Burnout & Perfectionism Therapy
When being capable, responsible, and dependable starts to cost you too much.
In-person therapy in the San Gabriel Valley · Online therapy throughout California & Illinois
You may be the person everyone counts on.
You get things done. You anticipate what other people need. You take your responsibilities seriously. You may be successful in your career, deeply committed to your family, or the person others turn to when something needs to be handled.
But lately, holding everything together has become exhausting.
You may be experiencing burnout, chronic stress, difficulty resting, irritability, anxiety, sleep problems, emotional exhaustion, or a feeling that you've lost touch with yourself.
And even when you have time to slow down, you may not know how.
Your mind keeps going. There's always something else you could do, improve, fix, or worry about.
Therapy beyond simply managing stress
You may have already tried productivity strategies, mindfulness apps, exercise, vacations, or setting better boundaries.
Those things can be helpful.
But sometimes the deeper question isn't simply "How do I manage my stress?"
It's:
Why do I feel responsible for so much?
Why is it so difficult to rest?
What happens inside me when I disappoint someone?
Who am I when I'm not accomplishing something?
What would it mean to live differently without abandoning the values that matter to me?
Our work can explore the patterns underneath burnout and perfectionism while also developing practical ways to regulate stress and respond differently.
Our work may include
Understanding the patterns beneath burnout
We can explore the beliefs, relationships, experiences, and expectations that contribute to chronic overfunctioning and emotional exhaustion.
Working with your nervous system
Burnout isn't only something you think about—it can affect how your body responds to everyday demands. Somatic and nervous-system awareness can help you recognize what happens in your body before you reach the point of overwhelm.
Creating a healthier relationship with achievement
The goal isn't necessarily to become less ambitious or stop caring about doing things well. Together, we can explore how to pursue what matters to you without making your worth dependent on your performance.
Learning to rest without guilt
For some people, slowing down can feel surprisingly uncomfortable. Therapy can help you understand what makes rest difficult and develop a greater capacity for restoration.
Developing boundaries and flexibility
We can work on saying no, tolerating disappointment, asking for help, and making choices based on your values rather than fear, guilt, or the need to keep everyone happy.
Rediscovering yourself
Burnout can narrow your life until everything revolves around what needs to get done. Therapy can create space to reconnect with your interests, relationships, values, meaning, and sense of self.
What if I don't feel "burned out" enough for therapy?
You don't have to wait until you're completely depleted.
Sometimes burnout looks like exhaustion and tears.
Other times, it looks like functioning exceptionally well while feeling increasingly disconnected inside.
You may still be meeting your responsibilities, going to work, caring for your family, and accomplishing your goals.
But something feels different.
You don't feel like yourself anymore.
Therapy can be useful before you reach a breaking point.
A deeper approach to burnout and perfectionism
My approach integrates mindfulness, somatic and nervous-system awareness, cognitive and behavioral strategies, relational therapy, and existential work.
We may also explore questions of identity, culture, family expectations, values, spirituality, and meaning when they are relevant to your experience. As a social work professor, researcher, and practicing psychotherapist, I bring both clinical experience and a research-informed perspective to our work together.
For clients who want it, Christian mindfulness and faith-integrated therapy can also be incorporated into treatment.
You don't have to earn the right to rest.
If you're tired of constantly pushing yourself, struggling to slow down, or feeling that you should be able to handle everything on your own, therapy can provide a place to pause and understand what's happening.
You don't have to wait until you're falling apart to ask for support.
Start with a free 15-minute consultation
A brief consultation gives us an opportunity to talk about what you're experiencing, what you're looking for, and whether working together might be a good fit.
Call or text 626-765-7602
In-person and remote options
My office is in a safe building with ample free parking in Azusa, CA.
I also offer flexible tele-health sessions on a HIPAA compliant video platform so you can log in and not fight traffic.