Therapy for Burnout in San Diego, CA

This is very common. A lot of my clients are already self-aware—they know they’re overwhelmed and want things to be different. But insight alone doesn’t always lead to change, especially when these patterns are tied to long-standing ways of coping or relating. That’s where our work focuses: not just understanding what’s happening, but helping it shift in a way that actually feels sustainable.

Both Narrative Therapy and IFS (Internal Family Systems) are approaches that help you understand why you respond the way you do—without seeing you as the problem.

In Narrative Therapy, we look at the messages and expectations you’ve absorbed over time—from family, culture, and society—and how they’ve shaped the way you think, feel, and show up. This is often where things like burnout, pressure, or feeling like you always have to do more start to make sense. From there, we begin sorting through what actually fits for you and what doesn’t, so you can move forward in a way that feels more aligned.

Internal Family Systems, or parts work, looks at the different “parts” of you that show up in different situations—like the part that keeps pushing, the part that avoids conflict, or the part that feels overwhelmed. These parts aren’t problems to get rid of—they’ve developed to help you in some way. Our work is to understand them, so they don’t have to work so hard.

Once we understand where these patterns come from and what purpose they’ve been serving, we have much more clarity around how to approach them differently. Instead of throwing random tools at the problem and hoping something works, the work becomes more intentional, focused, and tailored to what you actually need.

No. The goal isn’t to become a different person or stop caring about your work or relationships. It’s about finding a way to show up in those areas without overextending yourself or losing your sense of balance. We’re not getting rid of the parts of you that care—we’re helping them not have to work so hard.

That fear makes a lot of sense, especially if a big part of your identity has been built around being dependable, productive, high-achieving, or the person people can count on.

This work isn’t about taking away your ambition, work ethic, or ability to care deeply. In many cases, those qualities are part of what helped you get through difficult environments and succeed in the first place. The goal is to help you build a different relationship with those parts of yourself so success no longer has to come at the expense of your well-being. Often, people find they’re still capable, driven, and effective—but less consumed by pressure, guilt, or the constant feeling that they always have to keep proving themselves.

Both. Many of my clients experience burnout that comes from a combination of work demands and relational expectations—whether that’s family, partners, or leadership roles. These areas are often connected, so we look at how they influence each other rather than treating them separately.

I regularly work with clients who are used to being responsible for a lot—at work, in their families, and in their relationships. For many people, burnout is closely tied to deeper expectations around responsibility, success, and taking care of others. This can be especially true for clients navigating cultural or family dynamics where there’s an emphasis on achievement, sacrifice, or not being a burden.

My approach intentionally takes these factors into account. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, we look at how your experiences, values, and environment have shaped the way you operate—and find a way forward that actually fits your life.

It depends on what you’re working through and what’s contributing to your burnout. Some people start to notice small shifts early on—like feeling a bit more aware or having more space in certain situations. Bigger changes tend to build over time as we continue to understand and work through what’s driving the patterns. The focus is on creating changes that are sustainable—not just temporary relief.