Therapy for Burnout
You've climbed every ladder, checked every box, exceeded every expectation — so why does it feel like you're drowning?
You're Bleeding Out on the Inside While Everyone Sees Success on the Outside
Does this sound familiar?
You wake up already exhausted, dreading the day before it even begins
Your chest tightens when you think about Monday morning — or even Sunday night
You lie awake at 3 AM, mind racing through tomorrow's to-do list, heart pounding
You can't remember the last time you felt calm, truly calm, in your own body
Slowing down feels dangerous, like everything will collapse if you stop moving
You've forgotten what you actually want — all you know is what you should do
You're holding everyone else together while quietly falling apart
You thought success would feel different than this. You thought if you just worked hard enough, pushed through enough, achieved enough — you'd finally feel safe, worthy, enough.
Instead, you're trapped in a cage of your own making.
When you engage in people pleasing you are out of integrity with yourself, your goals, your dreams and who YOU want to be.
This Is What Burnout Actually Feels Like
Burnout isn't just being tired. It's not fixed by a vacation or a weekend off.
Burnout is when your body starts keeping score:
Your chest feels heavy, compressed, like you can't take a full breath
Your jaw aches from clenching. Your shoulders live up by your ears
You're irritable, snapping at people you love over nothing
You feel numb — disconnected from joy, from passion, from yourself
You're exhausted but you can't sleep. Or you sleep but wake up just as tired
You used to care deeply about your work. Now you feel nothing — or worse, resentment
You've lost your spark, your creativity, your sense of purpose
Burnout happens when the stress never stops, when your nervous system stays locked in emergency mode, when your body is screaming for rest but your mind won't let you hear it.
You're not broken. You're overwhelmed.
And your body is begging you to listen.
Imagine a different way of living
Imagine making decisions based on your values—not fear.
Imagine relationships where your needs matter too.
Imagine saying no without spiraling into guilt.
That version of you isn’t selfish—it’s grounded, authentic, and whole.
Who This Is For
This therapy is for you if:
You look successful on paper but feel empty, depleted, or desperate inside
You work in high-stakes, emotionally demanding fields — healthcare, law, advocacy, education, leadership, caregiving
Time off doesn't help anymore. You return from vacation just as anxious as when you left
You can't say no. Setting boundaries feels selfish, dangerous, impossible
You're brilliant at solving everyone else's problems but can't fix your own pain
Work stress has invaded your body — headaches, stomach issues, panic, insomnia
You're terrified that if you slow down, you'll be exposed as a fraud
If you're done white-knuckling your way through life, you're in the right place.
How Therapy Helps You Break Free
At Empowered Mind, we don't just talk about your stress — we help you rewire how your body responds to it.
Our approach includes:
Calming your nervous system so you can finally stop living in fight-or-flight
Understanding that burnout is a physical injury, not a character flaw
Dismantling the brutal beliefs driving you: perfectionism, unworthiness, fear of failure
Reconnecting with what actually matters to you — beneath the noise of expectation
Learning to protect your energy and set boundaries without guilt eating you alive
Releasing trapped tension, trauma, and stress held deep in your body
EMDR-informed techniques to process the accumulated weight you're carrying
You don't have to earn the right to rest. Therapy teaches you how to build a life where thriving and achieving aren't mutually exclusive.
What Clients Experience
People who commit to this work often report:
They can finally breathe again — literally and metaphorically
They have energy for their lives, not just their jobs
They know what they want and feel empowered to ask for it
They can rest without guilt devouring them from the inside
They've rebuilt boundaries that protect instead of isolate
They feel like themselves again — maybe for the first time in years
Imagine Your Life Without the Weight
What if you could:
Do work that matters without sacrificing your sanity
Close your laptop and actually stop thinking about work
Say no without the crushing guilt, without the fear of disappointing everyone
Perform at your best without destroying yourself in the process
Feel steady, solid, present in your own skin
Pursue your goals from a place of excitement, not terror
This isn't about lowering your standards or abandoning your ambition.
It's about reclaiming your humanity while you chase your dreams.
About Dr. Shaneze Gayle Smith
I’m a childhood trauma survivor and reformed people pleaser licensed for in-person therapy in NYC and virtual/online therapy in 41 states.
I get it—I was a people pleaser for decades, and I stayed in an abusive, toxic work environment far longer than I should have because I felt responsible for not letting others down, even when it came at the expense of my own wellbeing. Over time, people pleasing slowly eroded my sense of self; I stopped asking what I wanted or needed and began organizing my life around the expectations, emotions, and demands of everyone else. The anxiety was constant—the pressure to make the “right” decision so no one would be upset, paired with the heaviness that comes from living out of alignment with your values. In my work with clients, I see how this chronic stress often shows up in the body: persistent exhaustion, burnout, headaches, digestive issues, sleep disruption, flare-ups of chronic health conditions, and a nervous system that rarely gets to rest. Therapy becomes a space to slow down, reconnect with your limits, and begin untangling stress patterns that have been harming both your emotional and physical health.
Education
PhD in Clinical Psychology, Seton Hall University (Health Psychology & Child/Adolescent Focus)
Psychology Residency, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center
MS in Forensic Psychology, Walden University
Medical School (3 years), Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School
BA in Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University
Credentials
Certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Expertise in people pleasing manifesting in physical and stress-related ailments.
Over a decade of experience working with trauma survivors in working in toxic work environments
About Vernee Brooks, LPC, LMHC
As a people pleaser who survived childhood trauma, I have been where you are. I have 10 years of extensive experience helping adults heal from traumas that created their people pleasing- I’m licensed for therapy in New York, New Jersey & Texas.
As a therapist who works with people pleasers, I often support individuals whose patterns began in childhood—where staying attuned to others was a way to survive. When you grow up in environments that felt unpredictable, emotionally unsafe, or required you to mature too quickly, learning to anticipate and manage others’ needs can feel essential. In therapy, we gently unpack these early experiences while helping you build healthier, more reciprocal relationships in the present. This work isn’t about blaming the past—it’s about understanding yourself with compassion, strengthening your sense of self, and learning that connection doesn’t require self-sacrifice. You deserve relationships where your needs matter too.
Education
M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Walden University
BA in Psychology, Rutgers University
Credentials
Advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Expertise in people pleasing showing up in toxic or unhealthy relationships.
Over a decade of experience working with trauma survivors with people pleasing tendencies in various clinical settings
About Christine Pacheco, LMSW
I am licensed for therapy in New York.
In my work with people pleasers, I often see clients who feel overextended in every area of life—carrying the emotional weight of relationships that don’t feel reciprocal, saying yes at work until burnout sets in, and then blaming themselves for feeling overwhelmed or reactive. Many have learned to keep things together on the outside while struggling to regulate their emotions on the inside. In therapy, we focus on helping you slow down, understand your emotional responses without judgment, and recognize where your energy is being depleted rather than nourished. Together, we work toward building relationships and work lives that are more balanced, where effort is mutual and your emotional needs are no longer an afterthought.
Education
Master of Social Work, Fordham University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Brooklyn College
Credentials
Advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-based therapy, Person-Centered therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) .
Expertise in supporting mothers navigating people pleasing.
Over 8 year experiences in attachment based approach to manage burnout, resentment, and emotional reactivity.
People Pleasing Therapy FAQs
-
A: People pleasing itself isn’t a diagnosis—it’s a learned pattern and coping strategy. It often develops in response to early relationships, family dynamics, or environments where keeping others happy felt necessary for safety or connection.
-
A: Guilt is one of the strongest drivers of people pleasing. Many people were taught—directly or indirectly—that asserting needs causes harm, conflict, or rejection. Therapy helps you understand where this guilt comes from and how to tolerate it without abandoning yourself.
-
A: Yes. In fact, healthier boundaries often improve relationships. Therapy focuses on helping you communicate more clearly and authentically, so relationships become more balanced instead of one-sided.
-
A: This is a very real fear. When you stop people pleasing, others may react—especially if they benefited from your lack of boundaries. Therapy helps you navigate these reactions while staying grounded in your values.
-
A: Unlearning people pleasing is a process, not a quick fix. With consistent therapy, many people begin noticing shifts in awareness, boundaries, and self-trust within months.