Is Telehealth Burning You Out?
Read This Before Your Next Session
If you’re ending your telehealth days feeling wiped out or overstimulated, you are not the only one. Many therapists say online sessions drain them faster than in-person work. It is not a personal flaw or a sign that you are not suited for virtual therapy. Telehealth has its own sensory and emotional demands, and most clinicians were never taught how to manage them.
There is the constant eye contact. The subtle delay between words and facial expression. The mental effort of trying to read nonverbals through a screen. The pressure to look attentive, calm, and neutral even when your own nervous system is running hot. Even the silence in telehealth feels different. It can feel heavier or more ambiguous. None of this is dramatic on its own, but together it creates real telehealth fatigue.
This is why so many clinicians hit an afternoon wall. You are still helping people, but internally it feels like you are pushing through mud. The good news is that you do not need a complex new system to reduce online therapy burnout. Small adjustments between sessions can create a real shift. These tiny resets help you step out of “camera mode” and reconnect with yourself before moving into the next client’s emotional world.
Below are practical, therapist-friendly telehealth tips that help you reset your body and attention in just a few minutes.
Step out of performance mode
When you click “Leave Meeting,” your body often stays in therapist-performance mode. Your jaw is tight. Your shoulders are lifted. Your face is still holding that gentle listening expression. Your system does not realize the session is over.
As soon as the call ends, turn away from the screen. Look at anything else. A wall. A plant. Your hands. Let your face relax. Let your breath drop. This is one of the simplest ways to reduce telehealth fatigue. Even ten seconds can shift your nervous system out of performance mode and back into yourself.
Check your sensory load
Telehealth often creates an invisible sensory burden. Bright lights, the pressure of sitting still, the low hum of electronics, and the lack of fresh air add up quickly. Many therapists feel tension without realizing why until they adjust one small thing.
Try lowering the lights, moving your chair, taking your headphones off, or stretching your legs. You do not need a full office redesign. One sensory shift can help your nervous system reset. This is especially important if you work with neurodivergent clients and need your own sensory load to stay manageable.
Give your brain a landing moment
Therapists move between emotional states faster than most professions. One client brings grief. The next brings avoidance. The next brings panic or burnout. Telehealth can make these transitions even sharper.
Your brain needs a bridge. Before the next session, ask yourself: What do I need right now? Maybe water. Maybe quiet. Maybe three slow breaths. These tiny pauses support your cognitive bandwidth and prevent online therapy burnout from stacking throughout the day.
Orient gently to the next session
This is not formal prep. It is a soft internal check. Ask yourself: Who is next? What is the general tone of our work? What is one thing I want to check in about?
This reduces the “rush stress” that often hits therapists right before clicking “Join Meeting.” A small orientation creates a smoother transition for both you and your client.
Do not rush back into the call
Give yourself twenty or thirty extra seconds before entering the next telehealth session. Being one breath late but regulated is better than being on time and stressed. This small shift supports better attunement and reduces telehealth exhaustion over the long term.
Telehealth is not the problem. The nonstop pace is. These small in-between moments help make online therapy sustainable, grounded, and human. When you use them consistently, your emotional and sensory fatigue decreases, and your sessions feel clearer and easier.
Want more support?
If you want to make telehealth feel easier and more sustainable, I’d love to invite you to my free 15-minute webinar. It gives you simple ideas that immediately reduce telehealth fatigue and improve the online experience for you and your clients.
If you like the webinar, the Telehealth Toolkit expands everything with scripts, accommodations, and ND-friendly adjustments you can start using right away. And if you ever want personalized support for your practice or team, that is where my consulting and coaching come in.
