I think we are all feeling the heaviness of the world right now. 2020 was a doozy and it really hasn’t let up. Between the pandemic, social injustice, climate crisis, political turmoil and a general feeling that everything is burning to the ground literally and figuratively.

Therapists make their work of holding space for the folks who come to see us. It’s one of the things I love most about this work. I suspect other therapists feel similarly. But, to be perfectly honest, the last 18+ months has really taken a toll.

It is unique in that we are also right in the thick of a super intense time. Therapists often work with clients who are going through things we are not. From mental illness, family issues, substance abuse and trauma, we often sit with things that are not currently present for us. But right now we are all living through one of the most challenging times of our lives.

The act of holding space takes a lot of mental, emotional and physical energy. Therapy is soul work, so the spiritual is certainly present as well. It’s why this work feels so sacred.

I can’t speak for all the therapist’s of the world but from where I sit and a few other fellow therapists I have spoken to, we still love our job and we care deeply for our clients but we are tired and overwhelmed in a way that we haven’t felt before.

We have tools and support and it is not our clients jobs to take care of us. But it feels worth noting that we are stumbling through this weird time along with you.

I feel so grateful to be able to support my clients during this time and it’s also exhausting. I want to feel hopeful for the future and some days feel pretty dreary. I’m learning new ways to cope and it’s also really heavy. The both/and dialectic is one of the things I love about life and therapy so that’s where I’ll hang out until further notice.