Those of us who call either Arlington or DC home skew toward the self-motivated, education-minding, A++ achiever types who are determined to make a difference. For all the great those good qualities can do, those same characteristics can also set us up for high levels of job stress and burnout.

If you’re a young professional living here, odds are you have been pulling long hours in consulting or contractor work, grinding through cases at a big law firm, or trying to make a name for yourself in the policy world

Burnout can look very similar to depression and can include symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest, appetite/weight change, and difficulty concentrating.Ask yourself the following questions to assess whether you are currently experiencing burnout:

Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?

Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?

Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?

Have your sleep habits changed?

Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?

Work is your main focus, even when you’re not at work?

So answering yes to one or two of these questions doesn’t certify you as someone who is burntout. That said, I would take that as an innovation to explore if these symptoms are directly and materially correlated to your work environment.

Don’t skip trying to self-care your way out of burnout first. You’d also be surprised often how little managers are aware of your burn out, and how much they’d do to support your well-being once you’ve had a direct conversation with them.

When that’s not enough or the stress keeps boomeranging, therapy can be a long-term, powerful tool for you to use. You’ll get instant relief from unloading those pent-up feelings to someone empathetic and understanding. And over the long-term, you’ll develop new techniques, mindsets, and structure you can fall back on to a/ reduce your vulnerability to work stress and b/ if you do get burnt out again, you know how to hit the reset button and self-manage your way back to calm.

As someone who's been burnt out before by start up culture, I’m particularly invested in helping you find a work approach that feels right and sustainable to you.

Self-care! Prioritize activities that rejuvenate you, such as exercise, hobbies, or relaxation techniques. Regular self-care helps manage stress and maintains emotional balance.

If you’ve done all the self care and still are experiencing symptoms, it might be time to act and get more help. There are many talented and warm therapists (like me!) in the DC/NOVA area to help you evaluate the impact that your work is having on you and your life and how to go about making changes.

I’m relatable, experienced, and empathetic. I see myself as the ultimate dual threat to help you quarterback your job search (Lamar Jackson, but make him a career counselor).

In the past 10 years, I’ve called Arlington home and worked at full-time roles at multiple leading companies (Uber, Rula, Gartner). In addition to being a therapist, I still contract at some of these companies and bring a unique perspective