Burnout · Brisbane CBD & Online
When you’re running on empty and pushing through isn’t working.
Evidence-based support for professionals experiencing burnout, chronic stress, and exhaustion.
Registered psychologist providing burnout support in Brisbane City.
Burnout Doesn’t happen overnight.
It tends to build slowly — often in people who care a lot about their work. The same qualities that make someone good at their role can also make them more vulnerable to burnout: high standards, a tendency to push through, difficulty switching off, and a reluctance to ask for help.
By the time most people recognise it, they’ve been running on empty for a while. Things that once felt energising now feel out of reach. Tasks that once came easily feel effortful. The motivation and sense of purpose that drove you feels distant.
Burnout isn’t a personal failing or a sign that you’re not cut out for your work. It’s a signal that the way you’ve been working isn’t sustainable — and that something needs to shift.
How Burnout tends to show up for professionals
Emotional exhaustion
Feeling depleted at the end of the day — or before it’s even started. Constantly tired and feeling like the sleep you do get doesn’t refresh you.
Detachment and cynicism
Constant self-doubt and a sense of failure. You may feel irritable and disconnected from your work or the people around you.
Reduced performance
Struggling to concentrate, make decisions, or care about outcomes the way you once did. Working harder and longer has diminishing returns.
Physical symptoms
Persistent fatigue, disrupted sleep, getting sick more often — your body telling you something your mind is ignoring.
Loss of enjoyment
Things that used to give you a sense of pleasure no longer do. The thought of engaging with them becomes it’s own source of stress.
Difficulty recovering
Constantly feeling run down. Weekends and breaks don’t feel like enough. You can’t quite remember what recharged you.
Burnout is often invisible from the outside. Colleagues may still see someone who’s performing. Internally the gap between how you appear and how you feel can be significant — and exhausting in itself.
You might also be looking for
Burnout may lead to more specific challenges for people. If any of these feels more relevant to what you’re experiencing, there’s more specific information available.
Depression
If what started as burnout has shifted into something that feels more persistent — low mood, loss of meaning, or a flatness that doesn’t lift even when the pressure eases.
Sleeping Difficulties
If exhaustion and burnout are significantly affecting your sleep — difficulty switching off, lying awake, or waking early with your mind already racing.
Confidence & Self-Worth
If burnout has started to chip away at your self-esteem or purpose — leaving you questioning yourself or struggling to trust your own judgement at work.
What we work on together
- Understand the contributing factors
We explore what drove the burnout — perfectionism, boundaries, values misalignment, workload — and what needs to change. - Rebuild your relationship with work
Learn to engage with your work in a way that’s values-guided rather than driven by pressure, obligation, or fear of falling short. - Practical recovery strategies
Evidence-based tools for managing energy, improving sleep, rebuilding motivation, and setting limits that actually hold. - Relapse prevention
The goal isn’t just to get back to where you were. It’s to build a way of working that’s genuinely sustainable long-term.
Working with a psychologist who understands professional life.
I’m Adam Sadd, a registered psychologist and the founder of Uplift Psychology. With 17 years of combined experience across psychology, coaching, HR, and leadership, I have a practical understanding of how workplace pressure affects how we think, feel, and perform.
I work with professionals navigating anxiety, burnout, self-doubt, and career challenges — people who take their work seriously and want practical support that’s grounded in psychology. My approach is warm, inclusive, and focused on what’s actually useful for you.
Registered
Psychologist (AHPRA)
17+ years
combined experience
Board approved
Supervisor
Background in
Psychology, HR & Leadership
Tailored to How You Think and Work
When managing burnout I draw on a blend of evidence-based approaches. Here’s what you can expect from our sessions.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
A mindfulness-based framework that supports you to manage difficult thoughts and feelings, build psychological flexibility, and take action guided by your values.
Rates and Rebates
Session Type | Fee | After Medicare Rebate** |
|---|---|---|
Initial session (50 min)* | $320 | $218.45 |
Subsequent sessions (50 min) | $275 | $173.45 |
*Initial session includes onboarding, psychological assessment, and developing a customised plan
**Medicare rebate available with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP. Private health insurance rebates may also apply depending on your level of cover — I can process most funds at time of payment.
How You Can Get Started
Step 1
Book a 15-Minute Intake Call
I’ll call you for a relaxed 15-minute conversation. Ask questions, share what you’re looking for, and decide whether Uplift Psychology feels like the right fit for you. There’s no pressure, and no obligation to commit.
Step 2
Begin With a Clear Plan
In your first session, we’ll clarify your goals, explore what’s happening for you, and introduce evidence-informed approaches. Whether short-term or ongoing, your plan will be tailored to how you think and work.
Step 3
Practical, focused sessions
Focused on what’s important to you. Each session is practical, psychology-backed and solutions-oriented. You’ll leave with insight, strategies, and a clear sense of where to direct your energy.
Initial session $320 · Subsequent sessions $275 · Medicare & Private Health Rebates Available
A 15-minute conversation. No obligation.
You’re capable. getting support when you need it doesn’t change that.
A free 15-minute intake call is all it takes to get started. There’s no pressure, and no obligation to commit.
