Therapy for Physician Burnout: The Process of Psychotherapy

One consistent issue I regularly see in my work is clients trying to rush through the process of psychotherapy. I define the process of psychotherapy as the thoughtful exploration, understanding and working through emotions that a person has experienced in their life. When clients come into therapy, many only focus on the end results. They want to feel better now. They want to be able to set boundaries with people now. Though therapy can help get the end results clients are looking for, therapy is the process of getting to those results. It’s about the journey. Stop rushing the journey.

Therapy for Physician Burnout Takes Time

Clients want fast, quick solutions. They want immediate relief from the way they feel and think. Many believe that therapy is a quick fix. To be honest, therapy can be a solution but may not be a quick fix. Good therapy doesn’t provide a band-aid solution to an issue. Therapy done well helps people find lasting change to address the underlying issues. This can mean looking at the root cause of the issue. This can mean digging deep into your emotions. It can take time to dig. 

Clients can be impatient when they rush the process of psychotherapy. It can be difficult because exploring, understanding and working through emotions can be at a snail's pace if you’ve never done it before. For my clients, who are high achievers that usually get quicker results, this can be a struggle. You can’t process emotions by only checking the boxes. If you could, you’d read a book and you wouldn’t be in therapy. Recognizing the emotions, feeling emotions, understanding where the emotions come from, working through the emotions, and then taking the necessary steps to have your needs met takes time. This is the process of psychotherapy.

Embrace Your Therapy for Physician Burnout

Clients can try to rush the process of psychotherapy when they are feeling uncomfortable about opening up about emotions. The feeling of vulnerability leads clients to feel exposed. This can be an unconscious issue. This is where a good therapist comes into play. A good therapist allows for a client to be vulnerable. A great therapist helps clients feel safe and secure enough to open up about their deepest and darkest feelings and experiences. Many clients attempt to rush through the process by scratching the surface of their issue and experience. This vulnerable feeling and opening up is part of the process. The more honest and open a client is about their emotions and experiences, the better their outcomes will be. One can’t gloss over emotions and experiences that have made huge changes in their lives. It needs to be explored. It takes time.

It's essential for clients to recognize that psychotherapy takes time. How long you're in therapy depends on the individual's needs and their individual makeup. Rushing through the process of psychotherapy may not be an effective form of treatment for you. Stop trying to rush the process of therapy. If you feel like you're not making any progress, talk with your therapist about it. Therapy takes time.

Reach out for Therapy for Physician Burnout

Learn tools and skills to overcome physician burnout Start your journey to overcome physician burnout with Chris Rabanera. Get started with a free 15-minute consultation.  Offering online therapy in California, online therapy in Michigan, online therapy in Nebraska, and online therapy in Las Vegas, I specialize in addressing physician burnout, grief counseling, anxiety, depression, and providing tailored mental health treatment for men. Let’s get to work to make lasting positive change.