Jon Boschen, LCSW, LLC

06/26/2026

The Boundary Myth: Why Strong Boundaries Aren't Always Enough
Boundaries are important.

They protect schedules, reduce overcommitment, and support healthy, ethical practice.

But boundaries cannot eliminate empathy.
They cannot erase memory.
They cannot prevent the emotional impact of repeatedly witnessing pain.

The helping professions require more than strong individual habits.

They require community, supervision, reflection, compassion, and systems that allow people to care sustainably over the course of a lifetime.

Part 6 of The Hidden Cost of Caring: Clinician Health and Well-Being explores why caring deeply isn't the problem—trying to carry everything alone is.

Read the article here:
https://jonboschen.com/blog/f/the-boundary-myth-why-strong-boundaries-arent-always-enough
🌲 In-person counseling in Waterville, Maine
💻 Online therapy available statewide throughout Maine

06/16/2026

Some of the most caring people I know spend their days helping others through difficult experiences. Therapists, healthcare workers, first responders, teachers, clergy, and caregivers often witness pain, loss, trauma, and crisis on a regular basis.

What many people don't realize is that repeatedly hearing these stories can have an impact on the helper as well.

This is known as *vicarious trauma*—the cumulative effect of being exposed to the traumatic experiences of others over time. It can change how we view ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us.

Recognizing these effects isn't a sign of weakness. It's an important part of caring for those who spend their lives caring for others.

In the latest article in my Clinician Health and Well-Being series, I explore what vicarious trauma is, how it develops, and why awareness matters.

Read the article here: https://jonboschen.com/blog/f/the-cost-of-bearing-witness-when-trauma-doesnt-stay-in-the-room

06/12/2026

Today, the Waterville Soup Kitchen served more than 300 meals to members of our community.

Every week, the efforts of our volunteers, donors, staff, and community partners come together with a shared purpose: ensuring that our neighbors have access to nutritious food and a welcoming place to gather.

It's easy to focus on the number, but behind every meal is a person, a story, and a reminder that small acts of service can make a meaningful difference.

I'm grateful to serve alongside such a dedicated team and proud to support an organization that continues to show up for our community week after week.


If you'd like to volunteer, donate, or learn more about the Waterville Soup Kitchen, please visit:

The Waterville Area Soup Kitchen operates The Lighthouse, a dining place in Waterville, Maine. Guests are invited to enjoy a tasty, nutritious meal

06/10/2026

Every helping profession comes with stories.

Teachers carry concerns about students.

Healthcare workers replay difficult cases.

First responders remember calls long after they end.

Therapists, counselors, pastors, nurses, and social workers often spend their days sitting with grief, trauma, fear, crisis, and loss.

What many people don't realize is that those stories don't simply disappear when the workday ends.

Over time, they can shape how we see the world, how we respond to stress, and how much emotional energy remains for ourselves and the people we love.

Part 2 of my Clinician Health & Well-Being series explores the often-unseen impact of carrying the stories of others and why sustainable helping requires sustainable helpers.

https://jonboschen.com/blog/f/the-stories-we-carry-how-helping-others-changes-the-helper

Part 2 of the series: The Hidden Cost of Caring: Clinician Health and Well-Being

06/08/2026

Most people enter helping professions because they care.

Therapists. Nurses. Social workers. Teachers. First responders. Pastors. Caregivers.

They want to ease suffering, support healing, solve problems, teach, protect, encourage, and guide others through some of life's most difficult moments.

What often gets overlooked is that caring has a cost.

Over time, repeatedly witnessing trauma, grief, crisis, and pain can affect the helper as much as the people they are trying to support.
Burnout. Compassion fatigue. Vicarious trauma. Moral injury.
These realities affect many helping professionals, yet they are often discussed only after someone has reached their limit.

This article is the first in a new series exploring the hidden cost of caring and how helping others can change the helper.
Read here:

https://jonboschen.com/blog/f/the-stories-we-carry-how-helping-others-changes-the-helper

Part 1 of the series: The Hidden Cost of Caring: Clinician Health and Well-Being

06/07/2026

Yesterday morning I had the privilege of volunteering at the Waterville Soup Kitchen alongside an incredible team of volunteers.

Every week, people show up early, work hard, and give their time to make sure members of our community have a warm meal and a welcoming place to be.

It's a reminder that service doesn't always require grand gestures. Sometimes it looks like showing up consistently, working together, and helping where you can.

Grateful to serve alongside so many dedicated volunteers and community members. ❤️

06/04/2026

🧠 When Reflection Turns Into Rumination

Self-awareness is important.

Reflection can help us learn from our experiences, gain insight, and move forward with greater clarity.

But sometimes what starts as healthy reflection quietly becomes something else.

Instead of finding answers, we find ourselves replaying conversations, revisiting decisions, and overanalyzing situations long after they've passed. The more we think, the more stuck we feel.

In my newest article, I explore the difference between reflection and rumination, why our minds get trapped in repetitive thought cycles, and how to recognize when thinking is helping versus when it's keeping us stuck.

If you've ever found yourself mentally replaying the same situation over and over, this article is for you.

Read the full article:
https://jonboschen.com/blog/f/when-reflection-turns-into-rumination

Self-awareness is generally considered a good thing.

05/22/2026

Community doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like showing up, making meals and doing small things consistently. Today, the volunteers help serve over 600 meals to some amazingly grateful people.

05/18/2026

A lot of people with anxiety don’t look panicked on the outside.

They look exhausted.

Overthinking, chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and constantly feeling “on” can slowly wear people down over time — even when they seem high-functioning to everyone else.

Therapy isn’t about pretending stress disappears overnight. It’s about understanding the patterns underneath it, calming the nervous system, and learning how to feel more grounded again.

Currently accepting new clients for in-person therapy in Waterville and secure telehealth across Maine.

Book a consultation/appointment here: https://www.findmypath.me/request/service

05/16/2026

A lot of emotionally intelligent people quietly become emotionally exhausted.

They become the steady one.
The listener.
The problem-solver.
The person everyone leans on.

And over time, carrying everyone else’s emotions, stress and stability starts taking a toll on their own nervous system.

Emotional exhaustion doesn’t always look dramatic.

Sometimes it looks like:
• overthinking
• chronic tension
• irritability
• difficulty relaxing
• feeling emotionally checked out

Taking care of your mental health isn’t selfish.
It’s essential.

I’m currently accepting new clients for Emotional Support Group services in Maine, available both in-office and via telehealth.



https://www.findmypath.me/request/service