Therapy for Teachers: How Counselling Can Help You Cope with Stress and Burnout
When Teaching Starts to Take Everything Out of You
Teaching is a role that asks a lot — your time, energy, and emotional care. Many secondary school teachers find themselves working late into the night, marking, planning lessons, or replying to emails long after everyone else has switched off. Even when you finally sit down, your mind keeps racing.
You might tell yourself, “I’ll just get this done” — but exhaustion creeps in. Over time, that constant pressure can lead to teacher burnout, leaving you feeling drained, anxious, and disconnected from the job you once loved.
If you’ve been feeling this way, it may help to have a space — outside of school life — to talk things through and start recovering your energy.
The Pressure to Keep Going
Many of the teachers I work with describe that same pressure to always be available — it’s rarely just about workload.If this feels familiar, my blog on self-compassion explores how caring for yourself can protect you from burnout.”
Teachers often feel a huge sense of responsibility. You care deeply about your students and want to give your best. But many teachers I work with describe feeling guilty if they stop — believing that being a “good” teacher means always being available.
In counselling sessions, I often hear:
“I can’t switch off.”
“I feel irritable and anxious, but I just keep going.”
“I’m constantly behind, no matter how hard I try.”
That feeling of never being finished can quietly turn into burnout. The truth is, always being on doesn’t always mean doing your best work — it often means you’re running on empty.
Understanding Burnout and Energy Limits
Burnout doesn’t happen because you’re not strong enough — it happens when you’ve been running on empty for too long. The long hours, emotional demands, and lack of rest catch up. You might notice you’re more short-tempered, tearful, or simply exhausted.
If you’d like to understand more about how work-related stress affects mental health, the NHS offers helpful guidance on recognising signs of burnout and when to seek support.
“If you only have 50 percent to give today, that 50 percent becomes your 100.” It’s not about pushing harder — it’s about recognising your limits with kindness.
In my therapy work, I often remind clients that our energy naturally ebbs and flows. Some days you’ll feel capable and focused, and on others, you might just need to get through. Counselling for burnout helps you notice these shifts without judgment, and find ways to respond with kindness instead of criticism.
How Counselling Can Help Teachers Recover and Reconnect
Counselling support for teachers offers a quiet space away from the noise of school life — somewhere you can slow down, untangle your thoughts, and simply be listened to.
In therapy, you can:
Explore what’s behind your stress and exhaustion
Learn tools for managing anxiety and overwhelm
Develop healthier boundaries around work and rest
Reconnect with your confidence and sense of purpose
Burnout therapy isn’t about telling you to care less — it’s about helping you care sustainably. Together, we look at how you can protect your wellbeing while still being the teacher you want to be.
If you’d like to explore this further, you can find out more about how I support clients through burnout and stress on my Work With Me page.
You might also find Education Support helpful — a UK charity offering free, confidential emotional support and resources for teachers and education staff.
You can read more about how I support teachers through burnout and stress on my Work With Me page.
A Personal Note — I’ve Been There Too
Burnout is close to my heart because I’ve lived it. Over a decade ago, when I started working on a mental health helpline, I was the person who always said yes to extra shifts, stayed up late, and ignored the signs that I was running out of steam. I’d fall asleep within minutes of getting home and realised I wasn’t being much company to the people I cared about.
That experience taught me something I now share often in therapy sessions about burnout: we can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s not selfish to slow down — it’s necessary.
It’s OK to Stop Trying So Hard
Teachers give so much of themselves — to their students, colleagues, and schools. But you deserve care too. Counselling for teachers can help you recover from burnout, manage stress, and rebuild your energy in a way that lasts. If this sounds like where you are, you can book a free intro call here.
If you’re a teacher feeling exhausted, anxious, or overwhelmed, you don’t have to keep going alone. Burnout therapy and counselling support can help you find balance again — and remember that you’re human too.