Forest Benedict, LMFT

Being a therapist is very fucking hard.

It can also be beautiful, meaningful, creative, and deeply rewarding. Both can be true.

But there are seasons when the parts of us carrying this work become exhausted.

Maybe you are still showing up for your clients with care while privately dreading tomorrow’s caseload. Maybe you have less left for the people you love. Maybe you feel guilty when you rest and exhausted when you don’t. Or maybe one part of you still loves being a therapist while another part quietly wonders, How much longer can I keep doing this?

My heart goes out to therapists who are carrying that right now.

That is why I created The Burned Out Therapist Group, an ongoing experiential Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy group for therapists located in California and Washington. 

A Personal Invitation

In this brief video, I share why I created the group, some of my own experience with therapist burnout, and what I hope this community can become.

A Place Where You Don’t Have to Be the Therapist

Therapists spend enormous amounts of time attending to other people’s internal worlds.

We listen. Track. Regulate. Remember. Document. Plan. Hold boundaries. Run businesses. Worry about clients. And somehow we’re also supposed to know exactly how to take care of ourselves.

IFS has helped me approach burnout differently.

Rather than asking exhausted parts of myself to just become better at self-care, I’ve learned to become curious about the parts actually carrying the work:

• the responsible parts
• caregiving parts
• perfectionistic and self-critical parts
• therapist parts that feel like they always need to know what to do
• parts overwhelmed by documentation or business demands
• and parts that simply want more rest, play, creativity, connection, and life beyond work

The goal is not to get rid of these parts. It is to understand what they are carrying and help them experience more support from Self. 

Why Do This in a Group?

Because burnout is intensified by isolation.

There is something different about telling another therapist, “I’m exhausted,” and seeing genuine recognition in their face.

This group is designed to provide a space where therapists can step out of the professional role for a while, connect with their own internal experience, and receive support from peers who understand the emotional weight of this profession.

Our 90-minute meetings will include guided IFS meditation, supported connection with parts carrying stress and responsibility, reflection with other therapists, exploration of common therapist burdens, and integration focused on bringing more Self-energy into work and life. 

The Burned Out Therapist Group Details

Tuesdays, 6:00–7:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Online via Zoom
$300 per month
Beginning September 1, 2026
Limited to 10 therapists
For therapists in California and Washington

All genders are welcome. The group is LGBTQIA+ affirming, trans affirming, and neurodiversity affirming. 

This is an ongoing therapy group, not a six-week program. My hope is that over time it becomes a genuine community where therapists can build relationships, deepen their internal work, and receive sustained support.

If you’re reading this after September 1, please still reach out. If there is space, we can explore whether the group is a good fit. If the group is full, you can join the waiting list, and I will consider starting a second group if there is enough interest. 

You Don’t Have to Carry This Work Alone

I’ve been in the therapy field for more than 16 years, and I understand burnout personally. There have been times when I felt deeply exhausted, disconnected from this profession, and close to leaving it.

Part of what IFS has taught me is to stop asking:

How do I make myself keep going?

and begin asking:

Which parts of me are carrying this and what do they need from me?

If something in you responds to this invitation, I’d be glad to meet you.

You can learn more about The Burned Out Therapist Group and schedule a free 20-minute consultation here:

Learn More & Schedule a Free Consultation →

There is no pressure to join. We can simply meet, talk about what you are looking for, and explore together whether the group feels like the right fit. 

You do not have to carry this work alone.

In compassionate support,
Forest Benedict, LMFT
Certified IFS Therapist
Licensed in Washington & California

If this spoke to something inside you, I invite you to explore more on IFS and the path of learning to turn toward yourself with presence and care. You can find more reflections here and follow for future posts.