Strategies to Prevent Burnout and Improve Work-Life Balance - Podcast | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA

Audio File

ADAA sits down with ADAA Member Jenny Yip, PsyD, ABPP and Ashley Bramhall, MA to discuss what burnout means, strategies to practice self-care, and how to find balance in your life.

Can you define what burnout means?

Dr. Yip: Well, I think there are many different definitions of burnout depending on what context you're thinking of. For myself as a mother of two, five year old twins, and also a professional running the Renewed Freedom Center, and all the different professional hats that I wear, burnout isn't just about the work context, it is burnout in any area of my life, whether it's as a mother or as a professional.

Now, I do know that the ICD 10 or ICD 11 describes burnout as just in your work environment where you would be completely taxed of energy, you would be feeling irritable, perhaps pessimistic, you wouldn't be effective and productive at your work. So that's the ICD definition. Though I think most of us, especially in the last two years have experienced burnout no matter what contexts, we're describing it as.

Ms. Bramhall: And I think it's important to add to that that, like Dr. Yip said, it's not just in the work arena, but also that everybody experiences burnout differently. So what one person's burnout looks like is going to be different than another person's burnout and to be able to be open and compassionate and hear everybody out. Not just be like, "Well, I'm not burned out and I'm doing the same amount of work" or "My life is crazy and I'm not burned out. How is yours? You're doing nothing compared to me."

So I think that's also important thing to take a note when we talk about burnout overall.

Jenny Yip, PsyD, ABPP

Jenny Yip, PsyD, ABPP, is a board-certified, licensed psychologist, author, speaker, media contributor, and a nationally recognized OCD, anxiety, and parenting expert. Since childhood, Dr. Yip has fought her own personal battle with OCD. Inspired by her childhood struggles and motivated to help others overcome theirs, she has dedicated her professional career to treating families and individuals with severe OCD, anxiety disorders, and parenting stress for over two decades.

Dr. Yip is on the board of directors of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), where she co-chairs the Diversity Advisory Council and facilitates the Perinatal OCD Task Force. She is a clinical member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), and a Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA). In 2008, Dr. Yip established the Renewed Freedom Center in Los Angeles, followed by the Little Thinkers Center in 2016, dedicated to providing cutting-edge treatments for children, parents, and families. A sought-after speaker on mental health, family dynamics, pediatric development, and maternal wellness, she has delivered impactful presentations at over 100 national and international conferences. Recognized for her unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions to the field, Dr. Yip has received several prestigious awards. Additionally, she has authored numerous articles and consistently imparts her expertise through professional training. Renowned as the go-to expert, Dr. Yip is a regular guest on television, print, podcasts, and national radio, drawing on her extensive 20-plus-year experience in evidence-based clinical treatments, teaching, and research. In an effort to raise accurate awareness, eliminate negative mental health stigmas, and provide practical parenting tools, she is tirelessly involved in a range of organizational, educational, and media projects to provide effective strategies for a Stress-Less Life. Her most paramount endeavor lies in nurturing her twin boys to live compassionately empowered by healthy and meaningful boundaries. Yip resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Learn more about Dr. Yip

Ashley Bramhall, MA

Ashley Bramhall earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and as an MFT Trainee, Ashley began her training and specialization in the treatment of anxiety & OC spectrum disorders at Renewed Freedom Foundation. She continued to build on this expertise with specializations in children, teens, and athletes as an AMFT at Renewed Freedom Center for Rapid Anxiety Relief. Ashley regularly speaks at national conferences and provides training and workshops to the community, colleagues, and other professionals to educate, build awareness, & decrease the stigma around anxiety & OCD.