Why Bariatric Evaluations Work Well for Burned Out Therapists

Therapists are burning out now more than ever before, and they’re leaving the profession because of it. The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy defines burnout as a three component continuum: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a decreased sense of accomplishment. Self-care, according to the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy, is one of the solutions for therapist burnout. So how can we prioritize self-care when we often suffer from vicarious traumatization from our profession? The answer depends on many different factors. For some, it’s prioritizing breaks and travel, which is hard to do with a traditional 9 to 5 office job. Remote work would allow us more flexibility and power to take the breaks we need when we feel the weight of burnout on our shoulders.

The truth is, we need therapists like you to stay in the profession. Maybe you just need to switch things up and work with a low acuity population or work significantly fewer days while traveling. Learning how to perform bariatric evaluations can give you the kind of flexibility and freedom to avoid burnout. With very clear referral sources and pinpointed marketing, your clients will find you, rather than you hustling to find them.

In as little as 4-6 bariatric assessments a week, you could make enough to significantly reduce your workload and focus more on self-care. Bariatric clients are eager to get their evaluations completed quickly and correctly. Because the demand for bariatric evaluations outpaces the number of therapists who can perform them, clients are more motivated to self-pay to speed the process along. These evaluations usually only take one appointment, with referrals as needed for further treatment, low acuity, and motivation. If you need a break from the normal therapy life, feel you are burning out, or need a big change to help bring energy back into your therapy practice, consider adding bariatric psychological assessments to your resume.