Career Burnout: A Different Kind of Gap Year

Most of us take a gap year in our late teens or early 20s...not me, I started mine at age 41.

For 20 years I was either working towards or working as a Clinical Psychologist. One day in February 2021 I had a complete breakdown. I was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted and unable to keep working.

Looking back I can see my mental health decline was a gradual build over time culminating in the events of Feb 2021. I know now that what I suffered from was a combination of career burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and depression found quite readily in the helping professions.

To assist with improving and healing from this breakdown, I started to write a blog, really a journal about my experiences. You can find my blog at www.adifferentkindofgapyear.com

In my blog I write candidly about my journey from the very beginning to where I am now. I have written blogs on the guilt and shame I carried for ages for letting down my clients, the practice I worked at, and my husband; the difficulty allowing myself to truly rest and recover; and dealing with the uncertainty of my future.

Besides the blog I knew quite early on it would be helpful for me to talk to other people who may have or are experiencing similar declines with their mental health. With this in mind I started to think it would be great to have a podcast where I interview these individuals about their experiences, to raise awareness, break stigma and learn from each other on how to recover from these experiences.

What could be more important than ensuring our mental health and wellbeing; it’s like what the plane safety briefing tells you before take off “you need to put the mask on yourself first before you can assist child/others.”

I hope you find DKGY podcast enlightening. I welcome feedback and you can do so via email adifferentkindofgapyear@outlook.com

Disclaimer: Despite holding my registration as a clinical psychologist, my podcast is not therapy. The ideas, views, tips and so on expressed by myself and others comes from a space of our own human experience only. If you or someone you know are struggling, please seek professional help.