Navigating the Mental Health Field as Both a Professional and a Human

Working in the mental health field while managing your own struggles can be uniquely challenging. It’s a role that demands empathy, strength, and resilience, often in environments where the connections you build run deep. In small workplaces like mine, where there are fewer than 30 staff members, these relationships often feel more like family than coworkers. We laugh together, support each other, and spend more time with one another than with many people in our personal lives.

The other day, something not so simple yet profound happened. While joking and laughing with coworkers—a regular occurrence—something felt different. I can’t quite explain it, but it hit me: this space, these people, this work, felt right in a way I hadn’t noticed before.

That same day, I led a group session with our patients. One of the things I told them was that those of us who work in mental health are human too. We carry our own stories, our own wounds, and we navigate our own healing. It’s a balance of giving to others while making space for our own needs—a balance that sometimes feels impossible.

Later that day, something unexpected happened that deeply affected our staff. The house shifted from lighthearted to somber. In a small team, news travels fast, and emotions ripple through the group. The weight of the day was heavy, and I realized I wasn’t in a place to be effective with our clients.

That realization wasn’t easy. My instinct, like so many in this field, is to push through and keep going. But I knew staying would not only drain me further but might also impact those I was trying to help. So, I made the difficult decision to step back and leave early.

It’s not easy to put yourself first in this line of work. It can feel selfish, even wrong, to step away. But that day reminded me how important it is to acknowledge our limits and care for ourselves. Working in mental health is a constant dance between vulnerability and strength, connection and boundaries. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being present in a way that’s authentic and sustainable. When we recognize our own humanity, we make room for growth, healing, and the ability to show up for ourselves and others in the best way we can.