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RECREATING MYSELF
How I Knew I Needed to Change Careers
A therapeutic confession
You know you need to change your job when you feel like you're going through the motions. That's how I felt several years ago, at the age of fifty-five, while working as a family therapist in a Philadelphia suburb.
The first sign of my burnout was double booking my clients.
"Oh, sorry," I said to the two clients in the waiting room at 3 p.m.. "I double-booked." Their disappointed faces made me feel apologetic. I couldn't say I was sorry enough. I felt like I had caused a setback in our therapeutic relationship — and the one who volunteered to reschedule needed therapy the most.
It happened more than once. Some of my patients didn't know if I was coming or going. If I had been the one who was double booked, I would have found a new therapist ASAP. Who wants to go to a disorganized therapist?
That's the least of it, however. I missed several appointments. I misgauged traffic twice on I-95 and consequently missed the morning sessions. I had to call the office secretary to cancel. Another time, I forgot to schedule a patient in my Daytimer. The Universe gave me a sign: You need to change careers, Mark, and find something that makes you happy. Let a younger and more motivated therapist…
