevents me from carrying over emotions, reduces cognitive and emotional fatigue, and allows me to stay fully present and attuned with each client I see. Over time, it strengthened my emotional resilience and compassion without draining my energy. By protecting my mental health space, I`m able to maintain clarity, empathy, and effectiveness in my career by showing up consistently grounded, focused, and connected to my clients' needs.

It is incredibly important that we give ourselves credit for the accomplishments we do every day. Nothing is too small. Get the kids to school? Give yourself credit. Lost your keys but found them again? Nice work! Get through that meeting without strangling (or saying something passive aggressive) to that co-worker? Way to go, me! It may sound silly, It can be very easy for us to not recognize the things that take energy and effort and only notice the mistakes we make. Our brains notice when we make mistakes or when things don't go the way we want them too. Our brain tends to not notice when we do well on every day, familiar tasks. It is critical that we give ourselves positive attention and recognize our efforts every day. That helps us feel hopeful, resilient, and empowered.

One strategy that's been particularly effective over time is to stay attuned to my own emotional responses in session. If I notice myself wanting to "fix" something quickly or share too much about my own experience, that's often a cue to slow down and return to curiosity about what's happening for the client. By grounding myself and reflecting before responding, I can stay present and empathic without crossing into over-involvement. It communicates that I care deeply, but that I'm also a stable, thoughtful presence, which is often what clients need most.

As a group practice owner and therapist, boundary-setting has been a non-negotiable self-care practice for me. I keep consistent client hours, start and end sessions on time, and protect family and personal time from work tasks. When I flex these boundaries too much, I notice myself feeling depleted and resentful, which directly impacts my ability to show up for my clients. Holding these limits not only keeps me from burning out but also models healthy boundary-setting and self-care for my clients. My clients deserve a therapist who practices what she preaches in terms of self-care and honoring her own values.

The single most helpful practice in preventing burnout in my career has been maintaining connection with my network of other therapists and clinicians. As a private practice owner, one-on-one work can begin to feel isolating. I make a concerted effort to build genuine relationships with other therapists, psychiatrists and clinicians who understand the trials and tribulations of clinical work. If I'm ever feeling stuck or worn down, knowing I have people in my corner to turn to makes all the difference.

Scheduling structured breaks between sessions has been the single most effective safeguard against burnout. Those ten-minute resets aren't idle time—they're intentional decompressions. Using that window to step outside, stretch, or jot down reflections prevents emotional residue from one session spilling into the next. Over time, it built a rhythm that protected both focus and empathy. The difference showed up in session quality. Clients received sharper attention, and fatigue at the end of the day dropped noticeably. The practice also reframed rest as part of professionalism rather than indulgence. Sustaining therapeutic presence requires energy management as much as empathy. Treating recovery as a responsibility, not a reward, kept the work meaningful without draining the person doing it.

Establishing a distinct separation of their personal and professional lives is one of the self-care practices that have been useful in avoiding burnout in my clinical psychology career. As one works in an environment where emotional labor always exists, like listening to the pain, trauma, and plights of clients, it is simple to project some of that energy. With time, I have discovered the need to have a committed time off work where I physically and psychologically unrelax. I do it by engaging in such activities as regular physical activity, journaling and nature. These are useful to relax my mind and re-energize me. Boundary setting has also enabled me to go back to my sessions with a refreshed attitude of compassion and a better understanding. I am more capable of staying emotionally engaged with my clients without being engulfed and excessively influenced by their plights. The importance of this boundary setting, in particular, lies in the fact that it will help avoid the development of compassion fatigue and allow me to remain a good therapist without undermining my personal well-being. I can allow myself to take a back seat and have a recharge so that I will be able to keep a healthy emotional distance and thus I am able to stay focused, empathetic and effective to a large extent in helping my clients.

"Sustainability in leadership and therapy alike isn't about working harder it's about pausing long enough to remember why you started." One of the most essential self-care practices that has kept me grounded and prevented burnout is creating intentional pauses in my day moments where I disconnect completely from work, reflect, and recharge. Whether it's a morning walk without my phone, a few minutes of mindful breathing between meetings, or journaling at night, these small rituals help me realign with my purpose and reset emotionally. Over time, I've realized that true effectiveness both as a leader and as someone deeply connected to human behavior comes from clarity, not constant activity. These mindful breaks allow me to show up with empathy, focus, and resilience, ensuring I don't just perform, but stay genuinely connected to the people and mission I serve.

The self-care practice essential for preventing burnout is the Mandatory Systemic Decompression Protocol. This is a daily, non-negotiable mental and emotional shutdown period after leaving the operational environment. My previous role, while not clinical psychology, required constant high-stakes operational assessment, akin to diagnosing failure in a diesel engine or a complex human system. The burnout risk stems from carrying the client's operational liability home. The decompression protocol is simple: an enforced Zero-Communication Window for the first ninety minutes after asset-departure. This means no calls, no emails, and no internalizing the day's unresolved issues. The goal is to enforce a data purge and prevent the mental contamination of personal space. This practice has specifically helped maintain my effectiveness by ensuring Diagnostic Objectivity. If you cannot separate the client's problem (heavy duty trucks downtime or patient crisis) from your personal emotional inventory, your judgment is compromised. The protocol guarantees that when I return to the operational environment, my mind is functionally reset to OEM quality calibration, capable of delivering precise, non-reactive solutions backed by a fresh perspective. I maintain my effectiveness by ensuring my primary asset—my cognitive capacity—is never compromised by external interference.

The single most essential self-care practice I use to prevent burnout in my physically demanding trade is enforcing a rigid, non-negotiable end-time to my workday. The approach is simple: when you run your own business, the work is endless. I could easily take on another estimate, answer emails late into the night, or start planning the next job's logistics, but that bleeds the workday into my personal time. Instead, at 5:30 PM, I put the tools away, stop answering the business line, and commit fully to hands-on tasks that have no connection to roofing, like working on a personal woodworking project or cooking a meal. This rigid boundary has been crucial to my effectiveness. It forces me to mentally detach from the job site and the client's problems. By creating a hard stop, I prevent the constant pressure of client demands and crew logistics from consuming my thoughts. This allows me to start the next day fresh, with clear focus and renewed energy, ensuring I give every client my full, objective attention, rather than a depleted, rushed effort. My advice to other business owners is to stop confusing dedication with exhaustion. The best way to prevent burnout is to treat your personal time like a scheduled, critical maintenance task. Invest the time in creating an absolute break from the job, because that commitment to personal restoration is the only reliable way to maintain the high level of focus and clarity your demanding work requires.