Professional experiencing burnout and exhaustion

CBT for Burnout

CBT for burnout — because pushing through stopped working a long time ago

Specialist therapy for professionals who are running on empty. Evidence-based. Online. Designed to help you recover without dismantling what you've built.

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Burnout isn't weakness. It's what happens when strong people ignore their limits for too long.

Burnout has been formally recognised by the World Health Organization as an occupational phenomenon — the result of chronic workplace stress that hasn't been successfully managed. It's characterised by three things:

  1. Emotional exhaustion. You're depleted. Not tired — depleted. Sleep doesn't fix it. Holidays barely dent it.
  2. Depersonalisation (cynicism). You've become detached from your work, your colleagues, sometimes your family. Things you used to care about leave you cold.
  3. Reduced personal accomplishment. Despite everything you're doing, you feel ineffective. Tasks that used to be straightforward now feel overwhelming.

If you're reading this thinking "that's just being busy" — that's burnout talking. Busy people are tired but engaged. Burnt-out people are exhausted and empty.

Stressed professional at work

The high-performer's version of burnout

Burnout in professionals doesn't always look like the textbook description. You're still performing. You're still meeting deadlines. But privately:

  • Your concentration has gone. Reading a report takes three attempts. Decisions that used to be instinctive now feel paralysing.
  • You're irritable with people you love. Not because they've done anything wrong — because you have nothing left to give.
  • Physical symptoms you're ignoring. Headaches, jaw tension, digestive issues, poor sleep, getting ill more often.
  • The work feels meaningless. Sunday evenings fill you with dread. Monday mornings feel like a sentence.
  • You can't switch off. Even when you're "resting," your mind is churning through emails and problems.

Why CBT is particularly effective for burnout

Burnout isn't just about workload — it's about the thinking patterns and behavioural cycles that keep you trapped. CBT targets both.

Identifying the maintaining cycle

Overcommitting → exhaustion → guilt about underperforming → compensating by doing more → deeper exhaustion. CBT maps this cycle so you can see exactly where to intervene.

Challenging the beliefs that keep you stuck

"If I slow down, everything will fall apart." "People are counting on me — I can't let them down." "Resting is lazy." These aren't observations — they're cognitive distortions. CBT helps you identify, test, and replace them with accurate thinking.

Behavioural activation and values-based planning

CBT systematically reintroduces meaningful activity — not by adding more to your plate, but by replacing draining obligations with things that actually replenish you.

Boundary-setting as a skill

Many burnt-out professionals believe they're "just not good at saying no." CBT reframes boundary-setting as a learnable skill — and practises it in real situations.

Relapse prevention

High-achievers who recover from burnout are at risk of repeating the pattern. CBT builds an explicit relapse prevention plan — early warning signs, maintenance strategies, and a framework for sustainable working.

The programme

The Burnout Recovery Programme

Phase 1: Assessment and formulation (sessions 1–2)

Comprehensive assessment using validated measures (Maslach Burnout Inventory, PHQ-9, GAD-7). We build a shared understanding of what's driving and maintaining your burnout.

Phase 2: Stabilisation and symptom reduction (sessions 3–7)

Targeting acute symptoms: sleep disruption, anxiety, cognitive exhaustion, emotional reactivity. Introducing behavioural strategies for immediate relief.

Phase 3: Cognitive restructuring and behavioural change (sessions 8–11)

Addressing the core beliefs and patterns that created the burnout. Boundary-setting, perfectionism, people-pleasing, overcommitment.

Phase 4: Relapse prevention and sustainable working (sessions 12–14)

Building an explicit plan for maintaining recovery. Early warning signs. Support structures. A realistic framework for working hard without destroying yourself.

10–14 sessions · Weekly 50-minute video sessions · From £1,200

You don't need to be in crisis to start therapy.

You just need to be honest about where you are. Book a free 15-minute exploratory call.

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