Running on Empty: Spotting Emotional Burnout and Reclaiming Your Energy

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

We often talk about burnout like it's just a “busy season” or something we can push through with another coffee, one more late night, or a cancelled self-care plan.  But the truth is emotional burnout isn’t just about being tired.  It’s about being emptied.

And too many of us, helpers, parents, business owners, and caregivers are walking around completely drained and calling it “fine.”

I know because I’ve been there.

My Burnout Story: Building While Barely Standing

When I first transitioned from working at another clinic to building Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc., it was one of the most exciting chapters of my life…but also one of the most emotionally exhausting.

I was suddenly wearing every hat: Counsellor,  Business owner,  Website builder,  Branding and marketing lead,  Payroll manager,  Late-night admin, Single mom.  Newly dating after divorce.

I was supporting clients through trauma by day, and Googling “how to register a business name in Nova Scotia” at midnight.  I was helping others regulate their nervous systems while running on adrenaline and sheer willpower myself.

I remember crying one night at my kitchen table, staring at a business license application and wondering if I had made a huge mistake.

But the problem wasn’t the dream it was how I was holding it.I was giving from an empty place, and my emotional burnout wasn’t a sign of failure it was a signal that I needed to recalibrate.

What Is Emotional Burnout?

Emotional burnout is a state of chronic stress and depletion.  It happens when your internal resources empathy, energy, patience, focus, and hope have been running in the red for too long. While it shares overlap with depression and anxiety, emotional burnout is often situational and creeps in over time.

Common Signs of Emotional Burnout

If you recognize yourself in these symptoms, you're not alone:

·       You feel numb, detached, or emotionally flat, even about things you used to care deeply about

·       You’re easily irritable or feel like you’re always on edge

·       Sleep isn’t helping.  You wake up tired, mentally foggy, or unmotivated

·       Your compassion is on empty.  You find yourself withdrawing from others or snapping at the people you love

·       You procrastinate everything, even small tasks, because everything feels like too much

·       You feel overwhelmed by decisions and question your competence

·       You cry easily or can’t cry at all

·       You fantasize about disappearing, quitting, or walking away from everything

These signs are not failures.  They’re alarms going off in your nervous system saying: You were not meant to carry this alone.  Or forever.  Or at this pace.

What To Do If You’re Emotionally Burnt Out

The first step is to validate your experience.  This is real.  You’re not being dramatic.  Your nervous system has limits, and your body is asking you to listen.

Here are some concrete ways to start:

1. Name It Without Shame

Acknowledge what’s happening.  Say it out loud or write it down:“I’m emotionally burnt out, and I need support.”

2. Start With Micro-Restoratives

You don’t have to take a sabbatical to reset.  Try:

·       3-minute breathing breaks between tasks

·       Going outside for 10 minutes a day

·       Saying “no” to non-essential tasks this week

·       Turning off your phone for one hour each night

·       Doing one thing a day that’s just for you

3. Get Back Into Your Body

Burnout disconnects us from our physical selves.  Reconnect by:

·       Stretching or doing light movement

·       Dancing to music in your kitchen

·       Taking a warm bath or shower and imagining stress leaving your body

·       Practicing grounding techniques like 5-4-3-2-1 (name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch…)

4. Reconnect With Meaning

Burnout drains joy.  Gently remind yourself of why you’re doing what you do.  But also ask:Does this still serve me?  Is it time to reimagine the way I work, love, or show up?

5. Talk to Someone

Burnout thrives in isolation.  Whether it’s a therapist, trusted friend, support group, or mentor share the load.

At Venture Counselling, we support individuals navigating burnout from all walks of life—parents, professionals, entrepreneurs, helpers, students, and survivors.  We offer individual counselling, support for neurodiverse clients, and trauma-informed therapy for those who’ve been “strong for too long.”

Final Thoughts: You’re Allowed to Slow Down

If no one has told you this lately:

You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to not have it all figured out. You are allowed to be the healer and the one in need of healing.

Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken.  It means you’ve been trying to do too much, too well, for too long, without enough support.

And that can change. It starts with a pause.  A breath.  A decision to choose you, even just for today.

Holding space for your healing, your hustle, and your human-ness,

Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder & Counsellor, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

image: pngtree