Burnout Therapy Online 

Burnout can develop gradually, sometimes without a clear moment when you realise something has changed. From a somatic perspective, some burnout symptoms you may notice can be persistent tension, difficulty slowing down, disrupted sleep, exhaustion, irritability, brain fog, or a sense of being disconnected from yourself. Your body may be signalling that it has been carrying more activation and demand than it has had the opportunity to recover from.

When being productive, responsive and capable has become your usual way of functioning, a higher level of activation can start to feel normal. You may not experience yourself as particularly stressed because this state has become your baseline. Your body can remain in a state of readiness while you continue to function, achieve and manage what needs to be done. This isn't about doing something wrong. It can simply mean that the signals of strain have become harder to notice until your capacity begins to change.

Stress naturally comes with periods of activation and periods of settling. We may become more activated when something demands our attention, and then return towards a more settled state when the demand passes. 

With chronic stress, these periods of settling can become increasingly limited. The body can remain in a prolonged state of activation or perceived threat, until eventually it may no longer have the same capacity to keep going. What can feel like sudden exhaustion or shutdown may be the result of a much longer period of strain.

Rest is an important part of burnout recovery, but sometimes stopping isn't enough for the body to fully settle. 

After prolonged stress, the nervous system may need time and repeated experiences of safety before it can move out of a state of constant readiness. Recovery can involve gradually expanding your window of tolerance again: the range in which you can experience demands, emotions and stimulation while remaining connected, present and able to respond rather than automatically pushing through or shutting down.

Burnout recovery often involves making sense of what has happened, and telling the story can be an important part of this process. 

In somatic therapy for burnout, we can also attend to what is happening in your body while you talk: noticing tension, activation, exhaustion, emotions and other signals as they arise. This allows us to explore not only what happened, but how you have been experiencing and carrying it, and what your body may need as you recover.

I begin with an initial intake session, where we take time to get to know each other, explore what brings you to therapy, and clarify your expectations. I also share more about the way I work. It’s important that, during this first session, you begin to sense whether we feel comfortable with each other and whether this feels like a therapeutic relationship you’d like to invest in.

After around six sessions, I usually suggest a review. This allows us to reflect together on how the work is unfolding, revisit the intentions set during the intake session, and adjust the focus or pace of therapy if needed.

Yes, I offer a first short call for free, where we discuss your therapy goals and what you’re looking for, and decide if we’re a good fit for each other. If we both feel comfortable, we then book a first session together. 

Start by contacting me through the Contact page, and I’ll share my number with you so we can have a phone call.

Recovery can also mean becoming more familiar with your own indicators of stress and your physical and psychological limits. 

You can gradually learn to recognise earlier signals: changes in tension, breathing, energy, sleep, emotions or your capacity to be present. 

Developing greater body awareness and emotional regulation can help you respond to these signals sooner and find a more sustainable way of functioning.