I’m sitting in a session with a client. She is describing being pushed down the stairs and chased around the house by her partner. It’s well past the regular 50 minute session cut-off. I need to end the session and go pick up my kids who are texting me that if I’m any later, they will miss their soccer practice. But this woman is describing some of the most distressing events in her life, and her life, as well as her young son’s, may be in danger. As best I can, I try to validate her experience, create a safety plan, and head out the door. But I have this nagging feeling that I’m forgetting something:
And it’s not just a feeling. I’ve got to finish a treatment plan for my new client. I haven’t completed my last progress note. I need to call back a client who wants to reschedule their appointment. And the insurance keeps rejecting my claims.
Self-care was a major focus of my graduate program. What to do when you start zoning out during sessions? Self-care. What about when you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about a suicidal client? Self-care.
I love the idea of self-care, if only I had the time to do it. The emotional load from our days are heavy. And yet, the daily tasks never end.
The Invisible Weight Therapists Carry
We are taught many things in our graduate programs — how to create a therapeutic alliance, how to actively listen, how to hold space for trauma and transformation. We’re taught the importance of self-care, how to watch for the signs of burnout, and the dangers of compassion fatigue.
But no one quite prepares us for what it’s actually like to run a practice day to day. Or even keep up with the demanding pace of accurately documenting each session.
As clinicians, we have multiple roles: healer, listener, documentarian, scheduler, insurance wrangler, crisis responder. The truth is, the paperwork, scheduling, and coordination that attend each client can take up just as much time — sometimes more — than the therapy itself.
Often when I end up trying to squeeze in a moment of rest between clients, I begin to feel guilty. How can I take a short walk when I have to catch up on updating scheduling changes that can’t really wait. Or take some deep breaths after a difficult session with a client when I have to make sure I send all the intake paperwork to a new client before the session. It feels a little like giving someone who’s sinking in the middle of the ocean an umbrella. If I wasn’t already neck deep in water, maybe an umbrella would help. But the constant press of urgent tasks really can’t wait.
According to studies from Simple Practice, 70 percent of therapists report emotional exhaustion. And nearly 30 percent of therapists have considered leaving the mental health field because of burnout.
The Cost of Carrying It All
For those of us trying to hold it together, we’re getting pretty tattered.
As a single mom with two kids, I quickly recognized that the amount of clients I would have to see each week to financially survive–around 30–would quickly drain me of not only my mental well-being, but also my physical health. Some of my colleagues take on side hustles to make ends meet such as working in accounting, jewelry-making, or even at an airport baggage claim in our attempts to reduce our client and preserve our mental health. Others of us push through and find ourselves emotionally depleted, distracted, and dangerously close to resenting the work we once loved.
And that’s the painful irony: most of us didn’t enter the field only to burn out after a few years. I entered this field because I naturally gravitated to being a listener, I feel a lot of empathy and compassion for others, and I wanted to be part of doing meaningful work. But the realities of the work often make our dreams impossible.
The Emotional Economics of Therapy
The truth is, I don’t know anyone in the field who got into therapy because they would make a lot of money. We knew we weren’t going to have the salary of a doctor or a financial adviser. But the current climate in the mental health industry forces me, like many, to choose:
- Prioritize client care and burn out from the back-end workload
OR - Set boundaries to protect our energy and lose financial security
That’s not a choice I ever want to make — and yet, it’s one that too many of us face every day.
The Admin Avalanche: More Than Just Inconvenient
The administrative load isn’t just annoying — it’s crippling. Think about what it entails:
- Scheduling and rescheduling clients — sometimes several times in one week
- Managing client cancellations and trying to fill empty spots last-minute
- Returning phone calls and emails from potential new clients
- Navigating endless loops with insurance companies
- Updating treatment plans and completing progress notes on time
- Tracking invoices, payments, and documentation for compliance
None of these tasks are technically “therapy,” but they’re required for therapy to happen. And when they pile up, our ability to care for our clients suffers.
When I’m distracted by endless paperwork, I can’t focus on creating a safe and healthy space for my clients. When I’m chasing payments, I’m not thinking critically or getting new training on ways to help my clients. When I’m so far behind that I don’t have time to respond to people searching for a therapist, I’m missing out on a possible revenue source that could help me build my practice.
You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup – But What’s Draining It?
We often think burnout comes from doing too much therapy. But just as often, it comes from the constant press of paperwork that surrounds therapy. The client sessions, though draining, are why we got in this field to begin with. And the rest? That’s what slowly chips away at us, day after day.
So the real question becomes:
What if we didn’t have to do it all ourselves?
What if we didn’t have to:
- Scramble to fill last-minute cancellations
- Field late-night messages from clients needing to reschedule
- Spend hours each week calling insurance companie
- Miss out on new clients because we couldn’t respond fast enoug
- Push documentation to the weekend — again
Imagine what your work could look like if those tasks were off your plate.
Admin Relief Isn’t a Luxury – It’s the First Step to Sustainability
If you’re teetering on the edge of burnout, it can feel like your only option is to pull back — see fewer clients, take on less, or walk away entirely.
But there’s another option: get support.
Not just emotional support (though that matters too), but practical support — the kind that takes tangible tasks off your to-do list.
Why Admin Relief Comes First
Hiring admin help or using tools to automate your workflow may feel like a “nice-to-have” or a “someday goal.” But in truth, it’s the first step toward creating a sustainable, booked-out, burnout-resistant practice.
Here’s why:
- It gives you time back. Time to rest, time to grow your practice, or time to simply breathe between sessions.
- It increases client satisfaction. Inquiries get answered faster. Reschedules are handled smoothly. Everyone gets better communication.
- It protects your energy. You get to focus on what you do best — therapy — while someone else handles the logistics.
- It boosts your income. Fewer missed sessions. More filled gaps. Less lost revenue from cancellations.
If you’re running your practice alone, you’re not weak or behind — you’re just doing it alone. But you don’t have to stay stuck there.
Welcome NextTherapist: The Support You’ve Been Needing
That’s where NextTherapist comes in.
We know what it’s like to be the only one juggling the endless swirl of admin, logistics, and client care. We’ve seen firsthand how even the most passionate therapists burn out when they’re buried under the back end of their practice.
NextTherapist is designed specifically to support therapists in private practice — with real, human help and smart systems that lighten your load.
Here’s What We Can Help With:
- Client rescheduling so you’re not chasing messages at 10 PM
- New client inquiries so you never miss another intake opportunity
- Filling last-minute cancellations so you don’t lose money
- Insurance coordination so you get paid for work you’ve already done
- Session reminders and follow-ups so your calendar stays full
- Back-office support that gives you freedom to focus on therapy
Whether you’re solo, scaling, or somewhere in between — you deserve support that matches your level of care and professionalism.
From Burnout to Booked – You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this work. It means you’re doing too much of it alone.
Imagine what your practice — and your life — could look like with real support behind you. With full sessions, fewer headaches, and time to finally take your own advice and prioritize yourself the way you ask your clients to.
It starts with one simple step: admin relief.
Let’s get you from burnout to booked — and loving your work again.
Learn more about how NextTherapist can support your practice today
