What Strategies Do Therapists Use for Burnout and Workplace Stress?
By Jessica Oliver (formerly Jessica Tappana), LCSW | Founder & Clinical Director, Aspire Counseling
You've tried the bubble baths. You've downloaded the meditation app (and maybe even opened it a few times). You took that vacation—and came back just as exhausted as before.
So what do therapists actually do that's different? What happens in a therapy session that you can't get from a self-help article or a long weekend?
The truth is, a good therapist does more than hand you a list of coping strategies. They help you understand why you're burned out in the first place—and whether your job is actually the problem, or whether something deeper is going on.
Do Therapists Just Tell You to Practice Self-Care?
Not the good ones. While self-care matters, a therapist won't just hand you a checklist and send you on your way. They'll help you figure out why self-care hasn't been working—and what's actually driving your exhaustion.
That said, let's talk about self-care for a minute. Because it does matter. It's just not the whole picture.
Getting outside, even when it's cold, can genuinely shift your mood. Fresh air and natural light affect your nervous system in ways that staying indoors doesn't. A 15-minute walk around your neighborhood—even bundled up in January—can help clear your head more than scrolling through your phone on the couch.
Movement helps too. Yoga, in particular, combines physical movement with breathwork in ways that can calm an overactive stress response. You don't need to become a devoted yogi. Even a beginner class once a week can make a difference.
Meditation apps like Calm or Headspace can be useful tools. They won't fix burnout on their own, but they can give you a few minutes of quiet when your brain won't stop spinning about work.
But here's the thing: if you're doing all of this and still feeling exhausted, the problem probably isn't that you need more self-care. Something else is going on.
How Can Therapy Help You Get Clear on What Actually Matters?
One of the most valuable things a therapist can do is help you get crystal clear on your values—what truly matters most to you—and then examine whether your daily life reflects those values.
This sounds simple. It's not.
Most people can name things that matter to them: family, health, creativity, meaningful work, freedom. But when you look at how they actually spend their time and energy, there's often a disconnect. They're pouring themselves into things that don't align with what they say is important.
A therapist can help you see this gap. They'll ask questions you might not think to ask yourself. They'll help you notice patterns you've been too close to see.
Once you're clear on your values, therapy can help you link your daily actions—including your work—to your long-term goals. Even tasks that feel tedious can feel more meaningful when you understand how they connect to something bigger. And tasks that don't connect to anything you care about? Those become easier to set boundaries around or let go of entirely.
Am I Burned Out, or Do I Actually Hate My Job?
This is one of the most important questions a therapist can help you answer. Because the solutions are very different depending on which one is true.
Burnout happens when you've been running on empty for too long. It's exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense that nothing you do matters. But the underlying job might actually be fine—or even good—if you weren't so depleted.
Genuine job dissatisfaction is different. That's when the work itself doesn't fit who you are, what you value, or where you want your life to go. No amount of rest will fix a job that's fundamentally wrong for you.
The tricky part? When you're exhausted, everything feels terrible. It's hard to tell whether you hate your job or whether you just need a real break and some boundaries.
A therapist can help you sort this out. They'll help you examine your feelings when you're not in crisis mode. They'll ask about what drew you to this work in the first place, and whether those things still exist. They'll help you figure out if the problem is the job, the company culture, your boundaries, or something else entirely.
What Is Insight-Oriented Therapy, and How Does It Help with Burnout?
Some approaches to therapy focus on building skills and changing behaviors. Others go deeper—exploring why you ended up here in the first place.
At Aspire Counseling, Jill Hasso specializes in what's called insight-oriented or depth-oriented therapy. This approach helps you understand the patterns, beliefs, and experiences that shape how you relate to work, achievement, and rest.
For example: Maybe you learned early in life that your worth depends on how productive you are. Maybe rest feels dangerous because slowing down meant something bad would happen. Maybe you've been in survival mode for so long that you don't even know what it feels like to not be stressed.
Insight-oriented therapy helps you uncover these patterns. It's not about blaming your past—it's about understanding how your past shows up in your present. When you understand why you can't stop working, or why you feel guilty every time you rest, you can start to change those patterns instead of just fighting against them.
This kind of work takes time. It's not a quick fix. But for people whose burnout keeps coming back no matter what they try, understanding the deeper roots can be transformative.
What Questions Might a Therapist Ask About Your Work Stress?
A skilled therapist doesn't just listen while you vent about your job (though venting has its place). They ask questions that help you think differently about your situation.
Questions like: What would have to change for you to feel okay about your work? When was the last time you felt genuinely energized by something? What are you afraid would happen if you slowed down? What do you imagine your life would look like in five years if nothing changes?
These questions aren't comfortable. That's kind of the point. They help you get honest with yourself about what you want and what you're willing to do about it.
Can Therapy Help Me Make Changes at Work?
Yes—but maybe not in the way you expect. A therapist isn't going to write your resignation letter or tell you exactly what to do. Instead, they'll help you figure out what changes you want to make, and then support you as you make them.
This might mean practicing difficult conversations before you have them with your boss. It might mean examining why you keep saying yes to things you want to say no to. It might mean grieving the career path you thought you wanted and getting honest about what you actually want now.
Sometimes the change is leaving a job. Sometimes it's staying but with different boundaries. Sometimes it's realizing the job isn't the problem at all—something else in your life needs attention.
Therapy gives you a space to think through all of this with someone who isn't invested in any particular outcome except your wellbeing.
What If I Don't Have Time for Therapy?
This is one of the most common things we hear from burned-out professionals. "I know I need help, but I don't have time."
Here's the honest truth: you probably don't have time not to address this. Burnout doesn't get better on its own. It gets worse. And the longer you push through, the harder the eventual crash.
At Aspire Counseling, we offer daytime appointments specifically for working professionals who need flexibility. Our Lee's Summit office is conveniently located just off 50 Highway, and our Columbia office is near the University of Missouri campus. We also offer telehealth throughout Missouri for those who prefer to meet from home or during a lunch break.
Therapy is typically 45-50 minutes once a week. That's less time than most people spend scrolling social media in a single day. If work stress is affecting your health, your relationships, or your ability to enjoy your life, that hour is worth protecting.
What Should I Look for in a Therapist for Burnout?
Not every therapist is the right fit for work-related stress. Here's what to look for:
Someone who understands high-achievers. You need a therapist who won't tell you to "just relax" or suggest that your ambition is the problem. Look for someone who gets that you want to do meaningful work—you just don't want it to destroy you.
Someone who goes beyond surface-level coping. Breathing exercises are fine. But if that's all you're getting, you're not getting enough. Look for a therapist who can help you understand the deeper patterns driving your burnout.
Someone who can help you clarify your values. The best therapists help you figure out what matters most to you, then help you align your life with those values.
Someone you actually like talking to. This matters more than credentials. If you don't feel comfortable being honest with your therapist, you won't get much out of the work.
Therapy for Burnout and Workplace Stress in Lee’s Summit, MO
If you're tired of being tired—and ready to figure out what's really going on—our team at Aspire Counseling can help.
We work with professionals across Missouri who are dealing with burnout, workplace stress, anxiety, and that persistent sense that something needs to change. Our therapists use evidence-based approaches tailored to high-functioning people who are used to pushing through.
Jill Hasso offers Cognitive Processing Therapy and insight-oriented therapy for clients who want to understand the deeper patterns behind their stress. Adam White uses Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help clients work with the parts of themselves that won't let them rest. Casey Jackson offers EMDR and DBT for clients whose work stress is connected to anxiety or past experiences.
Ready to talk?
Call our Lee's Summit office at (816) 287-1116 or our Columbia office at 573-328-2288. You can also reach out through our website to schedule a free consultation.
No pressure, no judgment—just compassionate support when you're ready.
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