When Therapists Need Therapy
Therapists need therapy too sometimes. In fact, many of my clients are therapists.
You might think that it would be easy for a therapist to get therapy, since they work in this space.
But it can actually be harder, for a variety of reasons.
Why it can be harder for therapists to get therapy
1. Expense
Therapists are in this line of work because they have a passion to help others. Most don’t actually make a lot of money from it. And they know that a good therapist will generally cost more.
If they see a therapist regularly, the cost can mount up.
2. Time
Most therapists are busy seeing clients all day, maybe in the evenings and weekends as well. They may not have the time to see a therapist regularly.
There’s also the opportunity cost. Every hour spent with a therapist is an hour they could have spent with a client and charged for.
3. Energy
A lot of therapists put their clients first, and feel drained or burnt out from seeing so many.
Therapists also know that to get the most out of a therapy session as a client, they need to be fully present and engaged.
So after a long and tiring day holding space for their clients, a therapist may not feel they have the physical and emotional bandwidth to engage in their own therapy.
Netflix at home over a late dinner may be a more appealing form of self-care.
4. Conflict of interest
Therapists will generally not take on as a client someone they already know.
Likewise, most therapists will not want to see a therapist who’s in their professional network.
This limits the pool of therapists that a therapist can choose from, especially if they want to see a therapist who uses the same therapeutic approach that they use.
5. Privacy
Therapists know that their therapist will keep their information confidential unless there’s a risk of harm to themselves or others.
But even if confidentiality is assured, privacy is a different matter.
It can feel awkward to run into your therapist at a training course, conference or professional networking event.
This person knows all your deepest, darkest secrets. Yet you’re both pretending that you don’t have a therapist-client relationship due to client confidentiality.
Why therapists choose MEMI
MEMI (Multichannel Eye Movement Integration) is increasingly popular in Singapore, and more therapists in Singapore are getting trained as MEMI practitioners.
As a MEMI specialist, I’ve also had more therapists approaching me to experience MEMI as clients.
So why is it that MEMI is attractive to therapists looking for therapy?
1. “Cheap, fast and good”
Have you heard of the Iron Triangle of Quality? The principle is that when it comes to something being cheap, fast or good, you can only pick two.
But for most clients, MEMI manages to hit that sweet spot of being all three. A traumatic memory can often be processed in as few as one to three sessions, with lasting results. This saves time, money and energy on therapy.
2. Content-free
MEMI can be content-free, meaning that the therapist doesn’t have to give me the details of the issue or memory they want to work on. The process takes place internally.
(See my post on “What happens during MEMI?”)
This means that a therapist can see me as a client even if we already know each other (which is kind of inevitable if they’re a fellow MEMI practitioner!).
They can also maintain their privacy and dignity even if we meet outside the therapy room.
Of course they’re free to tell me more about the issue they’re working on, which would enable me to be (or feel...?) more helpful during the session. But they don’t need to.
Why Therapists Like Brain-Switch 2.0 Too
I quite often use MEMI and Brain-Switch 2.0 in the same session, or Brain-Switch 2.0 on its own, depending on the issues or memories the therapist wants to work on.
(See my post on “What happens during Brain-Switch 2.0?”)
Brain-Switch 2.0 has the same advantages as MEMI, with two bonuses:
3. Fun
Brain-Switch 2.0 can be fun!
Clients use their creativity and imagination to create and move “bins” and “treasure chests”, and to imagine themselves at their best.
Clients generally feel light and energised after a session with Brain-Switch 2.0.
4. DIY
For clients who are interested, I teach them simplified versions of MEMI and Brain-Switch 2.0 that they can do anytime on their own.
While MEMI is great for specific distressing events, Brain-Switch 2.0 can be used daily to “clear out” both small annoyances and big aggravations.
Used this way, Brain-Switch 2.0 is a form of self-care and self-therapy, and helps reduce the need to see a therapist.
Get in touch
A therapist told me they debated for two weeks before coming to see me. I’m so glad they did!
I know that when I help a therapist, I am indirectly helping hundreds of their clients, now and in the future.
So if you’re a therapist who’s looking for therapy but feeling hesitant, get in touch to find out more about how I work with fellow therapists.
Eunice Tan
Trauma & Attachment Psychotherapist, Free From Trauma
I help people heal from painful memories.
