EPISODE 3

The Invisible Emotional Load of a Therapist: How to Hold Space Without Being Consumed

Holding space for others is central to therapeutic work — but it often comes with an invisible emotional load. In Episode 3 of The Practitioner’s Heart, we explore how therapists can meet this emotional residue with awareness and compassion, without becoming consumed by it.

After a long day, the stories we’ve witnessed can linger in our minds and bodies, making it difficult to return fully to our personal lives. Many therapists respond by either pushing these experiences away or becoming overwhelmed by them. Buddhist psychology offers a third, gentler approach — meeting emotions with spacious awareness rather than resistance or entanglement.

From a Buddhist lens, thoughts, emotions, and sensations are like dust on a mirror: present, yet not the full truth of who we are. They arise and pass with conditions. Beneath them lies a deeper clarity — often described as pristine awareness or Buddha nature.

When we rest in this clarity, we can meet emotions with compassion without clinging to them. This allows for an attuned but un-entangled therapeutic presence. Over time, bodily sensations and emotional responses become sources of information rather than burdens, supporting deeper attunement with clients.

Sustainable practice isn’t about hardening ourselves — it’s about learning how to remain open without losing clarity. This reflection is offered for inspiration and education and is not a substitute for therapy or clinical supervision.