Stress & Burnout Counselling in Brisbane
If you are exhausted in a way that sleep does not fix, dreading work before the week starts, or finding that you no longer care about things you used to care about, that is worth taking seriously. Brisbane Counselling Centre has worked with stress and burnout from Wickham Terrace in the Brisbane CBD since 1989, with individuals, executives and organisations across Queensland.
You do not need to wait until you are unable to continue working or functioning before seeking support. New clients are usually seen within one to two weeks, including early morning and Saturday appointments.
To make an appointment, please call to speak with one of our receptionists or use our online enquiry form to discuss your needs further.
Written and clinically reviewed by Natascha Madden, Registered Psychologist (AHPRA reg. PSY0000953827), Brisbane Counselling Centre. Last reviewed: September 2026
What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of exhaustion caused by chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
The World Health Organization includes burnout in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon rather than a medical condition. It is defined by three features: feeling depleted and exhausted, feeling increasingly distant from or cynical about your job, and a reduced sense of being effective at what you do.
The WHO is specific that burnout refers to the work context. Exhaustion arising from caring for a family member, financial pressure or study can look and feel similar, and is just as worth treating, but it sits outside the formal definition.
What matters clinically is that burnout is not a character flaw or a resilience problem. It develops when demands consistently outstrip capacity over a long period, and it is a predictable outcome of certain working conditions rather than a sign that someone was not tough enough.
What are the signs of burnout?
Burnout usually develops slowly, which is why people often do not recognise it until they are well into it. You may benefit from psychological support if you are experiencing any of the following:
Exhaustion and depletion
- Emotional exhaustion, fatigue, numbness or reduced motivation
- Tiredness that rest does not resolve, and needing the whole weekend to recover
- Difficulty switching off after work or during time away from work
- Sleep problems, headaches, muscle tension, digestive symptoms or persistent tiredness
- Getting sick more often than usual
Detachment and cynicism
- Feeling disconnected from work you previously valued
- Growing negativity or cynicism about your job or your organisation
- Irritability, frustration, tearfulness or feeling overwhelmed by small tasks
- Going through the motions, and then feeling guilty about not caring
- Avoiding work, meetings, emails, colleagues or difficult conversations
Reduced effectiveness
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions or completing tasks
- Making mistakes you would not normally make
- Ongoing worry about workload, performance, conflict or job security
- Perfectionism, imposter feelings or fear of making mistakes
- A growing sense that you are not doing your job properly
Signs outside work
- Increased conflict at home, or reduced capacity for relationships and family life
- Withdrawing from friends, exercise, cooking and things you used to enjoy
- Using alcohol, food, work, screens or other behaviours to manage stress
If several of these have been true for months rather than weeks, it is worth talking to a psychologist or counsellor.
Am I burnt out, stressed, or depressed?
These overlap, and the distinction matters because it changes what help is required.
Stress is a response to specific demands or pressures, and it can arise in any area of life: workload, deadlines, organisational change, family responsibilities, financial strain, illness, relationship difficulties or major life transitions. It tends to involve over-engagement and urgency, and it usually eases once the pressure lifts.
Burnout is what chronic, unrelieved workplace stress becomes. Rather than heightened, it is flattened: disengagement, emptiness and exhaustion instead of urgency. Burnout is tied to your work situation, and people often notice they feel noticeably better on a long holiday, then deteriorate again within weeks of returning.
Depression is broader. It affects your view of yourself and your life generally, not just your job, and it does not lift when you step away from work. Burnout and depression often occur together, and burnout left unaddressed is a recognised risk factor for depression.
A psychologist or counsellor can help you understand whether what you are experiencing relates to stress, anxiety, low mood, trauma, workplace conflict, perfectionism, an unsustainable workload, a health issue, or a combination of these. Often more than one applies. If you are unsure, that is a reason to book an appointment with a professional to discuss what is happening for you.
If worry, panic or persistent fear are more central to your experience than exhaustion, our anxiety counselling page may be more relevant.
What causes burnout at work?
Burnout is caused mainly by working conditions, not by personal weakness or poor resilience. Psychologists have identified six workplace conditions that consistently predict burnout:
- Workload – sustained demands beyond what the role can absorb
- Control – little say over how you do your work
- Reward – insufficient recognition, pay or advancement for what you put in
- Community – a breakdown in workplace relationships or support
- Fairness – unfair treatment, favouritism or unclear decision-making
- Values – a conflict between what matters to you and what your organisation does
When several of these are present at once, burnout becomes likely, regardless of how capable or committed the person is.
Do you work with people in high-stress professions?
Yes. People working in healthcare and allied health, emergency services, mining and resources, education, law and professional services, leadership and executive roles, and caring roles are exposed to sustained pressure, high responsibility, difficult decisions and emotionally challenging situations.
You may seek support because you are:
- Carrying responsibility for other people’s wellbeing or safety
- Managing repeated exposure to distressing stories or events
- Working long, unpredictable or FIFO and DIDO rosters with limited recovery time
- Struggling with boundaries between work and personal life
- Feeling disconnected from a profession that once felt meaningful
- Experiencing self-doubt, imposter feelings or fear of making an error
- Returning to work after illness, leave, injury or a difficult experience
- Carrying a sustained caring load at home alongside paid work
Psychological support provides a confidential space to reflect, recover, identify patterns and develop practical strategies for moving forward.
If workplace events, critical incidents, bullying, violence or accidents continue to affect you, see our trauma, PTSD and complex PTSD and EMDR therapy pages.
What does burnout treatment involve?
Treatment works on two fronts at once: recovering your capacity, and changing what depleted it.
Your psychologist or counsellor will take time to understand the pressures you are facing, how they are affecting you, what you have already tried and what you would like to change. That includes working out whether there is an accompanying condition such as depression or anxiety, and whether time away from work needs to be part of the plan.
Therapy may help you to:
- Identify the patterns that keep stress going, and notice early signs that your capacity is becoming stretched
- Manage worry, rumination, irritability and perfectionism
- Develop sustainable boundaries around work and availability
- Strengthen communication and problem-solving skills for difficult workplace situations
- Process the impact of conflict, bullying, critical incidents or distressing professional experiences
- Improve sleep, emotional regulation and recovery outside work
- Explore decisions about role changes, career direction, leave, return to work or workplace adjustments
- Reconnect with values, priorities and activities that support wellbeing
The evidence-based approaches psychologists and counsellors draw on include cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for the thinking patterns that keep burnout running, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for reconnecting with what matters to you, and EMDR where burnout sits on top of a specific workplace incident, bullying, or earlier trauma the current situation has reactivated.
Recovery from burnout typically takes longer than people expect. Your psychologist will discuss a realistic timeframe with you after the initial assessment. You can read more about what a typical session looks like here.
How do I book an appointmentfor stress or burnout in Brisbane?
Take the following steps to make an appointment:
- Please call (07) 3831 4452 or complete our enquiry form. Our reception team will talk through what you are looking for and suggest a suitable practitioner. You do not need a referral to book.
- See your GP if you want a Medicare rebate. Ask for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. You can book with us before or after that appointment. If you have private health insurance cover, you may be eligible for a rebate under your policy with a counsellor or psychologist. It is best to check with your health insurance provider.
- Attend your first session. Bring your Medicare card and your plan if you have one. Nothing else to prepare.
Brisbane Counselling Centre is at Level 7, 87 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, near the Brisbane CBD, about five minutes’ walk from Central Station. We are open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8:30am to 5:00pm. Online and telephone sessions are available if you cannot attend in person.
Funding, referral and eligibility arrangements can vary, including for workplace and compensation matters, so please contact us for current information about your situation.
Meet our psychologists and counsellors or see our fees and rebate information.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between stress and burnout?
Can a psychologist or counsellor help with work-related stress?
Do I need to leave my job before seeking help?
Is telehealth available for work stress appointments?
Can I use Medicare or WorkCover for workplace stress?
Will my employer find out I am seeing a psychologist or counsellor?
How long does it take to recover from burnout?
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist or counsellor for burnout?
How much does it cost to see a psychologist or counsellor in Brisbane?
How long is the wait for an appointment?
Can I see a psychologist on a Saturday or outside standard work hours?
Does my employer's EAP cover burnout counselling?
Do you offer online or telephone counselling?
Where are you located and is there parking?
Individual and organisational support
This page is about individual counselling. Brisbane Counselling Centre also provides Employee Assistance Programs, workplace counselling, critical incident response and training for organisations across Queensland.
If you are a manager or HR lead concerned about burnout in your team, call (07) 3831 4452 to discuss what would suit your workplace.
We can help!
If work stress, burnout, exhaustion or ongoing pressure are affecting your wellbeing, relationships or ability to function, Brisbane Counselling Centre can help you work through the issues at hand and consider a way forward.
The psychologists and counsellors are available to help. Please call to speak with one of our friendly team members to discuss your needs further.
