Burnout isn’t just being tired — it’s feeling worn down deep inside.

You’ve been giving so much of yourself—at work, at home, or to others—that there’s little left for you. Over time, the weight of constant demands can leave you drained, disconnected, overwhelmed and feeling negative about your life.

You may be wondering how you’ll keep up with work, parenting or everyday responsibilities that once felt manageable.

Work Burnout

National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 57% of people say their job has left them feeling burned out, with 37% feeling so overwhelmed it affects their ability to work.

You might feel:

• Emotionally exhausted or stuck

• Disconnected or indifferent toward your job or coworkers

• Frustrated, unproductive, procrastinating or decreased satisfaction

• Physically run down, with headaches or trouble sleeping

• More irritable or withdrawn than usual
  

Burnout often grows from:

• Heavy workloads or long hours

• Feeling out of control or unclear about what’s expected

• Difficult workplace relationships or toxic environments

• A work-life balance that feels impossible

• Feeling unrecognized or undervalued

Parental Burnout

Parenting can be meaningful and rewarding, but it can also bring intense stress and pressure. A national survey reports the majority of parents experience isolation, loneliness, and burnout due to the constant demands of caregiving.

you may experience:

• Overwhelming exhaustion related to parenting

• Emotional distance from your child or loved ones

• Doubts about your ability to parent well or feeling ineffective
  

Common causes of parental burnout:

• Overload; sheer volume of constant needs, sleepless nights, and household / family responsibilities

• The ultimate juggling act; balancing work, finances, and caregiving

• Lack of support: feeling you must do everything alone

• Perfectionism: pressure to be the “perfect parent”

• Health challenges: managing your own needs while caregiving

• Additional demands: children with emotional, academic, or medical needs

• Feeling unrecognized or unappreciated

Academic Burnout

Academic burnout can develop when students experience prolonged stress. Over time, this may lead to fatigue, detachment, and a loss of interest in school. According to the National College Health Assessment:

• 80% of college students report feeling overwhelmed

• 40% say it becomes difficult to function

Burnout is a signal, not a failure. It’s your mind and body asking for rest, support, and a chance to reset.

Small steps—setting boundaries, asking for help, or simply pausing—can help you regain energy and perspective.

You don’t have to do it all alone.

What we work on in Therapy for Burnout

Burnout can feel heavy, but therapy offers space to:

• Notice and soften harsh self-judgments

• Build healthier ways of thinking about success and worth

• Accept difficult feelings without being overwhelmed by them

• Find clarity about what truly matters to you

• Learn practical tools to manage stress and rebuild balance

Burnout treatment: evidence-based modalities

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps identify and reframe thought patterns that push you beyond your limits—such as “If I slow down, everything will fall apart.” It supports healthier beliefs about productivity and self-worth, and helps you develop coping strategies and rest without guilt.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT encourages acknowledging exhaustion, frustration, or disconnection without judgment while clarifying what matters most to you. It helps shift from constant striving toward actions aligned with your values and a healthier balance between purpose and rest.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR addresses deeper experiences that may contribute to burnout, such as past criticism, failure, or feeling overly responsible. EMDR helps reprocess these memories and the beliefs created (like “I’m only valuable when I’m productive”), can reduce pressure around productivity and support a more stable sense of self-worth.

Get Started with Therapy for Burnout in the San Francisco Bay Area

Caterina Sanfilippo Lee, LCSW is a burnout therapist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

She also provides online therapy across California and New York.