What Therapists Wish More Women Knew About Burnout
Burnout has become such a common word that we almost forget what it really means. We joke about “burning out” on emails or housework, but for many women, burnout is not a punchline. It is an exhausting, all-consuming state that makes even the smallest parts of life feel unbearable.
As a therapist for ambitious women in Utah, I see burnout every week. It shows up in high-achievers who look “fine” on the outside but feel like they are running on fumes inside. And while every woman’s experience is unique, there are a few things therapists wish more women understood about burnout.
1. Burnout Is Not Just About Work
We often think of burnout as something that happens in demanding jobs. But women experience burnout in many roles: as employees, mothers, partners, caregivers, or community leaders.
The truth: burnout is not just about your workload. It is about carrying more responsibility than your brain and body can sustain, often across multiple areas of life at once.
2. Burnout Feels Different Than Stress
Stress and burnout are related, but they are not the same.
Stress is when you have too much to handle but still feel like you can manage with enough effort.
Burnout is when you feel completely depleted. You no longer believe you have the resources to keep going.
In burnout, even small tasks like answering a text or deciding what to make for dinner feel overwhelming. Your body and mind are telling you, “Enough.”
3. Rest Alone Will Not Fix Burnout
Many women think if they just take a weekend off, the burnout will disappear. But rest alone is not enough.
Burnout is not just exhaustion. It is exhaustion plus disconnection from meaning.
Until you address the values and boundaries beneath the burnout, you will find yourself in the same cycle over and over.
4. Perfectionism Fuels Burnout
Burnout is not only about external demands. It is also about internal ones.
Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and over-functioning are some of the biggest drivers of burnout. When you believe you can never rest until everything is done, your body and mind eventually shut down.
5. Burnout Is Not a Personal Failure
This might be the most important thing I wish women knew. Burnout does not mean you are weak. It means you have been operating in unsustainable conditions for too long.
Your exhaustion is not proof that you are broken. It is proof that you are human.
6. Healing Burnout Requires Alignment
Real recovery from burnout does not come from bubble baths or quick fixes. It comes from realignment.
That means:
Saying no when something does not fit your values.
Resting before you “earn” it.
Releasing the pressure to be everything for everyone.
Choosing sustainable rhythms instead of endless overdrive.
This is hard work. It is also the work of therapy.
Why Therapy Helps With Burnout
Therapy is not about making your to-do list shorter. It is about helping you see why you feel you cannot stop, even when you are exhausted.
Together, we explore:
The perfectionism and people-pleasing that fuel your burnout.
The values that matter most to you.
Practical ways to set boundaries and reclaim energy.
Burnout does not vanish overnight. But with support, you can move from survival mode to a life that feels more grounded and meaningful.
An Invitation Forward
If burnout has been shaping your days, know this: you do not have to push through it alone.
In both individual therapy and my 12-week group program, The Fulfillment Formula, I help ambitious women in Utah untangle from burnout and build sustainable lives that actually feel fulfilling.
Explore therapy options here:
https://www.theantioptimisttherapist.com/group-therapy
https://www.theantioptimisttherapist.com/individual-counseling
