When Caring Is Your Job: Finding Your Way Back to You
Author: Beth Marshall, LPC-Associate
If you’re someone who spends their days taking care of everyone else—clients, patients, students, partners, kids, pets, coworkers, houseplants—this one’s for you.
You probably know what it means to be tired, but not the normal “I stayed up too late scrolling” tired. I’m talking about that deep, soul-level tired that comes from constantly showing up with empathy, patience, and compassion, even when your own internal battery is flashing red.
That’s the emotional labor of being a caring professional. It’s the invisible work that doesn’t show up on your timesheet but absolutely shows up in your body, your mood, and sometimes your tears on the commute home.
And if you’ve been feeling like you’ve lost touch with yourself somewhere along the way—like you’ve been so busy caring for others that you forgot what caring for you even looks like—you’re not alone.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup (Even If It’s a Really Cute Cup)
You’ve probably said this to someone else before, right?
But actually living by it? That’s the tricky part.
The truth is, you can’t keep pouring into everyone else if your own cup is bone dry. You deserve care, too. Not because you need to “earn” it by hitting a breaking point, but because you’re human. And humans need rest, connection, joy, and space to breathe.
Therapy can be that space.
For at least 50-60 minutes each week, you get to be the one who’s cared for.
You get to set down the emotional backpack you’ve been carrying and just... be.
Rediscovering You (Gently, and Maybe Even With a Little Laughter)
When you’ve spent years—or decades—prioritizing everyone else’s needs, it can feel disorienting to suddenly turn the focus inward. It’s like meeting an old friend you haven’t seen in a while: familiar, but also a little awkward at first.
We’ll move at your pace.
We’ll get curious together about what brings you joy, what you’ve been missing, and what you want your life to feel like.
And hopefully, rediscovering yourself won’t just be meaningful—it’ll be a little fun, too.
Because healing doesn’t always have to be heavy. Sometimes it looks like laughing in session about how your “self-care routine” has devolved into lighting a candle while answering emails (feeling this on a spiritual level).
Caring for You and Others—It’s Not Either/Or
You can still be passionate about helping others while also prioritizing yourself.
In fact, the more you reconnect with yourself—your needs, your boundaries, your joy—the more sustainably you can show up for others.
You don’t have to choose between being the helper and being human. You get to be both.
If You’re Ready to Come Back to Yourself…
Therapy can be your space to slow down, exhale, and refill your cup.
Because when you start showing up for yourself again, everything else starts to feel a little lighter.
Let’s make rediscovering you a beautiful (and maybe even fun) journey. Ready to get started? You can book a complimentary 15-min consultation call with me HERE!
