172 Stop Working For Free: The Therapist Burnout Nobody Talks About

Most therapists don’t burn out because they’re “too sensitive” or need better self-care, they burn out because they’re doing high level emotional labor and business labor that is not being paid for in a sustainable way. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Stevens and I name the therapist burnout nobody talks about, the burnout that shows up when your practice looks successful on paper, but you feel exhausted, resentful, and stretched thin behind the scenes.

We talk about the invisible workload that hits once you’re full, the pressure to do everything yourself, and why this is not a mindset problem. It is a structure problem. It is a boundary problem. And yes, it is a money problem. We also get honest about supervision, how it can be a smarter revenue stream and a professional next step, and how it can absolutely eat your lunch if you get voluntold into it without systems, time, or compensation.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why “successful on paper” can still feel exhausting, and how unpaid labor quietly builds burnout
• The hidden roles therapists take on in practice ownership, admin, marketing, and compliance
• How supervision can either protect your energy or accelerate burnout, depending on structure and support
• What ethical, sustainable supervision actually requires, including time, boundaries, and compensation

If you’re feeling burned out but everything “looks fine,” I want you to hear this clearly: you are probably working for free in ways you have not named yet. The fix is not more hustle. The fix is clearer boundaries, cleaner systems, and a model that actually supports your life.

Grab this month’s free February bonus: Stop Working for Free, The Therapist Fee Reset. It will help you identify where your practice is quietly costing you money, and whether the fix is a boundary reset or a bigger model change.

And if this episode sparked questions about fees, boundaries, or supervision, you do not have to figure it out alone. That is exactly what we work through inside the Step It Up Membership, and for supervisors who need community and real time case support, the new Supervision Lab is built for this.

Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.