I know in my church denomination, pastors can go on sabbatical for periods of several months (3-6 generally) for self care, further education, etc. The church recognizes the need of people in their helping profession to take time on occasion to "regroup" in order to continue working effectively in the long-run.

I would think therapists might need such a sabbatical every now and then for the same reason. I think a longer break is a smart idea. It is easy, as patients/clients to make it all about us and expect they should always put us first, but if they don't take care of themselves, they won't be able to continue to care for us long-term. They aren't machines; they are human and can reach a point where they just have to take a break. Thus, the burn-out associated with many helping professions.