Burnout Coaching Explained

Cases of severe stress leading to Burnout have recently been skyrocketing, with the latest report from Mental Health UK citing that 91% of respondents have experienced high or extreme levels of stress in the past year. Now, this doesn't mean that they're all burnt out. Full burnout is an extreme that might occur after a period of sustained and unmanaged pressure. But it does mean that they're at high risk, and that they might need to do something about it before it's too late.

Enter Burnout coaching - an emerging discipline that meets you where you're at, and tackles the problem from both a practical and a behavioural perspective. It aims to stave off burnout before it becomes a crisis, offering tools to pull you back from the edge, and put up some guard rails to prevent it from happening again.

If you're a professional who's feeling on the edge of burnout, it might feel hard to see a way forward. You can feel so overwhelmed by the day-to-day that change can feel hazy and out of reach. But the truth is, change is possible - and burnout coaching could well be the key, giving you the insight, practical tools and renewed hope to create a life that doesn’t feel so heavy.

What is Coaching?

If you've never had coaching before, it can be hard to get your head around the concept. At its most basic, it's a conversation focused on one of you, that is held in a safe space. For some, that alone - simple as it may sound - is everything. The chance to be truly heard and understood by another, and to hear yourself aloud. It's amazing what insights can emerge when you pause, cast the day-to-day mental load aside, and allow the time, space and attention for your deeper thoughts to emerge.

But more than this, coaching is also a collaborative process to help you notice what’s working in your life, uncover what’s not, and explore practical ways to create lasting change. Your coach is not there to tell you what to do, to diagnose or advise, but they will act as a guide to help you find your way. They will challenge you to think differently and try new behaviours.They will support you while you work through your problems and provide a sounding board to workshop solutions. When you slack off, they'll nudge you. When you fall, they will hold you. And when you win, they will celebrate you. Your own personal cheerleader, devil's advocate and cattle prod all rolled into one.

Coaching is not therapy; you won’t be digging into trauma or analysing your past, but it does involve looking honestly at the habits, patterns, and beliefs that may be driving you toward exhaustion.

In a coaching session, you can expect:

• Exploration and reflection: A safe space to talk about what’s happening for you and what’s holding you back.

• Clarity and insight: We might uncover hidden patterns - automatic behaviours or thought loops that might be draining your energy or sapping your confidence.

• Actionable steps: Coaching isn’t just about understanding; it’s about creating change you can implement immediately.

• Support and accountability: Guidance and encouragement to help you follow through and make sustainable changes.

• Resources: Your coach will offer you practical resources such as tools, exercises, psychological frameworks and book recommendations to help you understand yourself better and make more conscious choices.

  
  

Burnout Coaching: The intersection between Stress Management and Transformation

Burnout coaching is an emerging style of coaching which blends practical techniques with deeper personal exploration. On the one hand, you might be working on managing workload, prioritising energy, and setting boundaries. On the other, you might explore why you push too hard, struggle to say no, or feel you always need to achieve more.

By addressing both the “what” and the “why,” burnout coaching helps you build a sustainable way of working and living that prevents burnout from returning.

Coaching vs Therapy: Which path is right for you?

Therapy and coaching are complementary but different:

• Therapy often looks at the past to help you process experiences, heal, and regain stability.

• Coaching focuses on the present and future, helping you clarify where you are now, where you want to be, and what actions will get you there.

  
  

Therapy helps you heal; coaching helps you grow. Sometimes people need a combination, depending on where they are in their journey.

Coaching works best when you have a baseline of stability and the willingness to engage with change. If you feel completely stuck or unable to function day-to-day, therapy may be the first step. Once you have that support in place, coaching can accelerate recovery, help you rebuild energy, and prevent burnout from returning.

That said, there's an understanding in burnout coaching that the coachee may begin in quite a vulnerable place. You might be feeling overwhelmed and emotional. Foggy and uncertain. It may take a little time to find the resources to move forwards and that's OK. A good burnout coach can hold action with empathy and challenge with patience and warmth.

Why Hope Is your Superpower

Hope is more than just a positive feeling - it’s the heart of “psychological capital,” the mental fuel that keeps us moving forward. Successful coaching depends on hope: the belief that change is possible, that life can feel different, and that you have the power to shape your own path.

If hope feels completely out of reach - if despair or hopelessness is dominating your day-to-day life - coaching alone may not be enough. That’s when therapy can provide the stability and support needed before coaching can be effective.

Hope is your superpower. It's the spark that will ignite that first step towards a new way of living, and the energy that will make sure you get there.

Let's be honest. We live in uncertain times. The working world is hard. People are complicated. The world is full of challenges. Hope allows you to accept all this as context, not to try and change it but to find a way through it.

Ready to take the first step?

Start by honestly asking yourself a few questions:

Q1: In a year's time, how will I feel if nothing's changed?

Q2: What permission do I need to give myself to make a change?

Q3: Do I believe that change is possible?

Q4: If not now, then when?

Q5: If not this, then what?

If you’re ready to take the first step toward feeling more energised, in control, and hopeful, let’s talk. Book a free discovery session today and we’ll explore what coaching could look like for you.

Click here to find out more about my transformative coaching programme: Back from the Brink