You’ve checked every box—career success, responsibilities managed, goals crushed. So why do you feel so exhausted? If you’re a high-achieving woman running on fumes, wondering when success stopped feeling good, this blog is for you.
We’re going to explore what burnout really is, why high-achieving women are particularly vulnerable to it—think perfectionism, over-giving, and difficulty saying no—and how expressive arts therapy can be a powerful tool for your recovery.
Understanding Burnout in High Achievers
You’ve been rewarded your whole life for doing, achieving, and producing. You may have been this way for so long that it just comes naturally to you. Your nervous system is stuck in “performance mode,” and it might feel impossible to get out of this cycle. But deep down, you know something needs to change.
So what is burnout, exactly? Burnout is more than just feeling stressed. Think of it as a spectrum. On one end, you have normal stress—the kind that can usually be resolved through self-care practices, time with friends and family, and doing the things that fill you up. But then stress gets more and more intense over time, leading to burnout. If you’ve reached this side of the spectrum, getting a massage or drinking a glass of wine just isn’t going to cut it anymore.
Burnout is mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that you can feel throughout every part of your body. You may feel apathy and indifference toward your profession or your life. You might experience feelings of failure, helplessness, or hopelessness. Your body may feel tense, tight, or in pain. You want to be alone and isolate from others because it just takes too much energy. You may notice more negative thoughts creeping in, or find yourself becoming more critical of yourself and others.
Here’s the thing: traditional approaches often fall short because burnout isn’t a thinking problem—it’s a body and soul problem. You can’t logic your way out of something that lives in your nervous system. In fact, talking about burnout can sometimes just add to the mental load.
That’s where expressive arts therapy comes in. It bypasses the overactive mind and speaks directly to the body and emotions.
What is Expressive Arts Therapy?
Expressive arts therapy takes a broad approach including visual arts, music, movement, dance, drama, creative writing, and even poetry. And here’s what’s important to understand: this is not about making a perfect picture. It’s about the process, not the product.
Using creativity helps you access emotions and experiences that words simply can’t reach. It also connects you with your inner child, your playfulness, and your imagination. This brings you out of the cycle of perfectionism and judgment and into a world of play and imperfections.
So why does it work so well for burnout? The expressive arts help you access both sides of your brain and engage your body. This helps release stored tensions and emotions through creativity and movement. It creates space for your authentic self to emerge without judgment, and it slows you down in a way that gives your body the rest it desperately needs.
How Expressive Arts Therapy Helps Burnout
Let’s look at four key benefits of expressive arts therapy for burnout:
First, it reconnects you to your body. Burnout lives in the body, and art helps you listen to it again. Movement and creation help you release, process, and express the emotions and tension you’ve been carrying.
Second, it bypasses perfectionism. There’s no right or wrong way to scribble, dance, or collage. This helps you practice “good enough”—a crucial skill for recovering perfectionists. It teaches you to embrace imperfections and learn to just be instead of constantly doing.
Third, it accesses suppressed emotions. High achievers are often disconnected from anger, sadness, or grief. Expressive arts give you a safe space to validate your feelings and find a healthy way to release them.
And fourth, it rebuilds your authentic self. Burnout often means you’ve lost touch with who you are beyond your achievements. Creative exploration helps you rediscover your desires, your values, and your joy. Maybe you need to make a change in your professional life, or maybe you just need to reconnect with yourself again to truly enjoy what you do.
Simple Practices You Can Try This Week
Now, let me give you three accessible expressive arts practices you can try this week:
First, “Emotion Scribbling.” This takes just five minutes. Grab some paper and markers or crayons. Set a timer for five minutes, and without thinking, just let your hand move across the page. Use colors, shapes, and lines to express how burnout feels in your body. No analyzing, no making it pretty—just let it flow.
Second, “Body Shake and Sound Release.” This one takes three minutes. Stand up and put on music if you’d like, or don’t. Shake your whole body for two minutes. Let yourself make sounds—sighs, groans, whatever wants to come out. Release what’s stuck without needing to understand it.
Third, “Collage Your Ideal Day.” Give yourself about fifteen minutes for this one. Flip through magazines or print images online. Create a collage of what a restorative, joyful day looks like for you. Then notice: What shows up? What’s missing from your current life?
Here’s the key reminder: These aren’t “one more thing to do.” They’re invitations to be rather than do.
Recap
Let’s recap: Burnout in high achievers requires more than just thinking differently. Expressive arts therapy offers a body-based, creative path to healing. And you don’t need to be artistic—you just need to be willing to try.
So here’s my call to action for you: Try one practice this week and notice what shifts. If you want to go deeper in your healing journey, consider working with a therapist trained in expressive arts.
And remember: Your worth isn’t in your productivity. Creativity helps you remember that.
Here’s my final thought for you: Your burnout is telling you something important. Maybe it’s time to stop pushing through and start creating space for what wants to emerge. You don’t have to figure it all out. Sometimes you just need to put marker to paper and see what happens.
If you’re ready to take that next step, I’d love to work with you. Schedule a consultation call with me today, and we can work together to lower your burnout and help you feel more fulfilled.