She Loved Her Job Until It Broke Her: Career Clarity for Burned Out Social Workers

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If you've ever found yourself spiraling down a late night rabbit hole of. What am I meant to do and why haven't I found it yet? And let's be honest, who hasn't? Then you're in the right place. I'm Theresa White, career Clarity expert and five times certified career coach, and I'm here to help you navigate the question of how to find a career that truly lights you up on career clarity.

Unlock. We're all about those light bulb moments. I'm talking to people who are still trying to figure out what they're meant to do, coaching them life to reach that magical, yes, this is it moment, and we'll also hear from those who've already found their dream careers and figure out exactly how they did it.

Whether you are looking for inspiration or actionable advice on finding a career you love, I've got you covered time to unlock some career clarity. Let's dive in.

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Now, today's coaching conversation is based on something I use all the time in my work, the SPARKER type assessment, an amazing assessment developed by Jonathan Field. It helps you understand the kind of work that makes you feel fully alive, like the stuff that fills you with meaning and puts you right into that sweet spot of flow.

maven. That means having the [: 00:02:00

So if you've ever wanted how to find work that actually feels good for your soul. Stick around. This is going to be a beautiful one. Let's get started.

Do you mind walking me through your professional path in in that next nutshell, if that is possible?

nger. Mm-hmm. And then around: 2006

Apartment treatment program. I've worked in many settings and I've worked with different populations. So I've worked with SPMI aids , substance abuse , medical , just, just a wide range of different settings. I'm not working right now, um, taking time off to take care of myself.

I am a mental health consumer. We talked about this. Yeah. That, you know, I was struggling and I realized that I need to take a break , to really figure out what I wanna do and to also heal myself. Yes. That is so important. Yeah. Yeah. So it's made me question whether or not I'm supposed to be in this field.

time mm-hmm. To do the work? [: 00:04:00

Yeah. Um, my mental health has impacted me greatly over the last 20 something years, and , I, it has impacted my ability to maintain employment for long periods of time. Like, I could do a year or two and then it gets a little hectic, you know? Yeah. So, , I'm just interested, I'm saying, you know, maybe I'm not as passionate at, at it , as I used to be.

right into clinician mode. I [: 00:05:00

Theresa: And that was your relationship with her. So it makes sense that it takes you right back there. Right. Yeah. And I love that you were sharing that. So, honestly, because it's. Right. Like our work life isn't separate from our personal life or who we are. Like mental health is so real. Like it impacts me too.

Um, and we can't just turn this off and function for eight hours a day and then turn it back on. Like, let's just would be nice if that work. Um, it doesn't define you, but it's a part of you. Right. Exactly. It is a part of you. It doesn't define you, but it is a part. I fully agree with that. Yeah. , So you said when you took the sparker type assessment and the sparker type assessment never boxes you in, like, it's not like you're the advisor, so you have to be, become a social worker.

a light on areas in you that [: 00:06:00

Um, so you already said it was really interesting and your primary archetype showed up as the advisor, and that's the love for coaching, mentoring, guiding others, supporting others through their journey. Right. How did that resonate with you when that came up? It made perfect sense because I do like helping other people.

I, I used to put in my cover letter to employers. I'm not just a social worker by degree. I'm a social worker by heart. Oh. So I really like to help people. Yeah. . Be their best selves, even if it's just giving resources to someone who may need them to help them out. You know, I, that's what I like to do.

o someone and trying to help [: 00:07:00

Sometimes it's not about, oh, this is what you can do to solve this. It might not be in their control. Yeah. But teaching them how to

choose that this is what I'm gonna do to cope with it and I'm gonna move forward and I can move forward. I'm not, I don't have to be stuck. You know, things like that I've learned. So, wow. I just pass it on. That's beautiful and it's seems to come so natural to you and Yes. And you do really miss your heart.

a thing that when we do too [: 00:08:00

Where I always like to think about it as like the spark archetype. When we do the work that energizes us, our inner battery fills itself. Mm-hmm. When we do the more heavy lift, maybe the anti sparco type, it drains our battery right now. If we do the work we love and it fills our battery, there's can also be a point where we do it too much and we pour too much into other people and then it actually depletes us.

Right. And I think that definitely happened to me several times. Yeah. Um, and that's where my mental health meets my professional life. Yeah. 'cause it impacts it. And then I find myself not as productive or not feeling like I'm up to par for the job or feeling incompetent. And it's a terrible feeling because, you know, I have a lot of knowledge.

uce. Yeah. And that's human. [: 00:09:00

So you don't all have the same amount of energy. Um, and it makes sense that you love the work you do and you're really great at it. But once you do too much and you give too much, then your tank is empty and you can't do your best work and you're not healthy and you can't perform at your best.

ken a toll on me in terms of [: 00:10:00

And it is not that the work doesn't get done, but I just feel like it's not

where it needs to be. Yeah. Yeah. And I could be. Because I am a perfectionist and that's another issue. So, um, I could just be giving myself a hard time and being too hard on myself. And I have been told that I, I'm too hard on myself by a lot of people. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, well, you know, that got people's lives in my hands.

where you did the work, the [: 00:11:00

It is always at the beginning, like the first. Maybe six to eight months. I am all game. I am good to go. And then I just get drained by my mental health and it's just takes over. Yeah. And a lot of what social workers do, even as case managers or counselors and stuff like that, direct care workers, and I've done all of that mm-hmm.

Before I became a master social worker. Um, but all of those type of jobs can be draining because there's a lot of documentation, it's a lot of hands-on work with the client and there are things that come up in the job that you're responsible for if it happens. Mm-hmm. You know, there could be a complaint and you have to do a in or incident where somebody fell.

incident report in a nursing [: 00:12:00

Yeah. So when we're looking at the work, there is client facing work and then there is not client facing work. The documentation. How, what's the time allocation for both on average?

an office or a program that [: 00:13:00

Yeah. So a lot of social workers, especially in nursing homes, find themselves, um, staying past their time just to get notes done. Yeah. And because you constantly talk with families, friends, to the people who , you're taken care of, you know, , those can be, those can possibly be notes as well.

' but you have to make sure that things that are pertinent to the care of the patient is documented properly. Right. So that can take time and it can be stressful because. If you were like in a nursing home setting, you could have anywhere between 20 to 120 patients that you're responsible for, which can be two to three floors.

to three floors [: 00:14:00

That's a lot. Yes. So you have a lot of client facing time and a lot of documentation. If Yeah, you could pick between one of the two. Like if one could come without the other, which one would there be like, just let me do this and not have to deal with that. Well, I wish I didn't have to document as much.

Okay. So I would rather be counseling. 'cause I think that's the most helpful. Yeah. And I like talking to people. I like getting inside their minds and seeing what they're thinking and what they're going through. I like to hear what people are going through and see how they, how they've coped with it and, and, and what might be healthy, what, and it might not be healthy.

ws up a lot when you can get [: 00:15:00

Yes. And when I was working, the job I had before I had never worked with children in this capacity before where I'm interviewing kids for a, uh, a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and then documenting it as a CCA.

Mm-hmm. Um, and I was nervous as heck because I don't wanna mess up. And these kids, you know, kids are unique. They all have their own personalities and their own ways of expressing themselves and I'm just like, oh my goodness, I don't wanna mess this up. And I don't think I ever messed it up, but I was always really nervous dealing with, especially the younger kids, 'cause you have to really communicate with them differently.

mestic violence or they were [: 00:16:00

And there's been sexual abuse that's been mentioned. So it can be triggering for me 'cause I've experienced something like that. Not all of it, but something like that. And I know how devastating that can be. And I can only imagine since I was a teenager when it happened to me. But some of these kids are like 6, 7, 8 years old, being bullied in school and having to cope with, why didn't nobody like me?

What's wrong with me? Or something's wrong with me because nobody likes me. Well that breaks your heart. Oh, does it? And it's like, oh my goodness. What a weight to carry on your shoulder as a young kid. Let alone some person like me who's an adult, but I'm, is weighing on me because I'm like, oh my goodness, I can't believe this is happening to them.

ids come in with really, the [: 00:17:00

So I was kind of like shocked at myself, and especially when I dealt with, um, a child who had a, a trauma of sexual abuse. Well, there was two children that come to mind that had sexual abuse, but I think I handled it really well. Um, and I went on YouTube to prepare myself how to, how to talk with a young child about a trauma because.

traumatic for them. Mm-hmm. [: 00:18:00

Yeah. Was that part of the work, even though it was really heavy and heartbreaking, was it also rewarding and fulfilling? Well, it was, what was fulfilling about it is when I talked to the kids because they would listen to me. Mm-hmm. And that meant a lot to me because like I said, I really thought I would be horrible at it when it came down to the kids.

And you know, talking to an adult is one thing, but talking to kids is totally different. And they're going through so much now. They got so much going on.

So I just wanna make sure that I'm, I'm asking the right questions and getting all the information that they're telling me

kids, I know there was, was [: 00:19:00

Well, I wasn't as nerve wrecked with the adults. Mm-hmm. I was more nerve wrecked with the kids. 'cause I really don't wanna confuse them or make them feel more traumatized. Yeah. You know, and I hope I never did that to anyone. So I think that once I finished with each child, I was thankful that I got through it and I kind of notated to myself like, you did a good job at t That wasn't bad, you know?

hat does, um, when you think [: 00:20:00

Would you feel more drawn to that? Just in your gut? Is your gut like, yeah, I'd love to work with kids, or your gut is like, no adults, no right or wrong. My gut says I'd rather work with adults. Okay. That's perfect. And then you've also worked in an elder care home. Is that something you enjoyed? Like when you're thinking about age groups, what is there, what, where is your gut saying like, oh, I would like to work with these types of people more or also other types of populations maybe that you worked with?

, and I was very fond of the [: 00:21:00

And, um, I enjoyed interviewing and learning how to interview someone who might not be open to talking about what they're experiencing and why they need a social worker for resources or whatnot. Yeah. So that was very interesting. Yeah. And 'cause it's a different dynamic, right.

And I feel like the, you are in a line of work where you really get to do work that energizes you.

lance of how do you do that? [: 00:22:00

Mm-hmm. Which most probably wouldn't be feel good. So it's finding that, so it sounds like when you work with Trics or veterans, that that feels like that is, that felt, that part felt good. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And then.

Was that, what was the heaviest lift there? What was it like, if I could have kept doing this job, if it wouldn't have been for X, Y, Z? Is it the workload or all that documentation? Or? It's definitely the documentation. Uh, 'cause you know, it take, it took me about anywhere from an hour and 45 minutes to three hours to do the documentation.

be answered and you have to [: 00:23:00

And either way I found myself very stressed. And it, it, the stress mainly came from the documentation of like, right. You could have maybe done another hour caring for someone or being in conversation with someone, but another hour of that documentation felt really heavy. Is that right? Yeah. Um, I also wanna briefly talk about your anti the performer.

tango, our battery, and what [: 00:24:00

The performer is that, and enlightening, energizing, like, it doesn't have to be performing on a stage, but being the one who energizes, entertains, um, a situation, a meeting, an audience. And that is, it is the most common anti spar type because also public speaking is the second biggest fear of humans behind dying.

So there's no surprise of that being the most common one. Um, how did that resonate for you? Well, I was not shocked, but then I was like, really? Like, okay. So when I saw that, I said the performer, I said, I like to sing and my voice is not the way it used to be. Okay. In terms of the notes that I used to be able to do.

e back in control. But thank [: 00:25:00

I even recorded myself, I still have that recording. Um, and I sounded pretty good. I, um, but um, that's how I thought about, I said, you, you, it's your auntie because you are scared. You don't know what you're doing.

do that type of work there. [: 00:26:00

I wanna make sure I'm really prepared upfront afterwards. I might wanna schedule a 30 minute coffee break or walk in nature or whatever fills my tongue. So it's not saying don't ever do it, but it just suggests like when you have to do a lot of that work, if you had to do that eight hours every single day, it might be a really heavy lift and mm-hmm.

We can navigate it as like, some people are like, I just never wanna do it, and that's okay. And you might be like, no, I wanna sing in front of an audience. I wanna share that with them. Am I gonna be super nervous? Yeah. Do I need to, give myself some space and time before and after, probably yes.

f my goals is to either do a [: 00:27:00

Well, it's not ready yet. Okay. Let me, lemme me work on the voice first. All right. And then we can always figure something out to get it out there. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so that just resonated with you, the anti performer. Um, it sounds like it's not something that was a huge heavy lift in your work, or was there times where you felt like you had to be in a spotlight and that felt he heavier?

Mm-hmm. And I'm symptomatic. [: 00:28:00

My memory has, uh, somewhat deteriorated in terms of me being able to recall certain things. And, I don't feel comfortable about that because , you know, information is important and, and anything pertaining to the client or the patient needs to be relayed to all the teams so that they know what's going on.

pressure of it, like already [: 00:29:00

But it also happens in other settings that social workers lead the meeting. , And you need to know what's going on with your client and what needs to be done to Right. Resolve whatever issues they may be having or whatever they're coming in for,

yeah. So I, it's been times where I felt like I didn't know what I was doing. Yeah. No. Yeah, I hear you. So from what I am thinking , as you're thinking about professionally moving forward , one thing I think is what you wanna get out of, it's not necessarily about , the part of caring for people, but having so much documentation and the meetings and that pressure

ously a manageable workload, [: 00:30:00

a therapist or counselor or [: 00:31:00

How does those roles feel to you?

I feel that the support worker, if I can still counsel. And 'cause see, the thing is if you have, if you are doing clinical work, then documentation is huge. Right? Um, but if it's just like counseling and support, I think that's something that I can handle. Yeah. Yeah. I would think about roles that take that huge heavy documentation away.

responsibility in that role. [: 00:32:00

Right? Yeah., I would say like the ones that have a lot of documentation are like the case manager, what you've been doing, therapist, clinician, counselor, mental health professional. Those are all, but when you go more into the coaching side, for example, where obviously you don't address really deep mental health issues, like you wouldn't do trauma work, but it is more guiding people for where they are right now and providing that type of support that then doesn't require all that extra.

s I explained. Um mm-hmm. Or [: 00:33:00

That could also be a way of being engaged with the people you're working with, not having to do that documentation. I think I could see myself working in a group home or, community outreach. I don't know, because usually with that, there's a lot of traveling and I really don't wanna, it's not, not, not always, it's.

The thing that that is gonna be pay, if that's gonna be up to par. But there's, for example, like I'm thinking about here locally, obviously I'm in Hawaii, so very different. But there's for example, a nonprofit that provides medical care for mothers and babies and their community outreach is their goal is how can we get the service to the people who need it?

Who do [: 00:34:00

So there's a little bit of that local travel, but not extended travel generally. Okay.

I think that will be something to look into. I mean, right now I am still trying to engage in self-care and really trying to heal myself. , I've been through a lot in my life and I'm just trying to make sure that whatever job that I do get, it is what I wanna do. Right. You know, not just because I need to get paid to pay bills, you know?

'm a very responsible person [: 00:35:00

Yes. Yeah, I would say to look really for roles and as you are healing, giving you some time, which I'm so glad that you are doing, that could be the time to just explore of what types of roles are there, where I get to support people, um, without all that clinical part of it, where can I just be there and be that support for the people and then don't have to stress about the assessment, the documentation, everything that comes with it.

to um, think about this. Do [: 00:36:00

You might not see them again. well, I've done both um, I have worked with clients that I probably never saw again because they came to me for a psych, a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and diagnosis. Mm-hmm. So that was a one time thing and I didn't mind that it's just the documentation was too extensive. , And then I have done therapy work as well.

counseling. 'cause when you [: 00:37:00

You do have to touch on some counseling. 'cause you have to let them know, you know, this is what you can do or this is how you can look at it. This is what you're doing to cope. But let me give you some, uh, additional ways of coping. You still have to deal with that part, especially if you know that it's gonna be beneficial to the, the client.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Like I might counsel them on medication meds. Are you taking your meds? I see that, you know, I counted your meds and I see that you're not taking this, or you're miss you're, you're almost out of this. When are you gonna refill it? You know, make sure that you refill as soon as you know that you're about to run out like .

iece over and over and over, [: 00:38:00

It's one, it's like being that resource person of where you provide resources so people come to you and it's information on housing or medication, like. How to set up a schedule for your medication that you, or navigating daily activities. Right. Um, or the services. A nonprofit or an organization or even a for-profit provides that could be one direction,

rm relationships because you [: 00:39:00

Right. And also seeing what other roles that still have a lot of contact with the clients or the members in the home. Okay. Without everything that just feels so heavy. Right. Okay. Well, I could see myself doing that. Um, it is just, when I think about the clinical work, I'm like, you know, I wanted to do that because I wanted to be a therapist initially.

Yep. And I didn't know how much work really gets poured into this stuff. You know? I mean, it's really a lot. Um, I think it's a lot, even more so now 'cause I'm A-L-C-S-W-A and there's a lot of documentation and going over and reviewing my notes and reviewing my my evaluation of the client and reviewing how I diagnosed or came up with the conclusion that this was the best diagnosis.

of that I'm learning still. [: 00:40:00

so heavy, that documentation [: 00:41:00

It doesn't mean that I can't go back to clinical work. Maybe that's just not for me right now. Yep. There are seasons in our lives for everything Right.

There are seasons in our lives for everything. Sometimes we're in a season of growth and pushing forward, and other times we're in a season of rest, reflection, or re-imagining what's next, and that's not just okay, it's necessary. Today's coaching conversation was such a powerful reminder of how deeply personal and layered our career journeys can be.

Our guest has spent years doing profoundly meaningful work in social services,

hrough trauma and advocating [: 00:42:00

The spark is still there. Her spark type as an advisor came through so clearly in how naturally she slips into a counseling role, even outside of work. And her Maven side is a life and well in her hunger to understand people's minds. They are stories and their struggles, but what's been crushing her spirit isn't the people, it's the pressure, the excessive documentation, the clinical red tape,

the impossibly high standards, the weight of perfectionism on top of already heavy caseloads. It's not her ability, that's the issue here. It's the structure of the roles she's been in.

ward. I recommend a path for [: 00:43:00

That means direct client support. Without the diagnostic pressure. Human-centered work with boundaries in place, stable roles and established systems, , not solo entrepreneurial work or high intensity leadership positions where she can give, but without draining her own battery, dry. Some of the roles that might be worth looking into for her Next, include a resident support specialist role at either an elder care or group home because she shared how much she enjoys working with geriatric clients and how it feels natural and fulfilling.

, and be present with people [: 00:44:00

Another role that came to mind for me is a community outreach coordinator role at either a nonprofit or in a healthcare setting, because she truly lights up when she talks about connecting people to resources. And such a role would put her in that sweet spot where she gets to be the bridge between people and the services they need.

onals to support families in [: 00:45:00

The next idea I had is client advocate roles 'cause she worked with veterans before and spoke about how meaningful that was and being a client advocate in a hospital or as a Veteran Service organization would allow her to continue that work from a place of strength. So supporting patients through transitions, advocating for their needs, ensuring continuity of care, and offering that guiding voice she naturally embodies.

And my final suggestion is a role as life enrichment or activities coordinator at organizations like adult daycare programs or assisted living. This might sound lighthearted, but don't underestimate the depth of meaning in this work.

, supportive way. It's still [: 00:46:00

Someone who wants to show up as heart, be fully present with others, and support their journey toward healing or stability. None of these roles diminish her experience. They honor it. They let her continue doing what she's brilliant at

in a way that doesn't cost her health or identity. And if you are listening and finding yourself, nodding along, feeling like That's me too, take this as a sign. It's not about throwing away your training or your passions or your years of experience. It's about reframing them and doing that work in a different way.

connected to the people you [: 00:47:00

We offer free consultation calls to help you understand where you currently are, reconnect with your career strengths, and build a professional path that's finally aligned with who you truly are. The link to book is below in the show notes. Thank you so much for tuning in everyone, and I can't wait to see you back here next week.

And that's a wrap for today's episode of Career Clarity Unlocked, if you feeling stuck in that. What's next? Spiral and are ready to finally break free. Let's chat. You can book your free career clarity call where we'll uncover what's really important to you. Tackle any obstacles holding you back and map out your best next step.

on career bloom coaching.com [: 00:48:00

And don't forget to share this episode with a friend or on social media. Your support truly means the world. Thanks for hanging out with me and I'll see you next time.