Burnout is not laziness – it's the result of chronic stress without adequate rest and recovery. It affects your body, emotions, and motivation. In my work, I meet people from various fields who have reached a point where the job that once brought satisfaction now only brings exhaustion and emptiness. Therapy can help you understand what brought you to this point and rebuild your balance.
Burnout manifests on many levels. Emotional exhaustion – you feel empty, with nothing left to give. Cynicism and detachment – you begin treating work (and people) with indifference that wasn't there before. Decreased effectiveness – despite effort, results keep getting worse. Add to that physical symptoms: headaches, insomnia, muscle tension, frequent illness.
Burnout can resemble depression and sometimes co-occurs with it. It's important to look carefully at what you're experiencing – in therapy, I help distinguish between the two and find the right approach.
Burnout isn't just 'too much work.' Often behind it lies perfectionism, difficulty saying 'no,' a culture of overproductivity, lack of autonomy at work, or a disconnect between your values and what you do professionally. Many of my clients discover in therapy that burnout started from ignoring their own needs and boundaries – and that change is possible without giving up their career.
In burnout therapy, we work on several areas simultaneously. We identify perfectionist thinking patterns ('I have to give 100% all the time'), learn to set boundaries and say 'no' without guilt. Reconnecting with your values is also key – what truly matters to you and whether your work aligns with it. I use ACT elements for values work and accepting difficult emotions, and DBT for emotion regulation and building stress resilience.
If you're considering starting therapy, I invite you to get in touch. The first session is a space where you can share your difficulties without any obligation.
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