Feeling drained and devalued after a client projects their issues onto you is a common experience for therapists. This page offers practical strategies to manage that emotional heaviness and rebuild your professional confidence.
It's completely normal to feel drained after a therapy session where a client projected their issues onto you. This is hard work, and it takes its toll. The key is to take care of yourself so you can keep doing this important work.
You're there to help, not to fix everything. It's not your job to take on a client's problems as your own. When you feel yourself taking their issues personally, gently remind yourself of this.
This work is never easy, and no therapist gets it right every time. But you're doing it because you care, and that matters more than any one session. Keep learning, keep growing, and don't forget why you started. You're making a real difference, even when it feels hard.
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