This episode of the Joy After Burnout podcast delves into a topic rarely talked about among therapists - secret grief. In this solo episode, Dr. Jen Blanchette, the host, highlights the heaviness associated with the therapy profession and the losses therapists encounter. She shares a personal story of losing a former client during COVID-19, discussing the challenges of grieving in a professional setting and the unfulfilled desire to express her grief openly.

Dr. Blanchette explores the concept of secret grief and its impact on therapists' well-being, emphasizing the importance of support networks. She also provides resources for therapists grappling with secret grief, such as Facebook groups and support organizations. The episode concludes with advice for therapists facing secret grief, encouraging them to take breaks, seek therapy, and prioritize their own needs to navigate the emotional toll of their work.

🌈 Here are some key takeaways:

1️⃣ The Unseen Grief: As therapists, we often don't hit pause to tend to our own grief. Balancing the needs of our families, other clients, and more, we keep moving forward. It's time to explore the importance of fully acknowledging and processing the loss of a client.

2️⃣ Stacked Losses: The emotional weight adds up — from clients who unexpectedly vanish to facing the reality of multiple client losses and the toll of vicarious trauma. Let's unpack how these losses can impact us and strategies for coping.

3️⃣ Rituals Denied: Unlike other professions, we can't always partake in traditional grief rituals like client memorial services.

Resources for therapists who have lost clients by suicide: https://www.cliniciansurvivor.org/

Sample practices for therapists who have suffered a loss of a client (by suicide but may be helpful for other deaths: https://sprc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sample_Individual_Practitioner_Practices.pdf

Links all my stuff free and paid stuff including my free 20- minute consult for therapist who are done with doing so much 1:1 therapy: linktr.ee/drjenblanchette