Help for the Helpers

You just wanted to help others. Whether this came from personal experience, family experience, a spiritual calling, a sense of empathy, genuine interest, or any other reason that might have guided you to helping others, the struggle you might be feeling now is real.

Whether you are a Therapist, Counselor, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Nurse, Case Manager, Social Worker, QMHP, Clinical Supervisor, Clinical Director, Program Director, an ABA Professional, Discharge Planner, Crisis Worker, Foster Care Worker, or any other role in the field of helping others in mental or behavioral health field, we see you. Maybe you work at a Community Services Board, in a community based agency, for Social Services, in a hospital, in a group home or residential facility, in private practice, in an outpatient group practice, for managed care, for a non-profit, or in any other capacity. This field is broad and so are the opportunities for burn out. We get it.

Perhaps one of the harder things about working in the field of helping others is the idea of seeking help for yourself. Or even recognizing you need help. After all, aren’t you a super human?

MySpectrum Counseling & Coaching is here to tell you that it is okay to need help yourself. While you are human, you don’t need to be perfect or keep it all together all the time. In this line of work, it is very common to feel or experience any of the following:

Elevated Stress.

Maybe you even feel it physically with headaches, high blood pressure, body pain, soreness, fatigue, or chest pain.

Anxiety.

Maybe this is to the point that you have panic attacks going to work, or even thinking about work. Maybe Sunday nights are the worst because all you do is think about what might happen the next day at work. When you are at work, maybe you’re always thinking about the next thing that could go wrong or dealing with a difficult co-worker or supervisor.

Depression.

Maybe hearing about the lives of those you serve has contributed to extreme sadness or even guilt about how hard it can be for our clients. Or, maybe you feel stuck at your job and feel like there is no way out.

Hypervigilance.

Maybe you’re always checking your email, texts, or phone to see if you’ve missed a call, because you’re worried someone will think you’re not doing a good job. Or, maybe you’re concerned about missing something important because you care.

Strained Relationships.

Maybe your partner doesn’t understand why you can’t put your phone or laptop away when you’re “off”. You might feel pulled in different directions when you have competing demands like attending a family event or focusing on getting your documentation done. Maybe taking time off from work feels like a huge burden because how can you be there for everyone else when you’re taking time for yourself? Yet, your loved ones might not fully understand this internal conflict and as a result, they might think you prioritize work over them.

Poor Boundaries.

Maybe work time bleeds into personal time. Maybe you don’t even know the difference anymore. As we know, boundaries are important in all aspects of life. When working in the helping profession you want to be there for everyone all the time because you are the helper. Setting limits and creating healthy boundaries is okay, but how in the world do you do it? Reaching out to MySpectrum is a first step.

While these are some examples of how someone in the helping profession can feel in relation to their line of work, we recognize this is not an exhaustive list. The challenges and demands are endless and truly cross the spectrum of mental health and wellbeing. As the name suggests, let MySpectrum be YOUR Spectrum and let us help you.

MySpectrum offers help through both in person therapy at our office in North Chesterfield, Virginia, and virtually online through Teletherapy throughout all of Virginia and in several other states like Maryland, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington DC, to name a few. Teletherapy allows you the opportunity to receive counseling online in a way that is convenient and comfortable, when most everything else seems like too much to handle. To get started, simply complete the new client inquiry form found here.

MySpectrum has a large and diverse team of trained professionals who have walked the walk. From our leadership team, to our administrative team, to our clinical team. We know the struggle is real.

Want to learn more about the helpers helping you? Check out our MyTeam page:

We look forward to meeting you.

MySpectrum Counseling & Coaching

MySpectrum Counseling & Coaching is a trusted mental-health provider in North Chesterfield, VA with 15+ years of clinical experience helping children, teens, and adults thrive. Our licensed team — LPC, LCSW, LMFT — holds advanced certifications in CBT, DBT, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Play Therapy, and Substance Use Treatment. We are HIPAA-compliant, insured, and credentialed with major health plans across Virginia.

MySpectrum Counselling & Coaching is a 2023 Inc. 5000 “fast-growing business” honoree (Rank #244 nationally / #1 in Richmond), a recognition featured in the September 2023 issue of Inc.
As a member of ChamberRVA, we follow high standards of accountability, community engagement, and ethics.