Burnout and Overwhelm: How Online Psychologists Can Help You Recover
You wake up tired, your to-do list feels endless, and even small tasks seem like climbing a mountain. You’re stretched thin — emotionally, physically, mentally. Maybe you've stopped enjoying things you used to love. You might feel flat, irritable, or disconnected. This isn’t just stress. It could be burnout.
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress — and it’s increasingly common. The pressure to do more, be more, and keep going can slowly chip away at your wellbeing, until you reach a point where something has to give.
At The Online Psychologists, our team of Clinical Psychologists offers therapy for burnout and chronic overwhelm. We’re here to help you understand what's happening, identify what's driving it, and recover in a way that feels realistic and sustainable — all through confidential online sessions, wherever you are in the UK.
What Is Burnout, Really?
Burnout isn’t a sign of weakness or failure. It’s your brain and body saying: this pace, this pressure, this load — it’s too much.
It can affect anyone, but is particularly common in:
Healthcare, teaching, and caring professions
Parents and caregivers, especially those supporting children with additional needs
High-achieving professionals juggling work and home demands
People with perfectionist tendencies or high self-expectations
Those experiencing long-term emotional strain, such as grief or unresolved trauma
Symptoms can include:
Physical fatigue and frequent illness
Emotional numbness or irritability
Feeling detached, demotivated, or cynical
Trouble concentrating or sleeping
Increased anxiety or low mood
A sense of being “switched on” all the time — even when resting
How Can Online Therapy Help?
Burnout doesn’t resolve with a week off or a single self-care day — although rest is part of recovery. What’s often needed is psychological support to understand how burnout developed, what keeps it going, and how to shift unhelpful patterns.
Working with a Clinical Psychologist allows you to:
Make sense of your experience: We’ll explore the psychological, relational, and systemic factors contributing to your burnout.
Identify unhelpful thinking patterns: Such as “I can’t let anyone down” or “I should be able to manage this.”
Understand your nervous system: Chronic stress can leave your body in a state of ongoing alert — therapy can help you regulate and return to calm.
Work with perfectionism, people-pleasing, or shame: If these are part of what’s driving the burnout, we’ll address them gently and compassionately.
Rebuild balance and boundaries: Therapy helps you connect with your values and needs, and begin to create a more sustainable rhythm for life.
Depending on your presentation, we may draw on CBT, ACT, CFT, or an integrative approach — always tailored to your individual needs.
Why Online Therapy Works So Well for Burnout
When you're burnt out, even the idea of travelling to an appointment or taking time away from work or caregiving can feel overwhelming. That’s why online therapy can be a lifeline.
Accessible support from home: No travel, no logistics, no extra pressure.
Space to process in familiar surroundings: Clients often feel more relaxed and able to reflect when at home.
Flexibility: We can offer appointments that work around your life, rather than adding to the pressure.
And because burnout often comes with feelings of guilt or “not being enough,” being able to connect with a warm, compassionate and skilled psychologist in your own space can make the first step feel more manageable.
Our Approach at The Online Psychologists
We know burnout doesn’t look the same for everyone. That’s why we begin with a free consultation with Dr Rachel Whatmough, a Clinical Psychologist and Director of the service. She’ll take time to understand your situation and thoughtfully match you with the psychologist best placed to support you.
You won’t be passed between therapists or matched by software. This human, clinical approach helps us ensure that you get the right support from the right person, right from the start.
Final Thoughts
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’ve been carrying too much, for too long, often without enough support. Therapy can offer a space to understand, regroup, and rebuild in a way that works for you.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to turn, we’re here to help. With online therapy, you can begin from wherever you are — in every sense of the word.
