At Upside, we see housing support as a long-term commitment—not just to the members we serve, but to the Care Guides who walk alongside them. For people facing housing instability, a steady, empathetic Care Guide can be the difference between falling through the cracks and finding a clear path forward. But that level of commitment requires a foundation of care that extends inward, to our own team.
Burnout is not just a risk—it’s a real challenge we actively work to prevent. We know that when Care Guides feel overwhelmed or unsupported, it directly impacts the consistency, trust, and responsiveness our members depend on. The signs are subtle at first: slower follow-ups, a strained tone in conversation, or a hesitancy to engage. But over time, the impact deepens.
Our members are often navigating complex, emotionally charged situations—from emergency shelter placements to negotiations with landlords and ongoing trauma recovery. Care Guides aren’t just coordinating logistics; they’re often the emotional anchor in these journeys. That kind of emotional labor, when unacknowledged, becomes unsustainable.
We’ve learned that burnout doesn’t begin with large crises. It starts in the accumulation of small moments—when a Care Guide doesn’t have space to process a member’s crisis, when peer check-ins don’t happen, when a tough case hits too close to home. Recognizing and addressing these moments is at the heart of our model.
At Upside, we’ve developed a layered approach that integrates clinical supervision, peer support, and flexible role design. Every Care Guide has access to weekly one-on-one check-ins tailored to their needs—not just as professionals, but as whole people. We ask: How are you really doing? What’s working? What’s getting heavy?
Equally important are our peer-led support circles, created without leadership present. These safe spaces allow Care Guides to debrief, vent, and reflect openly. It’s a space to share the emotional burden, learn from one another, and reset before it builds up.
Additionally, we encourage our Care Guides to own their personal boundaries. For some, that means setting a consistent end-of-day ritual. For others, it means booking time off before they feel depleted. We normalize—and expect—rest as part of the job.
We talk openly about transference and countertransference. When you’re working with people facing deep instability, you often absorb their pain, fear, or frustration. We aim to equip our Care Guides with tools to manage that—reframing, emotional distancing, and grounding strategies. And when it’s too much, we try to intervene early: not to critique, but to adapt.
Informed by industry best practices and the experience of seasoned professionals, we recognize that some organizations have successfully supported team members by tweaking schedules, adjusting roles, or even helping with a transition into new opportunities. These examples serve as inspiration for how we might approach similar challenges with compassion and care.
When Care Guides know they can speak up about stress, about struggle, about needing space—they stay longer, engage deeper, and deliver more consistent care. Our members notice that. They respond to it. It builds trust.
In particularly challenging moments—such as during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic or periods of widespread social stress—some teams have brought in external mental health support through employee assistance programs (EAPs). We view such practices as valuable options in building a responsive and resilient organizational culture.
At Upside, we believe that stable housing starts with stable support. And stable support starts with Care Guides who are respected, resourced, and recharged.
Preventing burnout isn’t a program. It’s a practice—baked into our supervision model, our peer culture, and our day-to-day rhythms. We don’t always get it perfect, but we are committed to getting it right: not just for our team, but for the members who count on us.
Because every time a Care Guide is fully present, emotionally balanced, and empowered to act, a member takes one more step toward stability. That’s what we’re building—and protecting—every day.
Upside Corporate Headquarters
200 E Las Olas Blvd 14th Floor
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
