Specialty
You've probably already taken time off. Maybe you've tried the vacation, the sabbatical, the weekend where you didn't check email. And you came back feeling the same. Burnout that's real and persistent usually has something structural underneath it — and that's what we're going to look at.
Begin HereWhat It Looks Like
Most of the high-achievers I work with don't come to me because they've stopped functioning. They come because they're still functioning — perfectly well, from the outside — and something has gone very quiet on the inside. The drive that used to feel natural now has to be manufactured. The work that used to mean something has started to feel hollow.
This version of burnout is the hardest to take seriously, including by the person experiencing it. Because you're still hitting your targets. You're still getting things done. And yet something is gone — some quality of aliveness or engagement that you can't quite name but definitely notice is missing.
I work a lot with people in tech, finance, academia, and the professions — places where high performance is the norm and showing up exhausted is expected. If this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
How I Work With This
Burnout isn't just a resource management problem. It's often a signal — that something about how you're oriented to your work, your identity, or your life has stopped being sustainable. The exhaustion is real. But so is what's underneath it: often some combination of perfectionism, people-pleasing, an identity that got too tightly wound up in achievement, or a life that looks successful but doesn't actually fit who you are.
My approach is depth-oriented. That means we're not just managing symptoms or building better habits — we're trying to understand what the burnout is actually telling you, and what needs to shift at a deeper level. That kind of understanding doesn't just get you back to baseline; it tends to change your relationship with work and with yourself in ways that last.
I work with people who are used to being competent and capable, and who find it strange and uncomfortable to need help. I'm not interested in cheerleading or dispensing advice. I'm interested in the real conversation — about what actually matters to you, what got lost, and what's actually possible. All sessions are virtual, which means I work with clients throughout California and Colorado.
Group Therapy
One of the hardest things about burning out is the isolation of it. You look around and everyone else seems to be managing. You can't bring it to work. And the people in your personal life care, but they don't quite get what it's like to be inside it.
Running on Empty is a small, confidential virtual process group for people who are overextended, burned out, and ready to stop pretending they're fine. It's not a curriculum or a checklist — it's a space to be honest about what's actually happening with people who are living a version of the same thing. 90 minutes, $135 per session, 8-week minimum commitment. Rolling admissions.
Learn more about the group →Leave Documentation
A significant part of my burnout practice involves supporting clients who are taking — or considering — medical leave. I provide documentation for FMLA, CFRA, and California SDI/EDD when it is clinically appropriate, and I work with clients through the leave period and back-to-work transition.
FMLA and CFRA can protect your job for up to 12 weeks. California's SDI program through EDD can replace 60–70% of your income while you're out. For many of my clients, knowing that option exists — and having a PhD-level clinician who can complete the paperwork — is what finally makes it feel possible.
Read more about FMLA, CFRA & SDI for burnout →From the Blog
Common Questions
Yes. Burnout is the core focus of my practice. I work with high-achieving adults in tech, finance, academia, and the professions — people who are still functioning on the outside while running on empty inside. I also run a small virtual therapy group, Running on Empty, for people in burnout recovery, and provide FMLA, CFRA, and SDI/EDD documentation when it is clinically appropriate.
Yes. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for a serious health condition — and burnout that rises to a clinical level qualifies. California residents also have access to CFRA job protection and SDI/EDD income replacement (60–70% of wages, up to 52 weeks). These can run simultaneously. Learn more about FMLA, CFRA, and SDI for burnout.
Yes. As a PhD-level licensed clinical psychologist, I can complete FMLA, CFRA, and California SDI/EDD medical certification forms for clients in active treatment when it is clinically appropriate. Some employers require a doctorate-level clinician (PhD or PsyD) to complete leave paperwork — that is a credential I hold.
We start by understanding what's actually happening — not just the symptoms, but what's driving them. My approach is depth-oriented, meaning we're interested in the patterns and beliefs underneath the burnout, not just coping strategies. Sessions are virtual, typically weekly, and run 50 minutes. Many clients in active burnout choose to meet more than once a week, especially during or after a leave of absence.
It varies considerably depending on how long someone has been burned out, what's driving it, and what changes they're able to make in their work and life. Most clients start noticing meaningful shifts within a few months. Full recovery — including rebuilding a sustainable relationship with work and yourself — typically takes longer. The goal isn't just to get back to baseline, but to come back differently.
Yes. Running on Empty is a small, virtual process group for burned-out adults. It's not curriculum-based — it's a space to be honest about what's happening with people who are living a version of the same thing. 90 minutes per session, $135, 8-week minimum, rolling admissions. Learn more about the group.
Get Started
I offer a free 20-minute consultation. No pressure — just a conversation to see if this feels like the right fit.
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