Taking time off in private practice can be confusing and a bit scary. Time off is unpaid and coverage is another issue. If you work with higher risk clients, finding other therapists who see your clients is important.

Ideas For Time Off

Do what works for you taking into account your vulnerabilities and commitments outside of your work.

What works for someone else, may not work for you.

• Take one week off every 3 months (every financial quarter, so total of 4 weeks annually)

• Take one day off every month

• Take time off off during slow seasons (summer and winter, usually June, July, August, and December)

• Take time off as needed listening to your body

When Do I Need To Take A Vacation?

Emotions

• Feeling more irritable

• Feeling less empathy at work

• Feeling angry

• Feeling sad

• Feeling hopeless

Cognitive

• Thinking more in binary ways (e.g. I hate my job, I love my job)

• Ruminating and worrying about clients

• Feeling mentally checked out

• Disassociation 

Somatic

• Decline in energy

• Feeling (more) tense

• Feeling stuck

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Stomaches

• Headache

• Migraines

• Nightmares

• GI issues

Boundaries

• Wanting to delay sessions

• Wanting to end sessions earlier

• Wanting to end sessions later

• Wanting to cancel sessions or feeling relieved when a client cancels

• Taking work and clients home/into personal life/other relationships

• Checking email constantly

Prevention Vs. Intervention

• Anticipate the future in terms of unplanned time off such as: illness, disability, accident, etc.

• Have a professional will

How To Manage Worry/Stress About Taking Off Time In Private Practice

• Develop relationships with other therapists who work with similar clients who can see your clients on your time off

• Continue engaging in supervision and consultation to help with areas of growth

• Re-Frame

• Taking time off is a way for you to nurture, care, and rest. The more you are balanced and integrated, the more you can give you can give to your clients.

• Holding Boundaries

• Explore what taking time off means for you.

• Will you be available via phone or email?

• Or will you not check email or phone at call?

Tips

• Assess for risk (e.g. SI, HI) and create a safety plan when taking time off

• Give safety plan to client and support therapist.

• Offer support and resources during your break

• Groups, therapists who specialize in brief treatment, websites, videos, books

• Discuss early on with clients if you plan on taking extensive time

• More than 2-3 weeks

• Process and explore their feelings

• Find ways to save for vacation monthly

• Saving a portion of your monthly income into a vacation fund

• Having 2-3 months of revenue into a vacation fund

• Taking the amount of weeks you want to take off, divide that by 52 weeks, and put this amount into a vacation fund (e.g. 6 weeks off, 6/52=11.5%, put 11.5% of after tax revenue into vacation fund)