BURNOUT:
Burnout is recognised within the ICD-11 as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by emotional exhaustion, increased mental distance from work, and a reduced sense of professional effectiveness. While burnout is not classified as a mental health disorder within the DSM-5, it can significantly affect emotional wellbeing, cognitive functioning, and overall quality of life.
Burnout often develops gradually. Individuals may initially respond to increasing demands by working harder, suppressing their own needs, or placing excessive pressure on themselves to perform. Over time, this can lead to persistent exhaustion, reduced motivation, difficulty concentrating, and a sense of detachment from work or previously valued roles.
During treatment, your therapist will work collaboratively with you to develop a shared understanding of the factors contributing to your burnout. This includes a detailed assessment and individualised formulation exploring how patterns of thinking, behavioural responses, emotional demands, and environmental stressors interact to maintain exhaustion and distress.
Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and EMDR, treatment focuses on addressing the psychological and behavioural processes that sustain burnout. CBT helps identify and modify unhelpful beliefs related to performance, responsibility, and self-expectations, as well as behavioural patterns such as over-working, avoidance, or difficulty setting boundaries.
ACT supports the development of psychological flexibility, helping you reconnect with your values and engage in meaningful activities while reducing the impact of stress and emotional exhaustion. This approach helps individuals move away from cycles of over-exertion and towards more balanced and sustainable ways of living and working.
Where relevant, EMDR may be used to process distressing or overwhelming workplace experiences, including periods of excessive stress, critical incidents, or prolonged professional pressure. This can help reduce the emotional impact of these experiences and support recovery.
Throughout therapy, your therapist will work with you to develop practical and sustainable strategies to restore balance, improve resilience, and support long-term wellbeing. Relapse prevention forms an important part of treatment, helping you maintain progress and reduce the risk of future burnout.
What to look out for:
Persistent emotional and physical exhaustion.
Reduced motivation or sense of accomplishment.
Feeling detached, disengaged, or mentally distant from work.
Difficulty concentrating, thinking clearly, or making decisions.
Increased irritability, frustration, or emotional sensitivity.
Feeling overwhelmed by work demands.
Reduced confidence in your professional abilities.
Withdrawal from work-related or personal activities.
Treatment FOCUS
Type: CBT, ACT, EMDR
Sessions: 15+
Length: 50 mins
Assessment and collaborative formulation
Goal setting
Identifying maintaining cognitive and behavioural patterns
Modifying unhelpful beliefs and expectations (CBT)
Developing sustainable behavioural changes
Improving boundary setting and work-life balance
Values clarification and psychological flexibility (ACT)
Processing distressing workplace experiences (EMDR)
Strengthening resilience and coping strategies
Relapse prevention
Links:
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Mind (UK)
NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/lifes-challenges/work-related-stress/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
