How Psychologists Look After Their Own Mental Health

By Lara Malobrodski, Clinical Psychologist

I spend my days supporting people through some of the heaviest things they'll ever carry. To keep doing that work well, and to be present for the rest of my life, I look after my own mind deliberately. None of it is complicated or clinical. Here's what that actually looks like, and why each habit matters.

A small ritual for switching off

Every day after work I take a warm shower. The shower is my signal that the working day is over. It helps me let go of psychologist Lara so I can come home and just be wife Lara, or mum Lara.

The ritual itself matters less than what it represents. A short walk, changing out of your work clothes, a cup of tea on the back step, a few minutes of music in the car before you head inside. Any small, consistent cue can mark the line between the working part of your day and the rest of your life. If work tends to follow you home, a transition ritual can help you put it down.

Movement, no exceptions

I move my body, no exceptions. Yoga, the gym and walks are essential for my mind, not just my body.

The link between physical activity and mental health is one of the more consistent findings in the research. Regular movement is associated with lower levels of stress, anxiety and low mood, and it can be a genuinely helpful part of looking after your wellbeing.

The part people often miss is that it doesn't have to be intense to count. A walk around the block, a gentle yoga session, a slow swim. I treat movement as non-negotiable, so I'm not relying on motivation to show up on the hard days.

A regular space to reflect

I go to supervision every fortnight. Supervision is basically therapy for therapists. It's a regular chat with a more experienced psychologist where I reflect on my work and get support.

You don't need to be a psychologist to benefit from the idea behind it. Most of us gain something from a dedicated space to think out loud, make sense of what we're carrying, and be supported by someone outside the situation. For me that space is supervision. For a lot of people, that space is their own therapy.

There's still a myth that you only see a psychologist when things have fallen apart. In practice, having a regular place to reflect can help you notice patterns earlier and respond to stress before it builds. Looking after your mental health doesn't have to wait for a crisis.

Staying close to people who get it

I stay close to my psychologist friends. Having people who understand exactly what the work is like reminds me I'm not doing it alone.

Connection is one of the most protective things we have for our mental health. Feeling understood, and having people you can be honest with, is linked with greater resilience and lower rates of loneliness and low mood.

You don't need a big circle. A couple of people who really understand your world can make a real difference. For you it might be a friend who's parenting alongside you, a colleague in the same industry, or someone who's walked a similar road. The point is to protect those relationships, even when life is busy.

Doing things just because they feel good

I let myself do things for no reason other than they feel good. Trash TV. Romance books. Regular manicures. Not everything has to be productive to be worth doing.

This one is quietly important. Many of us have absorbed the idea that rest and pleasure need to be earned, or that our time is only well spent if it produces something. That belief is exhausting, and it isn't true.

Pleasure and rest aren't extras you fit in once everything else is done. They're part of what keeps you well.

Key takeaways

• Looking after your mental health is usually about small, repeatable habits rather than big fixes.
• A simple transition ritual can help you switch off from work and be present at home.
• Regular movement supports your mind as much as your body, and gentle still counts.
• Most people benefit from a space to reflect and be supported, whether that's supervision or their own therapy.
• Connection with people who understand you is genuinely protective.
• Rest and enjoyment matter on their own terms. Not everything has to be productive to be worth doing.

When professional support can help

Self-care habits like these are a strong foundation, and they aren't a replacement for support when you need it. If you've been feeling stretched, stuck or not quite yourself for a while, talking to a psychologist can help you understand what's going on and work out what might help.

Finding the right person matters, because the relationship you have with your psychologist is one of the biggest factors in whether therapy helps. Pair is a free platform that can help you find a psychologist who fits you, based on clinical fit, practical needs and identity preferences, so you can start with someone who feels right for you.