Bespoke Members
Introduction
Therapists are often deeply committed to their clients’ wellbeing, yet many struggle to prioritise their own. High workloads, exposure to trauma, and the demands of caring for others can make clinicians vulnerable to stress, fatigue, and burnout. This webinar explores how our own mindsets shape the way we work and respond to stress. Drawing on the latest research and clinical experience, Dr. Susan Simpson will highlight practical, evidence-based strategies for cultivating resilience and sustaining wellbeing in the workplace.
The event will be equivalent to 1hr of CPD.
Content
This webinar will introduce clinicians to the role of underlying mindsets and default coping strategies in shaping stress responses, resilience, and the risk of burnout. Dr. Simpson will integrate research findings with practical tools to help therapists reflect on their own patterns, recognise early warning signs of stress, and incorporate micro-interventions into daily practice.
Topics covered will include:
• How therapist mindsets and coping strategies influence wellbeing and performance.
• The “perfect storm” of burnout: early vulnerabilities, job demands, and maladaptive coping.
• Insights from “supershrinks”: what differentiates highly effective therapists from average clinicians.
• The importance of presence vs productivity in sustaining therapeutic effectiveness.
• The difference between compassion and empathy in promoting therapist wellbeing
• Evidence-based micro-pauses and embodied practices for restoring energy and focus.
• Building resilience through nature connection, compassion practices, and embodied awareness.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
1. Recognise how mindsets and coping styles contribute to therapist stress and burnout.
2. Identify evidence-based strategies for reducing fatigue and enhancing resilience.
3. Apply embodied micro-practices to restore energy and presence during the workday.
4. Develop greater awareness of their own inner patterns in order to sustain compassionate, effective practice.
Training Modalities
The webinar will include didactic teaching, reflection exercises, experiential practices (guided micro-pauses and embodiment activities), and Q&A.
Key References
Fitzhardinge, M., Blackman, L., & Pilkington, P. D. (2025). Adverse childhood experiences and emotional exhaustion in therapists: The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 32(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.70115
Miller, S. D., Hubble, M. A., & Duncan, B. L. (2007). Supershrinks: Learning from the field’s most effective practitioners. Psychotherapy Networker, 31(6), 26–35, 56.
Simpson, S., Simionato, G., Smout, M., van Vreeswijk, M. F., Hayes, C., Sougleris, C., & Reid, C. (2019). Burnout amongst clinical and counselling psychologists: The role of early maladaptive schemas and coping modes as vulnerability factors. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 26(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2328
Smout, M., Simpson, S., Stacey, S., & Reid, C. (2021). The influence of maladaptive coping modes, resilience and job demands on emotional exhaustion in psychologists. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2631
Simionato, G., Reid, C., & Simpson, S. (2019). Burnout as an ethical issue in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, & Practice, 56(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000261
Vivolo, M., Owen, J., & Fisher, P. (2022). Psychological therapists’ experiences of burnout: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis. Mental Health and Prevention. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2022.200253
About the presenter
Dr. Susan Simpson is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Schema Therapy Trainer, and Director of Schema Therapy Scotland. She has over 20 years’ experience specialising in the treatment of complex clinical presentations in both the NHS and private practice. Susan has published several research papers and book chapters on therapist wellbeing, resilience, and burnout. She has a longstanding interest in embodiment, and the role of nature connection in human wellbeing. She is co-author of The Cambridge Guide to Schema Therapy (Cambridge University Press, 2023). For a full list of publications, see: ResearchGate profile.
Who should attend
This webinar is suitable for psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, nurse therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, high and low intensity practitioners, and psychiatrists working in both adult and child services, across primary and secondary care. It will be of particular interest to clinicians who wish to understand the impact of their own mindsets and coping styles on work-related stress, and who are keen to apply evidence-based practices to protect and enhance their wellbeing.