Overwhelmed and Exhausted? Stress & Burnout Support in Bristol & Online Therapy UK

Published on 17 September 2025 at 11:45

Stress is a normal part of life. A little pressure can help us stay focused, meet deadlines, and rise to challenges. Without a little stress, life would be boring.

However let’s be honest—life can feel like a lot sometimes. Stress can feel like a lot. Whether it's work pressures, caring responsibilities, endless to-do lists or that constant background noise that we cannot shut off. Perhaps you are constantly running on empty.

Feeling emotionally flat?

Physically and mentally exhausted?

Disconnected from yourself or others?

Snapping at people?

Struggling to sleep?

Feeling on edge or wired... all the time?

If that sounds familiar, you might be heading toward (or already deep in) burnout. Sometimes we just don't notice it.

The word BURNOUT surrounded by stationary

So… What’s the Difference Between Stress and Burnout?

Most of us are pretty familiar with stress—it’s that wired feeling when you’ve got too much going on. Your heart races, your thoughts speed up, and everything feels urgent. Think those endless job lists or 1000% things to get done at work. In small doses, stress can actually be helpful—it pushes us to get things done.

But burnout? That’s a whole different beast.

Burnout creeps in slowly. It’s what happens when stress sticks around for too long or is too demanding and your inner resources get drained.

You might feel:

Permanently tired, no matter how much you sleep
Disconnected, flat, or emotionally numb
Like everything is “too much” and “what’s the point?” at the same time
Foggy, unmotivated, or even a bit cynical about life

Why Burnout Is So Sneaky

Burnout isn’t always obvious, especially when you're someone who’s used to coping, carrying, and “just getting on with it.” You might still be performing well on the outside—going to work, making dinner, answering emails—but inside, you feel completely disconnected, exhausted and foggy.

You might think,

“But I’m fine. I’m just tired.” Now how many times do we all say this to ourselves?

But start to notice... if that tiredness is turning into emotional and mental exhaustion, it’s worth paying attention to. Don't just push it to the side, ignore it or excuse how you are feeling.

How Counselling Can Help (Even If You Don’t Know Where to Start)

The good news? You don’t need to have it all figured out before coming to therapy. In fact, that’s kind of the point.

Here’s how counselling can help when you're feeling overwhelmed or burnt out:

Space to Breathe

Therapy gives you a space where you don’t have to be “on” or have the answers. You can just be.

Make Sense of What’s Going On

Together, we’ll gently explore what’s happening under the surface—what’s fuelling your stress, what patterns keep showing up, and how it’s impacting your life.

Learn to Set Boundaries (Without Guilt)

We’ll look at where your energy is going—and whether it’s working for you. This might include learning how to say “no” without guilt.

Rebuild Your Energy and Self-Worth

Burnout can make you feel like you’ve lost yourself. Therapy can help you reconnect with your values, strengths, and the parts of you that have been pushed aside by busyness.