Skip to main content

burnout-header.png

Catherine — not her real name — has never lost touch with the passion that drove her to become a physical therapist. But she also can’t shake memories of what it was like to feel that passion being smothered.

"There were times when I’d get in my car and start driving to work and this feeling of dread would just come over me," she says. "It took me quite a while to realize that, oh my God, this is how work is making me feel."

At that point, Catherine was rehab manager for a company that served SNFs — maybe not her dream job, but an advancement in her career, and the extra money was nice. Still, the productivity pressures, management headaches, and the company’s lack of respect for work-life boundaries were taking a toll.

Log in or create a free account to keep reading.


Join APTA to get unlimited access to content.


You Might Also Like...

Article

Remembering Peter A. Towne: A Life Dedicated to Service

Mar 31, 2026

Peter Alan Towne, PT, FAPTA, passed away on March 11, 2026, at the age of 90. He left an indelible mark on the association across nearly 70 years as an

Article

March Madness From a PT's Point of View

Mar 31, 2026

With March Madness in full swing, PTs and PTAs everywhere might be wondering: What is it really like to work with NCAA basketball athletes? For Chad Taylor,

News

APTA, Provider and Patient Groups Push Major Reforms to Prior Authorization

Mar 25, 2026

APTA has joined a broad coalition of national provider and patient organizations to release a new policy framework aimed at tackling one of the most persistent