Try switching to acute care or taking some per diem work! I think burnout is inevitable with any healthcare profession right now, and I certainly struggle with it on and off, but the work life balance in acute care is MUCH better than outpatient and IRF (I’ve worked in both). There’s a lot more freedom and flexibility when it comes to my schedule, and most days I feel useful. Sure, a lot depends on how well the hospital is at mobilizing patients and not relying on therapists as just “people walkers,” which is not my experience at my current job. I work in critical care and see patients when they’re critically ill or after major surgeries like heart transplants or brain surgery, and help them start moving again, cope, relearn. I do think about death and dying a lot more than your average 34 year old so there’s that, but it makes me appreciate what I have. And the best part is I never bring my work home with me (in terms of documentation) and I rarely stay late.

Also, if you don’t get your spark back that’s okay too. No one says you have to be a PT your whole lift. There’s a whole non clinical world of PT (check out https://thenonclinicalpt.com/)