#97. SLPs: Burnout Isn’t Your Fault — But Changing It Is Your Responsibility
Feeling like work-life balance is impossible in our field?
You're not alone — and you're not the problem. But if you're waiting for the system to fix itself, you'll be waiting forever.
In this post, I'm breaking down why burnout feels so baked into SLP culture — and what you can do about it, starting today. Because you don't have to keep running on empty. You can create something better — and you don't have to do it alone.
Let’s have an honest conversation, SLP to SLP.
If you're exhausted, overwhelmed, behind on paperwork, racing from session to session, and praying for cancellations just to catch your breath — you are not the problem.
But here's the thing:
You have to be the solution.
I know that’s a hard truth.
It's not the one most people want to hear.
But it’s the one most people need to hear.
We Were Trained to Burn Out
From the moment we entered grad school, we were taught — without anyone saying it out loud — that our worth comes from hustle. From sacrifice. From working ourselves into the ground.
It wasn’t in our textbooks, but we learned it anyway:
High caseloads are normal.
Bringing work home is expected.
Missing lunch and bathroom breaks means you care.
If you're behind, just push through. Cry if you have to — but make sure you do it in your car, not at your desk.
Sound familiar?
This is the unspoken curriculum of our field.
And it’s slowly killing our passion, our energy, and our mental health.
Here’s the Hard Truth (Said With Love)
The system isn't going to fix itself.
No one is coming to lighten your caseload or write your reports for you.
No administrator is going to tap you on the shoulder and tell you to leave early and take a nap.
If you want things to change, you have to change them.
You have to decide:
That your needs matter.
That your well-being is not negotiable.
That you don’t have to destroy yourself to be a good SLP.
Because you can choose a better way.
You can set boundaries.
You can advocate for yourself.
You can prioritize yourself without apology.
And you don't have to do it alone.
Choosing Yourself Isn't Selfish — It's Smart
Choosing rest over hustle isn't lazy.
Choosing structure over chaos isn't rigid.
Choosing yourself isn't selfish.
It's survival. It's sustainability. It's freedom.
You’re already uncomfortable living in burnout.
Why not get uncomfortable building something better?
Because discomfort is part of change.
But so is relief.
So is energy.
So is joy.
This Is the Work We Do Together
When I coach SLPs, we don’t just organize schedules and make checklists.
We change the way you think about your time, your worth, and your work.
We shift from “I have to do it all” to “I get to choose what matters.”
We stop waiting for the system to fix itself and start creating the balance we deserve.
You don’t need permission from anyone else.
You just need to believe you're worth the change — and get the right support to make it happen.
Ready to Stop Waiting?
If you’re tired of waiting for the end of the school year, the end of the paperwork, the end of the chaos…
If you're ready to create a life and career that are sustainable, fulfilling, and yours…
Book a free consult with me.
Let's talk about how you can take back your time, your energy, and your life — starting now.
Because burnout isn’t the price of doing work you love — and balance isn’t a luxury.
It’s a choice.
And rest?
It’s not a reward.
It’s your right.
👉 Click here to book your free consult.
You’re not alone.
But you do have to decide.
And once you do?
I'll be right here to help you build what’s next.