Stress and Anxiety Therapist: Burnout and the Nervous System
Stress and Anxiety Therapist: Burnout and the Nervous System
Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC
Imagine driving your car with the gas pedal pushed down—no red lights, no stop signs, no chance to tap the brakes. You might make good time… at first. But eventually, the engine overheats. You run out of gas. And everything starts to break down. This is what chronic stress looks like in the nervous system. And in the workplace.
As a stress and anxiety therapist who works with professionals, I often explain stress like this: Your nervous system has two pedals—gas and brake.
Both are important.
The gas pedal helps you rise to the challenge. It floods your body with adrenaline so you can focus, respond, and move forward.
The brake pedal tells your body it’s safe to downshift, recover, and reset.
When both systems are functioning, stress is healthy and temporary. When does the brake never get tapped? That’s when stress becomes chronic and eventually turns into burnout.
The Stress Response Needs a Recovery Phase
We’re built to complete the stress cycle, not stay in it. When we ignore that natural rhythm, our body starts to protest through sleep issues, mood changes, anxiety, panic, exhaustion, and even trauma symptoms. The problem isn’t the stress itself. It’s the fact that we never stop accelerating. This matters at an individual level. But it also matters organizationally. Because leadership behavior—consciously or not—sets the tone.
Leaders, Your Behaviors Influence the Environment
If you’re constantly “on”—pushing through exhaustion, working through lunch, and answering emails after hours—your team will inevitably mirror those behaviors, even if you tell them not to. This is what I call the trickle-down effect in leadership. Let’s talk about behaviors that can set the stage for burnout (gas pedal behaviors) and those that foster resilience (brake pedal behaviors).
Failing to disconnect from work not only puts you at risk for burnout but also instills a similar work ethic in your team. Sometimes, we need to dig deep and push through deadlines and projects, and that’s expected from time to time, especially as leaders. However, when pushing through becomes the norm instead of the exception, we unknowingly set the expectation that others should work nonstop, too. Overworking (gas pedal behaviors) can become problematic. Here is a list of behaviors to watch out for:
Gas Pedal Behaviors (Burnout Inducing)
Overcommitting to tasks or projects
Avoiding delegation and trying to do everything yourself
Saying “yes” to every request, even when it adds to your workload
Ignoring or suppressing personal needs and well-being
Constantly checking emails or messages outside of work hours
Working late into the night or on weekends to keep up
Prioritizing work over personal or family time
Not taking time to recharge after a stressful period
The good news is that resilience-based work practices trickle down, too. When you model brake-pedal behaviors, you’re giving your team the permission to regulate, reset, and prioritize their well-being. Here’s a list of healthy work practices that promote wellness:
Brake Pedal Behaviors (Promoting Wellness)
Taking regular breaks to recharge and clear your mind
Setting boundaries by turning off work-related notifications after hours
Prioritizing self-care, such as exercise, sleep, and healthy eating
Delegating tasks and trusting your team to handle responsibilities
Taking time off to disconnect from work and rest
Engaging in mindfulness or meditation practices to stay centered
Acknowledging your limits and asking for help when needed
Setting realistic expectations for yourself and your team
Celebrating small wins to build morale and reduce stress
One Small Thing You Can Change Today:
Choose one brake-pedal behavior to model this week:
Say out loud: “I’m stepping away for a break.”
Take a full lunch without multitasking.
Set a boundary around after-hours communication.
Acknowledge when you’re at capacity—and let that be enough.
By modeling these brake-pedal behaviors, you’re showing your team that it’s safe to slow down. These small, visible shifts have a ripple effect. You don’t have to overhaul your system overnight. Just start by showing that rest and recovery are important parts of the process.
Need Support for Burnout, Stress, or Leadership Fatigue?
At Mindful Living Counseling, we offer trauma-informed therapy in Orlando and virtually, with a focus on anxiety therapy, trauma therapy, and leadership support for professionals navigating burnout, overwhelm, and emotional regulation.
Ready to Start Anxiety Therapy?
We help professionals and leaders find clarity, reset their nervous systems, and build resilience—personally and within their teams. Real change starts with small, intentional shifts. Let’s get you back to steady.
Not Quite Ready for Anxiety Therapy?
We understand how difficult burnout can be—and how overwhelming it feels to take the next step toward support. You're not alone. While you're navigating this journey, we invite you to explore the blogs below!
Therapy Orlando Anxiety Resources
Stress & Anxiety Therapy Orlando: Burnout Is Preventable
An Anxiety Therapist Shares Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety
Orlando Anxiety Therapist Shares: How to Handle Life's Curveballs
Anxiety Therapy Orlando Shares A Guided Meditation: Presence & Intention
Orlando Therapist Shares Box Breathing Technique: A Tool for Anxiety
Anxiety Therapist Shares: 4-7-8 Breathing
Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando
At Mindful Living Counseling, we offer a variety of therapy services to address diverse needs! Our therapeutic options include EMDR therapy, trauma therapy, teen therapy, and toxic relationship therapy. Additionally, we provide guided meditations for our clients.
Anxiety Therapist Lauran Hahn
Lauran Hahn is an Orlando-based therapist who specializes in helping clients deal with anxiety and trauma. She is a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, a Certified EMDR Therapist, and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Lauran’s goal is to help individuals feel calm in their bodies, at peace in their minds, and connected in their relationships. She also assists clients in healing from toxic relationships and works to prevent them in the future.