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When Being a Therapist Feels Heavy: Acceptance Commitment Therapy for Therapists | E88
If you’re a therapist who uses acceptance commitment therapy with clients but quietly struggles to apply those same principles to your own life or practice, this conversation is for you. Acceptance commitment therapy offers powerful tools for values-based living, psychological flexibility, and sustainable change, yet many therapists find it surprisingly hard to turn that wisdom inward.
In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill, a world-recognized expert in acceptance commitment therapy, to talk about why therapists so often mismanage their energy, undervalue their own genius, and stay stuck in versions of their work that no longer fit. We explore how ACT principles can help therapists evolve without burning out, abandoning the profession, or losing what makes this work meaningful.
Diana shares how stories about who we’re “supposed” to be as therapists can quietly limit growth, why flexibility with identity matters just as much as flexibility with thoughts, and how the future of therapy will increasingly reward depth, attunement, and humanity over rigid protocols. We also talk candidly about career evolution, second chapters, and what it looks like to build a practice that supports your life rather than consumes it.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Why therapists struggle to follow their own advice and how acceptance commitment therapy helps
03:24 The “leftovers” problem: energy depletion, burnout, and clients sensing it
05:15 Getting flexible with the stories that keep you stuck in one version of your career
07:30 Therapist genius, identity, and why this matters in a changing field
11:48 What can’t be replaced: attunement, challenge, and real change moments
22:47 Wings clipped vs. wings weighed down: overcommitting and the “buffet” trap
28:03 Process-based therapy and moving beyond manuals
35:09 The two common therapist traps: “shoulds” and undervaluing your work
39:09 Why therapists leave the profession and what actually supports sustainability
If you’re feeling pulled toward a second chapter in your work as a therapist, or simply craving more support, clarity, and room to breathe, I want you to know you don’t have to figure this out alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists who want to stay engaged, energized, and genuinely fulfilled in this profession is through The Growth Collective for Therapists.
It’s a professional home I created for therapists who want real consultation, thoughtful mentorship, and community with people who truly understand the weight and responsibility of this work. It offers the support of a high-quality group practice without giving up your independence, values, or financial autonomy, so you can build a career that feels sustainable and alive over the long haul.
And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn. I truly enjoy hearing what this work brings up for you and where you’re feeling ready to grow next.
xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Growing Self
Growing Self
View all episodes
By Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyIf you’re a therapist who uses acceptance commitment therapy with clients but quietly struggles to apply those same principles to your own life or practice, this conversation is for you. Acceptance commitment therapy offers powerful tools for values-based living, psychological flexibility, and sustainable change, yet many therapists find it surprisingly hard to turn that wisdom inward.
In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill, a world-recognized expert in acceptance commitment therapy, to talk about why therapists so often mismanage their energy, undervalue their own genius, and stay stuck in versions of their work that no longer fit. We explore how ACT principles can help therapists evolve without burning out, abandoning the profession, or losing what makes this work meaningful.
Diana shares how stories about who we’re “supposed” to be as therapists can quietly limit growth, why flexibility with identity matters just as much as flexibility with thoughts, and how the future of therapy will increasingly reward depth, attunement, and humanity over rigid protocols. We also talk candidly about career evolution, second chapters, and what it looks like to build a practice that supports your life rather than consumes it.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Why therapists struggle to follow their own advice and how acceptance commitment therapy helps
03:24 The “leftovers” problem: energy depletion, burnout, and clients sensing it
05:15 Getting flexible with the stories that keep you stuck in one version of your career
07:30 Therapist genius, identity, and why this matters in a changing field
11:48 What can’t be replaced: attunement, challenge, and real change moments
22:47 Wings clipped vs. wings weighed down: overcommitting and the “buffet” trap
28:03 Process-based therapy and moving beyond manuals
35:09 The two common therapist traps: “shoulds” and undervaluing your work
39:09 Why therapists leave the profession and what actually supports sustainability
If you’re feeling pulled toward a second chapter in your work as a therapist, or simply craving more support, clarity, and room to breathe, I want you to know you don’t have to figure this out alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists who want to stay engaged, energized, and genuinely fulfilled in this profession is through The Growth Collective for Therapists.
It’s a professional home I created for therapists who want real consultation, thoughtful mentorship, and community with people who truly understand the weight and responsibility of this work. It offers the support of a high-quality group practice without giving up your independence, values, or financial autonomy, so you can build a career that feels sustainable and alive over the long haul.
And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn. I truly enjoy hearing what this work brings up for you and where you’re feeling ready to grow next.
xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Growing Self
Growing Self