Counselling for stress and burnout

When you’ve been running on empty for a long time, exhaustion can start to feel like who you are.

Pale sand shaped by the wind

How stress and burnout can show up

Stress is a response to pressure. Burnout is what can follow when the pressure doesn’t let up and rest stops working.

In your thoughts
Racing lists, a short fuse, trouble switching off, cynicism about work you used to care about.
In your body
Tension headaches, a tight jaw, broken sleep, a tiredness that sleep doesn’t fix.
In your days
Working longer for less, snapping at people you love, having nothing left for yourself.

How we might work on it together

First we take stock: what is being asked of you, by whom, and what it costs. Saying it aloud to someone outside the situation often shows what has become normal that shouldn’t be.

Then we look at what keeps you there, such as finding it hard to say no, or tying your worth to how much you get done, and at what recovery could realistically look like in your life.

Being exhausted is not a personal failing.

What sessions are like

Every course of therapy is different, but most move through three phases, with regular reviews along the way.

  1. Beginning

    We build a picture of what brings you, what you need, and what you hope therapy will give you.

  2. Middle

    The main work. We go further into what you have brought, and what it means for your life outside our sessions.

  3. Ending

    We bring together what you have learned and plan how you will take it forward.

When it might be time to talk to someone

There is no right moment, and you don’t need to be at breaking point. These are some of the signs people mention.

  • It has gone on for longer than you expected.
  • It is getting in the way of sleep, work or the people close to you.
  • The things that usually help have stopped helping.
  • You have talked to friends or family, or you feel you can’t.
  • You keep thinking about talking to someone.

Questions people ask

Before starting, whatever brings you. Something else? Ask me directly.

Do I need a diagnosis, or a referral from my GP?

No. You can contact me directly, and you don’t need a name for what you are going through. I don’t diagnose or prescribe. If you are already seeing your GP or taking medication, counselling can sit alongside that.

What if I find it hard to talk about?

Most people do at first. We go at your pace, and you choose what to say and what to leave for later. Sitting quietly for a while is fine too.

Will I have to go over everything that has happened?

No. Some people want to tell the whole story and others want to stay with what is happening now. You decide what we talk about, and when.

What if more than one of these fits me?

That is very common. Difficulties rarely arrive one at a time, and we work with all of what you bring. You don’t have to pick one.

What if my problem doesn’t feel serious enough?

There is no threshold to meet. If something is bothering you enough that you are reading this page, it is worth a conversation.

All questions

Whenever you feel ready

Tell me a little about what’s going on, and we’ll take it from there.

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