You might think burnout just means being tired. But it’s much more than that. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by ongoing stress, especially when it comes from work, caregiving, or trying to meet too many demands without a break. It doesn’t happen all at once. It builds up over time for mental health psychologists. You might notice that your motivation drops, small tasks feel overwhelming, or you feel emotionally numb and detached from people and things you used to care about.
Mission Hill Psychology offers access to experienced mental health psychologists in Alberta who provide thoughtful, evidence-based care for individuals dealing with burnout, anxiety, and emotional stress.
Let’s learn how working with a psychologist can help you recognize burnout early, understand its root causes, and take practical steps toward feeling better, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
How to Tell If You’re Experiencing Burnout
Burnout is more than just feeling tired. It can affect your body, your mind, and your relationships. You might struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Tasks that once felt easy now feel impossible. You may find yourself feeling irritated, hopeless, or numb. For many people, it also comes with sleep problems, frequent headaches, or even stomach issues.
This is where professional support becomes important. A psychologist can help you figure out what’s fuelling your burnout and what you need to do to heal.
How a Licensed Psychologist Supports Recovery
In Alberta, licensed psychologists are trained to identify burnout by looking at patterns in your mood, energy, focus, and daily habits. They start by understanding how stress is showing up in your life—whether it’s at work, in relationships, or through physical symptoms like fatigue. Once they have a clear picture, they help you build a recovery plan. This may include learning how to manage emotional overload, restructure daily routines, and shift negative thought patterns. You also learn skills to handle pressure more effectively, reduce guilt around rest, and make decisions that support your mental health and physical well-being.
Different Therapies for Different Burnout Experiences
Every person’s experience with burnout is different. Some people shut down emotionally. Others feel anxious all the time. Some can’t stop working, even when they’re completely drained.
That’s why individualized care matters. A good therapist doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, they help you explore what burnout looks like in your life and help you build realistic steps forward.
Common approaches include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you notice unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more balanced ones, so you can respond to stress in a healthier way.
- Mindfulness Techniques: Mindfulness teaches you how to slow down and focus on the present, which helps calm your thoughts and lower mental and physical stress.
- Acceptance-Based Therapy: This therapy helps you face uncomfortable thoughts or feelings without avoiding them, so you can keep living your life even when things feel hard.
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): EMDR helps your brain process past traumatic experiences, which can reduce emotional triggers and support recovery if trauma is adding to your burnout.
