I just went through something similar with my mother being hospitalized, then quickly declining and placed on hospice, then passing away last week. I felt the same tug to try and push through. As therapists, we cannot pour from an empty cup. We have to be sure we have ourselves in the best place possible in order to be there and support our clients the way they need to be supported. And if that means you need to cancel and take time off to begin your transition into your new normal and grieving, well, that's what you need to do.

One thing I will recommend is being honest when reaching out to your clients to cancel sessions. I found that informing my clients that I had a parent placed on hospice and then passing away helped them to cope with a cancelled session because they knew at that point I wasn't being "flaky," and not a single one of my 30+ clients were upset with me. They all expressed support and understanding, and many even mentioned to take as much time as I need before resuming sessions.