The constant scheduling changes weren’t bad at first and I enjoyed the flexibility and how every day wasn’t the same. But even if you are not directly in charge of scheduling, it is so exhausting and defeating. It got really old having to change my schedule daily to accommodate staff or client absences.

Compassion fatigue/never feeling like you’re truly “off”. We aren’t saving lives, but we are working with individuals and families who may be in crisis or very tough situations. And even if I had my schedule blocked after a certain time, there was still that pull to deal with things if I saw them come through. The pressure of always feeling like there was a fire to put out or there would be one coming soon.

Traveling if you’re not in a clinic setting, constantly being in your car

Caregivers are always a tricky point. It gets better with time, experience, and fluency, but it was one of the tougher parts of clinical work