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Sass Boucher MSc

@sassboucher.bsky.social

560 followers 390 following 2.8K posts

Person Centred Counsellor Psychotherapist Lecturer MSc Counselling Keele University Co-Founder SelfCare Psychology Ltd Work in Progress

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Nov 19

Hi, I’m Sass Boucher—a counsellor, lecturer, & sometimes writer based in the UK. I’m deeply rooted in the person-centred approach to counselling, with a focus on practitioner and student well-being, as well as exploring themes like professional trauma, fatigue, & the rewards of our meaningful work.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 28

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” — Oscar Wilde. Maybe therapy is where we get to show up as we are, no pretending? It could be about learning to embrace ourselves, without fear. What might it look like to be unapologetically ourselves? 💚 #TherapyIs #MentalHealthAwareness

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 23

Back in the training saddle! We’ve had two brilliant days with social work managers—laughing, learning, and exploring the risks, remedies & rewards of leading in trauma-exposed roles. Supporting the supporters matters.
#SelfCarePsychology #SocialWorkLeadership #TheFivePillarsOfProtection

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 23

Okay, I admit it—I love sweets, and this personalised ‘Tangsasstic’ bag made me smile! 🍬 It got me thinking: therapy’s like this too—each session, like each flavour, is different. Embrace the uniqueness of your journey. 💚 #TherapyIs #TherapistsConnect #PersonCentred #Healing

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 11

Therapy doesn’t ask us to be fully open from day one. It offers space to notice the parts of ourselves we might have hidden—without even realising it. And when we do? That’s where the real work happens. #TherapyIs #MentalHealthMatters

Therapy is where I try to bring my ful self

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 11

Thank you for sharing ☺️

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 11

That’s kind, I’m really glad you do ☺️

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 10

We don’t always realise what we hold back until we’re in a space safe enough to explore it. Therapy isn’t about rushing that process—it’s about noticing, making space, and allowing more of ourselves to show up in time. #TherapyIs #Authenticity #therapistsconnect

Therapy is where I try to bring my full self

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 10

"Boundaries with ourselves, those we support, and our colleagues aren’t selfish. They make care sustainable." #CompassionFatigue #HelpingProfessionals #Boundaries

Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Mar 3

Left in the dark, a potato will still grow
towards the tiniest of light. Rogers saw this as a perfect metaphor for how humans move towards growth, no matter the circumstances. #KeepingRogersRelevant

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 27

💡 Vicarious trauma isn’t a personal failing. It’s a natural response to exposure to others’ trauma. Understanding it is key to protecting ourselves & sustaining this work. #VicariousTrauma #HelpingProfessionals #SelfCarePsychology

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 27

Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. You’re not a textbook case—so why should therapy follow a formula? The relationship between therapist and client is what truly matters. Therapy should shape around you, not the other way around. #TherapyIs #PersonCentred #TherapistsConnect

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 24

The ‘cost of caring’ doesn’t have to drain you. Compassion fatigue is real, but it’s not inevitable. 💛🌿
#CompassionFatigue #CharlesFigley

Compassion fatigue is the cost of caring

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 20

Sometimes, when we’re in the heavy bits, a glimpse of lighter skies can be enough to keep going. Therapy can be like that—a space to hold the tough stuff while also holding onto hope. 💛
(Also, my granddaughter calls this railway bridge a cave, so it makes me laugh too!)
#TherapyIs #Hope

Looking through a railway bridge to a lighter sky

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 20

The best resource helping professionals have? Each other. Connection is one of the strongest buffers against burnout, but peer support doesn’t just happen—it needs space to grow. Who’s in your support network? #PeerSupportMatters #WorkplaceWellbeing #BurnoutPrevention

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 19

🌱 Therapy is about hearing the heart, not just the words. It’s about tuning in—not just to what’s said, but what isn’t. A space to be heard, fully.
#TherapyIs #Counselling #MentalHealth #TherapistsConnect #PersonCentred

Therapy is a lot heating the heart not just the words

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 19

Compassion fatigue can hit suddenly, leaving us drained, cynical, and questioning our ability to care. It’s not burnout, but it is real—and protecting ourselves matters. Our Five Pillars of Protection help buffer the impact. Let’s talk about it.

#CompassionFatigue #HelpingProfessionals

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 17

Training as a therapist isn’t just about learning theory and practice. It’s about self-awareness, reflection, and doing our own work. If we want to sit with others, we need to be willing to sit with ourselves first.
#TherapyIs #CounsellingTraining #BecomingATherapist #TherapistsConnect

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 17

💡 Burnout prevention isn’t just an indulgence. It’s an ethical imperative.
🛑 If helping professionals are exhausted, who benefits?
💬 Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s the foundation of ethical practice.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 15

I’m so proud of SVP!
💬 1,000 followers?! On instagram
We’re not social media pros, but if this means more real talk about professional trauma and fatigue, we’re all in.

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 13

🔹 A full day of training with frontline staff across social care & education—exploring the risks, remedies, and rewards of front line helping professions. A challenging but energising day, filled with insight, connection & real talk. #SelfCarePsychology #HelpingProfessionals

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 12

Coffee won’t fix moral distress. Neither will sweets (sadly). Moral distress isn’t a personal failing—it’s the cost of working in systems that don’t align with your values. Self-care alone won’t erase it, but collective care might. #SelfCarePsychology #MoralDistress #CollectiveCare

Another coffee isn’t going to fix kot distress

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 12

✨ Being truly heard can change everything.
Maybe therapy isn’t about fixing things—maybe it’s about feeling heard enough to figure them out for yourself.
#TherapyIs #PersonCentred #TherapistsConnect #MentalHealthMatters

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 11

Helping professionals face more than just burnout. That’s why created a term, Professional Trauma and Fatigue—to capture the impact of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, moral distress & more. Recognising it is the first step. #SelfCarePsychology #TraumaAwareness

Definition of professional trauma and fatigue

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 10

🛑 Therapy isn’t about being given all the answers.
One of the first things I say to clients? I don’t have a magic wand. ✨
Therapy isn’t about fixing you—it’s about having the space to untangle what’s been feeling stuck and figure out what fits for you.
#TherapyIs #SelfDiscovery #MentalHealthMatters

Therapy isn’t about having all of the answers it’s about having the space to explore the questions

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · Feb 6

Feeling overwhelmed by training? You’re not alone in this. Take a moment to revisit who’s in your corner—peers, tutors, supervisors. Support is there. You don’t have to do it all alone. 🌿
#HoldingSpaceForStudents #FutureHelpers #YouAreNotAlone