How to Know When It’s Time to Quit Being a Therapist | E80

I’ll be honest with you. I’ve had moments in my own career where I sat with that quiet, terrifying thought: I don’t know if I want to be a therapist anymore. If you’ve ever felt that, you know how disorienting it is. You’ve invested so much of yourself into this path, and suddenly the work that once gave you meaning begins to feel heavy, lonely, or even incompatible with who you are becoming. That’s why I’m so grateful to have Dr. Jen Blanchette back with me for this conversation. She’s the host of The Therapist Burnout Podcast, left private practice in 2023, and now helps therapists who want to close their practices and figure out their next steps. Considering leaving your therapy practice is bigger than burnout. It touches your integrity, your grief, and the permission you give yourself to change. Jen shares her own story of reaching this truth in the aftermath of the pandemic, why the private practice dream can quietly become a trap, and the deeply emotional process of exiting the profession - not just logistically, but at the level of identity. I’ve lived through every stage Dr. Jen talks about in this episode, and I know how isolating it feels. My hope is that this conversation helps you feel less alone and reminds you that walking away is not a failure. Sometimes it’s the bravest and healthiest choice you can make for yourself and for your clients. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 “I Don’t Know If I Want to Be a Therapist Anymore” 01:20 The Existential Crisis of Leaving the Therapy Profession 05:30 Shame, Expectations, and the Myth of Private Practice Success 09:41 Clinical Stagnation and Ethical Questions in Long-Term Work 11:37 Isolation, Burnout, and the Hidden Admin Load 15:48 When Caregiving at Work and Home Drains Everything 23:20 Bridge Jobs, Finances, and Finding a Way Forward 31:02 Grieving Your Therapist Identity and Saying Goodbye to Clients 37:02 How to Ethically Exit: When Private Practice No Longer Fits And because I know how hard this crossroads can be, I want to give you something that might help. Jen and I are hosting a free CEU training! We’ll walk you through how to know if it’s time to leave, the steps to close a practice responsibly, and ways to begin imagining what could come next. Don’t miss out: 🎓 How to Ethically Exit: When Private Practice No Longer Fits 🗓️ October 17 | 11am MT / 1pm ET  👉 Reserve your spot now! If we’re not connected yet on LinkedIn, come say hi! That’s where I share behind-the-scenes reflections and continue conversations like this with thoughtful therapists like you. And if this episode stirred something in you, I’d truly love to hear from you. Share what’s on your heart, suggest a future topic, or just let me know you’re out there - let’s talk! xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self