Our Stories

As a young child I learned that my worth was reflected by my productivity and achievements. This is a very strong cultural message that we are all faced with – our society loves achievements and measures our success accordingly. 

Fast forward to gaining work as a psychologist as a young adult, I soon found myself caught up in an unrelenting cycle of trying to achieve a sense of being ‘good enough’. I took on more and more. It felt exciting… addictive even. It was like being in a sweetie shop, and not being able to resist taking on this course, that project, this opportunity, that venture….  I reassured myself that I enjoyed my work, I was passionate about my role as a psychotherapist, and therefore the fact that I wasn’t resting didn’t matter – what could go wrong, I was doing what I loved! The more fatigued I became, the faster I would try to run on the treadmill to get everything done. So, my burnout began to manifest in terms of exhaustion (physical and emotional), insomnia, feeling emotionally lifeless….and eventually with serious physical illnesses.

My interest in this area was really to explore why – why am I doing this to myself? Why do I keep pushing myself so hard, even when I know it’s to my detriment? And most importantly, how the heck can I get off this treadmill and get a life?!?  I’m particularly interested in the schemas and mindsets that make us vulnerable to burnout.  Also, how burnout becomes a manifestation reinforced by coping strategies that are designed to escape uncomfortable body-based stress-sensations/memories/vulnerability.

It is so easy to end up literally running on an empty tank…and not really thriving as fulfilled individuals. A hyper-focus on work can take such a toll not only on ourselves, but also our families – and our connection to the planet. At first, I was looking for a way to ‘fix’ my burnout – but without connecting to the underlyuing vulnerability.  I could talk about mindfulness – but wasn’t DOING it.

It’s been a tricky journey for me to learn to step off the treadmill and say ‘no’ to the cultural and societal ideals of busyness and productivity – and to work on my own schemas – that have kept me stuck in this pattern.  However, I have learned that transformation and ‘recovery’ from burnout is a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute practice. It’s about investing in our own health as the number one priority. Its about putting our own health and happiness above everything else. For me, it is a practice, a work in progress and I have gradually developed a healthier, more balanced life. Connection, and ‘being’ in the moment are now prioritised over ‘doing’ and achievement. This is my life-long journey of learning to live in my body, and be in my own life. In this programme we will share with you all that we have learned about nourishing and nurturing ourselves so that we can all cherish our own lives and be able to fulfil our life purpose from a place of being centred and authentically ourselves. We hope you enjoy it!