Healing Compassion Fatigue and Emotional Burnout
seeing clients in-person and telehealth in Seattle, WA
You spend so much of your time and energy caring for others — listening deeply, holding space for pain, offering patience, and tending to countless needs and usually at the expense of your own needs. Caring this deeply can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, disconnected, and holding onto burdens that never go away. You may feel burnout creeping in, resentment building, lacking sense of self, or loneliness growing even as you stay busy tending to everyone else’s needs.
Whether you’re a therapist, social worker, educator, healthcare worker, caregiver, or parent, your capacity to give is powerful and meaningful — but it’s also demanding in ways few people truly understand.
Here, you can explore what you truly want and need from your life, not just what’s been asked of you. Together, we’ll reconnect you to your own strength, self-compassion, and the parts of you that deserve rest, joy, and authentic fulfillment. Therapy with me is that space.
I believe that those who care so much for others deserve a place where they are cared for, too — a place where your truth is heard, your care is replenished, and your lived experiences are honored without judgment or expectation.
My name is Kaitlyn Sheridan, and I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and approved supervisor in Washington State. My approach is authentic, collaborative, and grounded in compassion and radical acceptance. I understand the unique struggles that come with living and working as a caregiver.
You don’t have to hold everything alone. Let’s create a space where you feel seen, heard, and supported — so you can keep caring for others without losing yourself along the way.
“Whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.”
My Theoretical Orientations
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Existential-Phenomenology
A psychology style that merges existential philosophy with person-centered humanism and explores individual meaning within our complex world. Through emphasizing the present moment and fostering genuine human connections, it cultivates authenticity, empathic understanding, and nonjudgmental attitudes.
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Buddhist Psychology
Buddhism explores the challenge of human suffering stemming from our struggle with impermanence. Life's ever-changing nature affects attachments, circumstances, and the world. By fostering acceptance of these changes, Buddhist therapy redirects attention to daily choices, attitudes, values, and the integration of action and intent, body and mind.
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Intersectional Feminism
Intersectional feminism amplifies marginalized voices excluded by white feminism, acknowledging the multifaceted identities and privileges that intersect in complex ways. By recognizing how our identities interact within the broader context, we can dismantle harmful narratives, minimize harm, and foster inclusive communities.
Muditā is a Sanskrit word meaning joy for others—taking genuine delight in the well-being and success of others. In Buddhist thought, it’s considered one of the four essential heart practices, and often the most challenging. I center this in my practice as joy becomes a practice we can always turn toward to refill our emotional needs.
Caring for others so deeply lead without caring for ourselves leads to exhaustion, resentment, and numbness. While it is essential to make space for pain, grief, burn out, and anxiety; it’s vital to intentionally cultivate joy. This is not about bypassing what’s hard; its about remembering why we care for the ones we do and that joy is a source of resilience and healing.
I often invite clients to name even the smallest moments that bring gratitude, pleasure, or lightness into their day. Joy doesn’t have to be big. It can be quiet, subtle, even fleeting—but still powerful. It reminds us that life isn’t only about surviving challenges, but also about remembering what makes it worth living.
Joy as a Practice
Time to take care of you
Caring roles requires holding space for others, often without enough space held for yourself. Reaching out for support can feel vulnerable—especially when you're used to being the one others turn to. Therapy can stir up complex emotions and it can be uncomfortable to focus on yourself, it should always be a space where you feel safe, seen, and supported.
I believe that you deserve encouragement, rest, and healing. You already carry the insight and strength you offer others—sometimes you just need your own space to reconnect with it. You are worthy of the same care you give so freely. Let’s take this step together.