Start by Asking: “What Is Creating the Overload?

”When someone feels overwhelmed, the advice they receive is often:
“You need to manage your stress better.”

Sometimes developing new strategies can help.

But there is another question worth asking:
“What is creating the overload?”

Imagine someone who is:

• Working excessive hours
• Caring for children
• Supporting an ageing parent
• Managing financial pressure
• Sleeping poorly
• Living with chronic pain
• Trying to keep up with household responsibilities

Teaching that person another breathing exercise may be useful.

But it doesn't remove the demands.

Likewise, a neurodivergent child who is overwhelmed by sensory, social, communication and academic demands at school may not simply need to become better at coping with those demands.

Sometimes the environment also needs to change.
Effective support can involve both:
Developing strategies within the person
and
Identifying changes around the person.

What Is Stress?

Stress is a response to demands, pressures or situations that require us to adapt.

Stress isn't automatically harmful.
Short periods of stress can sometimes help us:

• Focus
• Respond quickly
• Prepare
• Complete important tasks
• Meet deadlines
• Deal with challenging situations

The problem is more likely to arise when demands are:

• Persistent
• Excessive
• Unpredictable
• Difficult to control
• Greater than the resources available to manage them

​Without sufficient opportunities for recovery, prolonged stress can begin affecting emotional, cognitive and physical wellbeing.

---

What Does Feeling Overwhelmed Mean?

Feeling overwhelmed often describes the experience of having more demands than you feel able to manage at that moment.

Someone might think:
“I don't even know where to start.”
“Everything feels urgent.”
“There's too much to do.”
“I can't think straight.”
“I just want everyone to leave me alone.”

Overwhelm can occur when there is one major stressor.

It can also happen when many relatively small demands accumulate.

For example:
Work + children + appointments + bills + poor sleep + household tasks + family responsibilities
​may individually be manageable.

Together, they may exceed someone's available capacity.

---

What Is Burnout?

The word burnout is used widely in everyday conversation.

People may use it to describe feeling:

• Emotionally exhausted
• Mentally depleted
• Physically exhausted
• Disconnected
• Unable to keep meeting demands
• Less effective than usual
• Unable to recover properly between demands

Importantly, burnout isn't a universal medical diagnosis for every form of exhaustion or overwhelm.

The term can also mean different things in different contexts.

Occupational burnout generally relates specifically to chronic workplace stress.

People may also use terms such as parental burnout, caregiver burnout or neurodivergent burnout to describe particular patterns of prolonged overload and exhaustion.

Because similar experiences can also occur with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, physical illness and other conditions, persistent or significant exhaustion should not automatically be labelled burnout.

---

Stress, Overwhelm & Burnout Are Not the Same Thing

These terms overlap, but they aren't interchangeable.

Stress
Often involves responding to ongoing demands or pressures.
Someone may feel:
“There is too much happening.”

Overwhelm
Can describe the point where the demands feel greater than the person's current ability to process or manage them.
Someone may feel:
“I can't deal with all of this.”

Burnout
Usually describes a more prolonged pattern of exhaustion or depletion associated with sustained demands and inadequate recovery.
Someone may feel:
“I have nothing left.”

These distinctions aren't always clear-cut.

The more important question is often:
What is happening, how long has it been happening and how is it affecting everyday life?

---

Signs of Stress & Overload

Stress can affect multiple areas at once.

---

Emotional Signs

You may notice:

• Irritability
  
• Frustration
  
• Feeling overwhelmed
  
• Anxiety
  
• Low mood
  
• Reduced patience
  
• Feeling emotionally exhausted
  
• Feeling unable to cope
  
• Increased sensitivity
  
• Difficulty relaxing
  

---

Cognitive Signs

Stress can affect thinking.
Someone may experience:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Forgetfulness
• Racing thoughts
• Difficulty making decisions
• Reduced problem-solving
• Difficulty prioritising
• Mental fatigue
• Constant worrying
• Difficulty switching off
• Feeling mentally “foggy”

When someone is overloaded, even simple decisions can begin to feel disproportionately difficult.

---

Behavioural Signs

Stress may also change behaviour.
Someone might:

• Procrastinate
• Avoid tasks
• Withdraw socially
• Work longer hours
• Stop doing enjoyable activities
• Become more irritable with others
• Spend more time scrolling or distracting themselves
• Cancel plans
• Struggle to maintain routines
• Become less organised
• Seek frequent reassurance

These behaviours don't automatically indicate poor motivation.

They may reflect reduced capacity.

---

Physical Signs of Stress

Stress can be associated with physical experiences such as:

• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Sleep difficulties
• Stomach discomfort
• Changes in appetite
• Feeling restless
• Racing heart
• Feeling physically tense
• Jaw clenching

However, physical symptoms shouldn't automatically be assumed to be caused by stress.

Persistent, significant, new or unexplained physical symptoms should be discussed with a GP or another appropriate health professional.

Why Do Small Things Become Hard When I'm Overwhelmed?

When someone has very little capacity remaining, seemingly small demands can feel enormous.

An unanswered email.
A pile of washing.
A school form.
A phone call.

Someone asking:
“What's for dinner?”

The task itself may not be particularly difficult.

The problem is that it has arrived on top of everything else.

Think of capacity as a container.

When the container is nearly full, even a small additional demand can cause overflow.
​
This can explain why someone who has been managing substantial responsibilities may suddenly become distressed by something that appears minor from the outside.

---

Stress vs Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can overlap.

Stress commonly develops in response to demands or pressures.

Anxiety involves worry, fear or apprehension and can sometimes continue even when an immediate stressor isn't present.
For example:
Stress:
“I have three deadlines this week and I don't have enough time.”
Anxiety:
“What if I fail? What if everyone thinks I'm incompetent?”

Someone may experience both simultaneously.
​
Understanding whether the primary issue is the demands themselves, anxiety about those demands, or both can help guide support.
Explore Anxiety, Worry & Feeling Overwhelmed

---

Burnout vs Depression

Burnout and depression can share features such as:

• Exhaustion
• Reduced motivation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Withdrawal
• Reduced enjoyment
• Feeling ineffective
• Sleep changes

However, they are not interchangeable terms.

Depressive disorders involve specific patterns of symptoms and require appropriate clinical assessment.

If someone is experiencing persistent low mood, significant loss of interest or pleasure, substantial changes in functioning or other concerning mental health symptoms, they should speak with their GP or an appropriately qualified mental health professional.

It is particularly important not to assume:
“I'm just burnt out.”
when something else may also require attention.

---

Stress in Children

Children experience stress too.
Potential stressors can include:

• School
• Learning difficulties
• Friendship problems
• Bullying
• Family changes
• Separation
• Changes in routine
• Sensory overload
• Social demands
• Academic expectations
• Illness
• Grief
• Conflict
• Major transitions

Children don't always say:
“I'm stressed.”
Instead, parents may notice:

• Irritability
• Tearfulness
• Emotional escalations
• Sleep difficulties
• Physical complaints
• Withdrawal
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased reassurance seeking
• Avoiding activities
• Reduced school attendance
• Increased dependence on parents

Understanding what has changed can be more useful than focusing only on the behaviour.
Explore Child & Teen Counselling

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When Several Changes Happen at Once

A child may be adjusting to separation, moving house, a new school, changed routines and different friendships at the same time. Looking at the cumulative load can help explain why a young person who previously appeared to cope may suddenly feel overwhelmed.

Related resource: Family Changes & Adjustment in Children & Teenagers

---

Stress & Overwhelm in Teenagers

Teenagers may be balancing:

• School
• Homework
• Exams
• Friendships
• Relationships
• Social media
• Family expectations
• Part-time work
• Sport
• Extracurricular activities
• Decisions about the future
• Identity
• Increasing independence

Sometimes adults look at an adolescent's schedule and assume they should be able to manage it.

But the relevant question is:
“How demanding is this for this particular teenager?”

Signs of overload might include:

• Irritability
• Withdrawal
• Difficulty sleeping
• Procrastination
• Reduced school attendance
• Avoiding responsibilities
• Emotional exhaustion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased anxiety
• Reduced motivation

Support may involve strategies, but it may also involve reviewing the demands themselves.

---

School Stress & Academic Pressure

School can create significant demands.
These may involve:

• Homework
• Tests
• Assignments
• Exams
• Presentations
• Attendance
• Social expectations
• Learning difficulties
• Organisation
• Time management
• Sensory environments
• Transitions
• Pressure about grades

A child or teenager experiencing school-related distress doesn't necessarily need to be pushed harder.

Sometimes it is important to understand:
What specifically is difficult?

When School Becomes Overwhelming

A school day can involve substantial learning, sensory, social, communication and emotional demands. Some children and teenagers may appear to manage during school but have very little capacity remaining afterwards.

If stress or overwhelm is becoming connected with attending school, it can help to look at the young person's whole day, including sleep, eating and drinking at school, recovery time and the demands of the school environment.

Explore: School Anxiety, School Avoidance & Difficulty Attending School

---

Stress in Adults

Adult life can involve multiple overlapping responsibilities.
These might include:

• Employment
• Parenting
• Relationships
• Finances
• Household responsibilities
• Caring for parents
• Health
• Study
• Social commitments
• Administrative tasks
• Planning for the future

Someone may function well for a long time while gradually using more and more of their available capacity.

Eventually they may begin thinking:
“Why can't I handle things anymore?”

A better question may be:
“How much have I been handling for how long?”

Explore Adult Counselling

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Stress in Older Adults

Older adults can also experience significant stress and overwhelm.
Potential contributors may include:

• Changes in health
• Chronic illness
• Persistent pain
• Caring responsibilities
• Bereavement
• Retirement
• Financial concerns
• Changes in independence
• Changes in mobility
• Family responsibilities
• Changes in living arrangements
• Social isolation
• Supporting a partner with health difficulties

Emotional wellbeing remains important throughout later life.

Stress shouldn't automatically be dismissed as simply part of ageing.

---

Workplace Stress

Work can be a significant source of stress.
Potential contributors include:

• Excessive workload
• Unrealistic deadlines
• Long working hours
• Poor role clarity
• Limited control
• Workplace conflict
• Inadequate support
• Constant interruptions
• Job insecurity
• Difficult workplace relationships
• Bullying or harassment
• Insufficient recovery time
• Mismatch between demands and available resources

It is important to distinguish:
“I need better stress-management strategies.”

from:
“My working conditions are unsustainable.”

Sometimes both are true.

Counselling may support the person's emotional wellbeing, boundaries, problem-solving and decision-making.

However, counselling shouldn't be used as a substitute for addressing unsafe or unreasonable workplace conditions.

---

Occupational Burnout

Occupational burnout relates specifically to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
Someone may experience:

• Significant exhaustion
• Increasing mental distance from work
• Cynicism about work
• Reduced sense of professional effectiveness
• Difficulty recovering between workdays
• Feeling emotionally depleted

Burnout doesn't necessarily mean someone is weak, incapable or unsuitable for their profession.
​
The demands, resources, workplace systems and opportunities for recovery all matter.

---

“I Used to Cope, Why Can't I Anymore?”

This is a common question.
​
Someone may have managed substantial demands for years and then suddenly feel unable to continue.
Capacity isn't fixed.
It can be affected by:

• Sleep
• Physical health
• Pain
• Hormonal changes
• Grief
• Additional responsibilities
• Parenting
• Caring
• Workload
• Relationship changes
• Financial pressure
• Major life events
• Reduced support
• Accumulated stress

Sometimes the question isn't:
“Why am I less resilient?”

It is:
“What has changed about the demands or resources available to me?”

---

Parenting Stress & Overwhelm

Parenting can involve substantial emotional, cognitive and practical demands.
Parents may be managing:

• Work
• School schedules
• Appointments
• Therapy
• Household responsibilities
• Behavioural or emotional support
• Sleep disruption
• Financial pressure
• Advocacy
• Caring for multiple children
• Their own health

Parents of children with disability or additional support needs may also spend substantial time coordinating:

• NDIS supports
• Schools
• Health professionals
• Allied health
• Assessments
• Funding
• Appointments
• Reports

Feeling overwhelmed does not necessarily mean someone is failing as a parent.

Sometimes it reflects the volume of responsibilities they are carrying.

---

Caregiver Stress

People caring for a partner, child, parent or other family member may experience significant ongoing demands.
Caregiving can involve:

• Emotional support
• Physical assistance
• Appointments
• Advocacy
• Medication
• Household responsibilities
• Financial management
• Coordination with professionals
• Interrupted sleep
• Reduced personal time

Someone may love the person they care for deeply while also feeling exhausted.

Those experiences can coexist.
​
Counselling can provide space for caregivers to discuss their own wellbeing without suggesting that feeling overwhelmed means they care any less.

---

Autism, Stress & Overload

Autistic people may experience significant stress when environments repeatedly require them to manage:

• Sensory overload
• Unpredictability
• Social expectations
• Communication demands
• Transitions
• Executive functioning demands
• Masking
• Unclear expectations
• Changes in routine

An autistic person may appear to manage throughout the day while using substantial energy to do so.

Support should not automatically focus on increasing tolerance of environments that are persistently overwhelming.
It may also involve:

• Reducing unnecessary demands
• Increasing predictability
• Sensory accommodations
• Communication adjustments
• Supporting autonomy
• Recognising recovery needs
• Reducing pressure to mask
• Developing self-advocacy

Explore Autism Support & Resources

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What Is Autistic Burnout?

The term autistic burnout is commonly used within autistic communities and increasingly discussed in clinical and research contexts to describe a pattern of prolonged exhaustion and reduced capacity associated with sustained demands, masking and insufficient opportunity for recovery.

People may describe:

• Profound exhaustion
• Reduced capacity for everyday tasks
• Increased sensory sensitivity
• Greater need for predictability
• Reduced ability to mask
• Needing significantly more recovery time
• Difficulty maintaining previous levels of activity

Autistic burnout should not simply be treated as:
“You need to become more resilient.”

Understanding demands, accommodations, sensory needs, communication needs and recovery can be important.
​
At the same time, significant changes in functioning or persistent exhaustion may have other causes and should be appropriately assessed.

---

ADHD, Stress & Overwhelm

ADHD can increase the effort required to manage everyday demands involving:

• Planning
• Organisation
• Working memory
• Time management
• Starting tasks
• Switching between tasks
• Prioritising
• Remembering appointments
• Managing paperwork
• Completing tasks

Someone might be managing:
Emails + appointments + bills + deadlines + children + work + household tasks

while also needing substantially more cognitive effort to organise those demands.

This can contribute to feeling chronically behind or overwhelmed.

The answer isn't necessarily:
“Try harder to be organised.”

Support may involve understanding executive functioning and creating systems that reduce unnecessary cognitive load.

Explore ADHD Support & Resources

---

Masking & Exhaustion

Some neurodivergent people consciously or unconsciously adapt their behaviour in order to meet social expectations.
Masking may involve:

• Monitoring facial expressions
• Forcing eye contact
• Rehearsing conversations
• Suppressing natural movements
• Hiding confusion
• Concealing sensory distress
• Copying others
• Constantly monitoring behaviour

Maintaining this level of self-monitoring can require substantial effort.

Support should not assume that appearing less neurodivergent is the goal.

It may instead involve understanding identity, communication preferences, boundaries, environmental adjustments and where masking is creating unnecessary strain.

---

Sensory Overload

Environments can contribute significantly to overwhelm.
Potential sensory demands include:

• Noise
• Crowds
• Bright lighting
• Multiple conversations
• Strong smells
• Physical contact
• Heat
• Clothing
• Constant interruptions
• Busy visual environments

When sensory demands are contributing, the answer isn't always a relaxation strategy.

Environmental modifications may also be appropriate.

Where sensory processing or functional participation is significantly affecting everyday life, Occupational Therapy may be relevant.

---

Chronic Illness, Pain & Stress

Living with chronic illness or persistent pain can itself require substantial ongoing adaptation.
Someone may be managing:

• Symptoms
• Appointments
• Medication
• Reduced energy
• Changes in independence
• Work
• Family responsibilities
• Uncertainty
• Financial impacts

Counselling may support adjustment and emotional wellbeing alongside appropriate medical care.

It should not imply that the person's physical symptoms are simply caused by stress.

---

When Several Changes Happen at Once

Sometimes feeling overwhelmed isn't caused by one major problem. You may be adjusting to changes in work, relationships, finances, routines, responsibilities and identity at the same time.

Looking at the cumulative load can help identify just how much you're currently adapting to.

Explore Life Transitions & Coping With Change

---

Grief, Loss & Overwhelm

Grief can affect concentration, energy, sleep, motivation and emotional capacity.

Everyday tasks that were previously manageable may suddenly feel difficult.
Someone may be grieving:

• A person
• A relationship
• Health
• Independence
• Employment
• A role
• A future they expected

Support should recognise the loss rather than reducing the experience to poor stress management.
Explore Grief, Loss & Bereavement Support

---

Perfectionism & Overload

Perfectionism can create additional demands.
Someone may:

• Set extremely high standards
• Spend excessive time checking
• Find it difficult to delegate
• Fear mistakes
• Feel guilty when resting
• Believe everything needs to be completed before they can relax
• Struggle to say no

This can create a difficult cycle:
High standards → More effort → Less recovery → Exhaustion → Reduced performance → More self-criticism

Counselling may help explore the beliefs and expectations maintaining this pattern.

---

People Pleasing & Stress

Someone who finds it difficult to disappoint others may repeatedly say yes when they don't have capacity.
They might:

• Take on extra work
• Agree to social commitments
• Avoid setting boundaries
• Feel responsible for other people's emotions
• Find it difficult to ask for help
• Feel guilty when resting
• Prioritise everyone else's needs

Eventually:
Too many yeses can leave very little capacity for the person saying them.

Exploring boundaries can therefore be an important part of addressing overwhelm.

---

Why Rest Doesn't Always Fix Burnout

Rest matters.
But sometimes someone takes a weekend off and returns on Monday to exactly the same demands that exhausted them.
If the underlying pattern is:
Excessive demands → Exhaustion → Brief recovery → Excessive demands
short periods of rest may provide relief without changing the cycle.

Longer-term improvement may require examining:

• Workload
• Expectations
• Boundaries
• Support
• Environment
• Responsibilities
• Recovery
• Sleep
• Health
• Accessibility
• How tasks are organised

The goal isn't simply:
“How do I recover faster so I can tolerate more?”

Sometimes it is:
“What needs to change so this becomes sustainable?”

---

Why “Self-Care” Isn't Always Enough

Self-care can be useful.
But telling someone who is significantly overloaded to:

• Have a bath
• Go for a walk
• Meditate
• Take some time for yourself

can miss the larger issue.

If someone has excessive responsibilities and insufficient resources, self-care cannot magically create additional hours in the day.

Useful support may involve both:
Recovery strategies
and
Reducing or restructuring demands.

---

Practical Strategies for Stress & Overwhelm

There isn't one strategy that works for everyone.
Depending on the situation, the following may help.

Identify the Actual Demands
Write down what you are currently managing.
Sometimes seeing the entire workload makes it easier to understand why you're overwhelmed.

Separate “Must Do” From “Could Do”
Not every task has equal urgency.
Ask:
What genuinely needs to happen today?

Reduce Decision Load
Repeated small decisions can consume substantial mental energy.
Routines, lists, calendars, reminders and predictable systems may reduce unnecessary cognitive load.

Break Tasks Down
Instead of:
“Clean the house.”
try:
“Clear the kitchen bench.”
Instead of:
“Sort my finances.”
try:
“Open the first bill.”
Smaller steps can make starting easier.

Review What Can Be Removed
Productivity advice often focuses on:
How can I do everything more efficiently?
A different question is:
What doesn't actually need to be done?

Ask What Can Be Delegated
Consider whether tasks can be shared with:

• Partners
• Family
• Colleagues
• Support workers
• Other services

Asking for assistance isn't the same as failing to manage.

Protect Recovery Time
Recovery isn't necessarily something that should happen only after every task is complete.
For someone with constant responsibilities, that point may never arrive.

Consider the Environment
Ask:
What is making this harder than it needs to be?
Sometimes small environmental changes can substantially reduce demands.

---

Boundaries & Stress

Boundaries can help protect capacity.
A boundary might involve:

• Saying no to additional work
• Limiting after-hours communication
• Asking for clearer expectations
• Reducing commitments
• Protecting recovery time
• Communicating what you can realistically manage
• Asking other people to take responsibility for their tasks

Setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable, particularly for people who are used to meeting everyone else's needs.

Counselling may provide space to explore the beliefs and relationships that make boundaries difficult.

---

How Can Counselling Help With Stress & Overwhelm?

Counselling may help someone:

• Identify sources of stress
• Understand patterns contributing to overload
• Recognise early warning signs
• Explore expectations
• Develop boundaries
• Prioritise demands
• Develop coping strategies
• Explore perfectionism
• Address people pleasing
• Develop self-compassion
• Problem solve
• Explore difficult relationships
• Adjust to major life changes
• Understand neurodivergent needs
• Develop self-advocacy
• Identify environmental changes
• Reconsider unsustainable patterns

Counselling shouldn't simply teach someone how to tolerate an unreasonable amount of stress.

The aim may also involve understanding what needs to change.

---

CBT-Informed Support

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-informed strategies may help explore connections between:
Situation → Thoughts → Emotions → Behaviour
​
For example:
Situation: My manager asks me to take on another task.
Thought: “If I say no, they'll think I'm incompetent.”
Emotion: Anxiety.
Behaviour: Agreeing despite already being overloaded.

Counselling might explore the belief underlying the response and alternative ways of approaching the situation.

---

ACT-Informed Support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-informed strategies may also be used where appropriate.
ACT-informed support may explore:

• Values
• Psychological flexibility
• Awareness of thoughts
• Difficult emotions
• Self-compassion
• Present-moment awareness
• Meaningful action

For someone experiencing overwhelm, this might include examining whether their current commitments genuinely reflect what matters to them or whether they are being driven primarily by fear, guilt or expectations.

---

When Might Occupational Therapy Help?

Stress and overwhelm sometimes involve functional difficulties that extend beyond emotional wellbeing.
Occupational Therapy may be relevant where someone is experiencing difficulties involving:

• Daily routines
• Executive functioning
• Sensory processing
• Fatigue management
• Functional participation
• Environmental demands
• Independence
• Returning to everyday activities

An Occupational Therapist may help identify practical barriers and strategies or environmental changes that support everyday functioning.
Explore Occupational Therapy

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When Might Psychology Assessment Be Relevant?

For some people, persistent overwhelm occurs alongside longstanding questions about:

• Autism
• ADHD
• Learning difficulties
• Cognitive functioning
• Intellectual functioning

Understanding someone's cognitive or neurodevelopmental profile may provide useful context for why particular demands require substantially more effort.
​
Assessment and counselling serve different purposes.
Explore Psychology Assessments

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When Should I Speak With My GP?

Consider speaking with your GP if stress, exhaustion or overwhelm:

• Is persistent
• Is worsening
• Is significantly affecting everyday functioning
• Is interfering with work or school
• Is substantially affecting sleep
• Occurs alongside persistent low mood
• Involves significant loss of interest or enjoyment
• Is accompanied by concerning physical symptoms
• Is making it difficult to complete ordinary daily activities
• Is causing significant concern to you or people close to you

Your GP can consider both physical and mental health factors and discuss whether further assessment, treatment or referral may be appropriate.

---

Stress Counselling for Children & Teenagers

Belong Health provides counselling for children aged 7+ and teenagers experiencing concerns such as:

• Stress
• Feeling overwhelmed
• School pressure
• Friendship difficulties
• Family changes
• Emotional regulation
• Anxiety
• Adjustment
• Confidence
• Grief

Support should consider not only the child's coping strategies but also the demands being placed on them.
Explore Child & Teen Counselling

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Stress & Burnout Counselling for Adults

Adults may access counselling for concerns involving:

• Work stress
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Emotional exhaustion
• Parenting stress
• Caregiver stress
• Relationship difficulties
• Perfectionism
• People pleasing
• Boundaries
• Major life changes
• Chronic illness adjustment
• Neurodivergent experiences
• Anxiety
• Low mood

Explore Adult Counselling

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Stress Counselling for Older Adults

Older adults may access counselling for concerns relating to:

• Health changes
• Chronic illness
• Pain
• Caring responsibilities
• Retirement
• Bereavement
• Relationships
• Changes in independence
• Changes in living circumstances
• Family responsibilities
• Feeling overwhelmed

Support should be individualised around the person's circumstances, health, relationships and goals.

---

Counselling in Falcon & Mandurah

In-clinic counselling is currently available at:

Belong Health
13 Littleton Street
Falcon WA 6211

Our Falcon clinic provides a local counselling option for children aged 7+, teenagers, adults and older adults from Mandurah, Falcon and surrounding Peel areas.
​
Enquire About Counselling

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Telehealth Counselling Across Perth & Western Australia

Where clinically appropriate, counselling may also be available via telehealth across Perth and Western Australia.
Telehealth may be suitable for people who:

• Live elsewhere in Perth
• Live regionally or remotely
• Find travel difficult
• Need greater flexibility
• Prefer accessing counselling from home

Suitability is considered individually.

Explore Telehealth Counselling

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Free 20-Minute Meet & Greet

Where available, Belong Health offers a free 20-minute Meet & Greet with a Counsellor.
This gives you an opportunity to:

• Meet the Counsellor
• Briefly discuss what is happening
• Ask questions
• Learn about their approach
• Discuss whether counselling may be appropriate
• Decide whether the Counsellor feels like a suitable fit

There is no obligation to continue after the Meet & Greet.
Book a Free Meet & Greet

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Related Stress, Counselling & Wellbeing Resources

You may also find these Belong Health pages helpful:
Counselling Services
Child & Teen Counselling
Adult Counselling
Anxiety, Worry & Feeling Overwhelmed
School Anxiety, School Avoidance & Difficulty Attending School
Confidence, Self-Esteem & Identity Support
Emotional Regulation & Dysregulation
Grief, Loss & Bereavement Support
Autism Support & Resources
ADHD Support & Resources
Occupational Therapy
Psychology Assessments
Explore the Belong Health Resource Hub

Frequently Asked Questions About Stress, Overwhelm & Burnout

What is stress?
Stress is a response to demands, pressures or situations that require us to adapt. Some stress is a normal part of life, but prolonged or excessive stress can affect emotional, cognitive and physical wellbeing.

What does feeling overwhelmed mean?
Feeling overwhelmed can occur when the demands someone is experiencing feel greater than their current ability or capacity to manage them. It may involve difficulty thinking clearly, prioritising, making decisions or knowing where to start.

What is burnout?
Burnout is a term commonly used to describe prolonged exhaustion and depletion associated with sustained demands and inadequate recovery. Occupational burnout relates specifically to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

Is burnout a medical diagnosis?
Burnout shouldn't be used as a catch-all diagnosis for every form of exhaustion. Similar symptoms can occur with depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, physical illness and other conditions, so persistent or significant changes should be appropriately assessed.

What are common signs of stress?
Possible signs include irritability, worry, muscle tension, headaches, sleep difficulties, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, procrastination, withdrawal, fatigue and feeling unable to switch off.

Can stress cause physical symptoms?
Stress can be associated with physical symptoms including muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, stomach discomfort and sleep difficulties. Persistent, significant or unexplained physical symptoms should be discussed with a GP.

Why do small tasks feel impossible when I'm overwhelmed?
When someone is already using most of their available capacity, even a relatively small additional demand can feel difficult. The issue may be the accumulated workload rather than the individual task.

Is stress the same as anxiety?
No. They can overlap, but stress commonly occurs in response to external demands or pressures, while anxiety involves worry, fear or apprehension and may sometimes continue without an immediate external stressor.

Is burnout the same as depression?
No. Burnout and depression can share features such as exhaustion, reduced motivation and difficulty concentrating, but they aren't interchangeable. Persistent low mood, significant loss of interest or major changes in functioning should be discussed with a GP or appropriately qualified mental health professional.

Can children experience stress?
Yes. Children can experience stress relating to school, friendships, bullying, learning difficulties, sensory demands, family changes, illness, grief and other experiences.

What does stress look like in teenagers?
Teenagers experiencing stress may become irritable, withdrawn, overwhelmed, tired, anxious or less motivated. They may procrastinate, experience sleep difficulties, struggle to concentrate or begin avoiding school or other responsibilities.

Can school cause significant stress?
School can involve academic, social, sensory, organisational and emotional demands. Where a child is struggling, understanding which aspects of school are difficult can help identify more appropriate support.

Can adults experience burnout?
Yes. Adults may experience prolonged exhaustion associated with workplace demands, parenting, caregiving, health concerns, financial pressure or multiple overlapping responsibilities.

Can older adults experience stress?
Yes. Health changes, caring responsibilities, bereavement, retirement, financial concerns, changes in independence and family responsibilities may all contribute to stress in later life.

What is workplace burnout?
Occupational burnout relates to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed and may involve exhaustion, increasing mental distance or cynicism toward work and reduced professional effectiveness.

Can parenting cause burnout or overwhelm?
Parenting can involve substantial emotional, cognitive and practical demands. Parents may experience significant overwhelm, particularly when balancing work, appointments, household responsibilities, advocacy and their child's additional support needs.

What is caregiver stress?
Caregiver stress can occur when someone is managing sustained emotional, physical and practical responsibilities associated with supporting another person. A caregiver can care deeply about someone while also feeling exhausted or overwhelmed.

Can Autism contribute to stress and overload?
Autistic people may experience significant stress associated with sensory demands, unpredictability, social expectations, communication demands, transitions, masking and environments that don't adequately support their needs.

What is autistic burnout?
Autistic burnout is a term used to describe a pattern of prolonged exhaustion and reduced capacity associated with sustained demands, masking and insufficient recovery. Significant changes in functioning should also be considered in the context of other possible physical or mental health factors.

Can ADHD contribute to feeling overwhelmed?
Yes. Difficulties involving organisation, working memory, time management, task initiation, planning and prioritisation can increase the cognitive effort required to manage everyday responsibilities.

Can masking contribute to exhaustion?
For some neurodivergent people, continually monitoring or adapting behaviour to meet social expectations can require substantial effort and may contribute to exhaustion.

Can sensory overload cause stress?
Yes. Noise, crowds, lighting, smells, physical contact and other sensory demands can contribute to significant stress or overwhelm for some people.

Can perfectionism contribute to burnout?
Perfectionism can increase workload and reduce opportunities for recovery when someone spends excessive time checking, fears mistakes, struggles to delegate or believes everything must be completed to a very high standard.

Can people pleasing contribute to stress?
Yes. Continually prioritising other people's needs, avoiding saying no and taking on responsibilities despite limited capacity can contribute to overload.

Why doesn't rest always fix burnout?
Rest can support recovery, but if someone returns to the same unsustainable demands, the pattern causing exhaustion may continue. Longer-term improvement may require changes to workload, expectations, boundaries, support or environment.

Is self-care enough for burnout?
Self-care can be useful, but it may not address excessive workload, unsafe environments, insufficient support or other structural causes of stress. Both recovery and changes to underlying demands may be necessary.

Can counselling help with stress and burnout?
Counselling may help someone identify sources of stress, understand patterns contributing to overload, develop boundaries and coping strategies, explore perfectionism or people pleasing, problem solve and identify changes that could make everyday demands more sustainable.

Does counselling fix burnout?
Counselling cannot guarantee recovery from burnout. It may support emotional wellbeing and help identify patterns and changes, but workplace conditions, health, responsibilities, environmental demands and other contributing factors may also need attention.

Do I need a diagnosis to access counselling for stress?
Not necessarily. A formal mental health diagnosis isn't generally required to access counselling for stress, overwhelm, adjustment or related emotional wellbeing concerns.

When should I speak with my GP?
Consider speaking with your GP if stress, exhaustion or overwhelm is persistent, worsening, significantly affecting everyday functioning, substantially affecting sleep, occurring alongside persistent low mood or loss of interest, or accompanied by concerning physical or mental health symptoms.

What age does Belong Health provide counselling from?
Belong Health currently provides counselling for children aged 7+, teenagers, adults and older adults, depending on individual needs and clinician suitability.

Where is counselling available?
In-clinic counselling is currently available from Belong Health's Falcon clinic near Mandurah. Telehealth may also be available across Perth and Western Australia where clinically appropriate.

Can I meet the Counsellor before starting?
Where available, Belong Health offers a free 20-minute Meet & Greet so you can briefly discuss your needs, ask questions and decide whether the Counsellor may be an appropriate fit.

How do I get started?
Contact Belong Health or complete the online enquiry form. Our admin team can discuss current availability and the next steps.
Enquire With Belong Health

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​Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is reviewed periodically to reflect current evidence, clinical practice and relevant NDIS guidance.