As therapists, what do we do, and what can we do, in order to try and maximize our well-being and that of those we serve? As therapists, when we speak of our need for support, our focus is often on emotional support and the critical support of the one-on-one relationship. That emotional support often comes from many sources: family members, friends, professional colleagues, mentors, as well as internal resources and sources we might have developed over the years, like different forms of meditation, a passion for the arts, music, and dance, and the list goes on. But do we always recognize just how much support we need at various times, and do we take it upon ourselves to seek that support or that “extra support” during a difficult period in our lives or in our professional practice? Do we see ourselves as superhuman at times and therefore too embarrassed by our own frailties to seek that needed support? Do we think that others should be aware of our needs and provide what we need, and then do we become disappointed or angry when it is not automatically forthcoming?Sound familiar? We likely hear it every day from our clients! The need to be aware of and seek the support we need may be easily agreed upon, but we may be reluctant to seek it out for various reasons and, depending on our life’s circumstances, it may require some work and perseverance to access.Along with the need to seek out an emotional support system, let us think about support in wider terms and from a broader perspective but still within the Gestalt framework. I began to look at and further assess how systems impact me as a human being and a therapist, along with how they might impact those I serve. We are impacted by so many systems on so many different levels. More and more we are intertwined in a world that becomes smaller and smaller and more accessible on one level, and larger and larger in another way through various forms of technology and social media. Therefore, let us focus on a systems approach to maximize our own potential and sustainability as therapists in various settings, which also impacts the clients we serve and what then follows: in my opinion, the need for advocacy on many different levels.None of us operates in isolation. We are impacted by so many factors. Private practice, for example, often requires the support of insurance companies to maximize the number of visits, thereby impacting the outcome of our interventions. Advocating for the value of our work, and for our clients with insurance carriers, can be critical to our work and for the maximum potential of our clients. Even for those who are fortunate enough to be able to pay privately, most still need a steady income and an economy that works in their favor.For those who work in secondary settings, in hospitals for example, advocacy seems even much more critical for sustainability and survival. Therapists need the support of supervisors, department directors, colleagues both within their department and among other disciplines, the administration, the board of trustees, and the community they serve. Support on all these levels is critical, as institutions tend to look at what makes their institution run more smoothly, more efficiently, and less costly. They look at how it will impact patient care but on a more global level. So, it is incumbent upon us, as therapists, to advocate for the work we do in a way that benefits the institution, the community, and society at large, as well as the individual client. Sustainability demands constant vigilance: pointing out the value of our work whenever and wherever appropriate. We cannot assume that it is self-evident, nor that others see things in the same light as we do. Specificity, clarity, and creativity are essential.In addition, in my opinion, we are also now working in a “culture,” in a country, and in a world where we cannot ignore or dismiss the external forces that impact us as therapists in the here and now and impact our clients on so many levels. Studies show that, in general, there is more anxiety and depression for reasons, including but not limited to, personal and financial security, racism, environmental catastrophes, political upheaval, to name but a few. And this brings me back to the therapist’s need for support on so many different levels: personal, agency, community, legislative, state and federal, private and public, and funding sources. With that need also comes a responsibility to advocate for ourselves and for the value of our work on a systems level.The German word Gestalt refers to wholeness greater than the sum of its parts. As such, the philosophy on which Gestalt therapy is based, which includes an integrated and holistic approach, provides an advantage in assessing the here and now with a call to respond and to take action: to advocate for our need for support on a systems level, thereby also maximizing the potential of those we serve.
Louise Tardif, MSW, LICSW (2026) studied this question.