For a long time I looked like I was managing.

I was capable, responsible and the person others relied on. The one who stepped in, organised things and handled what needed to be done. From the outside everything appeared fine, but underneath I carried a constant level of exhaustion from holding too much for too long.

Like many of the women I now support, I did not immediately recognise it as burnout. I simply assumed this was what capable women did. We keep going. We show up for others and meet expectations even when something inside begins to feel flat or disconnected.

Eventually I started questioning whether life and work were meant to feel this heavy. Whether constantly giving without replenishing was sustainable. And whether I was allowed to want something different, even if I could not fully explain what that looked like yet.

Through counselling, reflection and continued professional development, I began recognising patterns I had lived in for years. Over responsibility. Difficulty asking for support. Tying my sense of worth to being productive and dependable.

At the same time, through my work I kept meeting women who looked like they had everything together but felt completely drained behind the scenes.

Many would say things like:

“I don’t even know what I want anymore.”
“I should be grateful but I feel flat.”
“I’m scared to make the wrong move.”

It became clear how often burnout, confidence, identity and career direction become tangled together. These are not separate problems to solve one at a time. They often sit underneath our relationship with work and how we see ourselves.

My personal experiences did not lead me into this profession, but they changed how I sit with clients inside it.

They help me notice what is often left unsaid. The hesitation behind someone’s words. The guilt that can come with wanting more. And the pressure many women carry to keep holding everything together.

I’m a qualified counsellor and career coach based in Sydney, supporting women navigating burnout, career transitions and life direction.