Mental Health

John, who’s a 45-year-old software developer, had been feeling the weight of stress and burnout for six months. His company had restructured, and suddenly his workload skyrocketed. The pressure to meet tight deadlines and work long hours was immense. John felt constantly tired, irritable, and detached, not just from his work but also from his family. The joy he used to find in his hobbies was gone, replaced by a persistent sense of being overwhelmed. His sleep was a mess; he’d lie awake at night, his mind racing with worries about work. This strain was starting to show at the office and at home, affecting his performance and his relationships.

The goals were to help John accept his internal experiences and commit to actions that reflect his values; encourage John to face his thoughts and feelings rather than avoiding them; keep John grounded in the here and now; help John figure out what truly matters to him; and support John in pursuing his goals, even when this was uncomfortable.

Our counsellor helped John to establish coping strategies and to ensure John used these frequently she gave him homework worksheets and a progress tracker.

She worked on acceptance strategies, like observing thoughts and feelings without judgment. She got John to practice exercises to strengthen his sense of self as an observer and use these exercises throughout the day so they became a habit.
 

He started feeling a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. He reported a significant decrease in stress and burnout symptoms and a much better work-life balance.