What body focused therapies would you recommend for burnout (to complement talk therapy)?

  • Submitted on 23/01/2024

28 specialists answered

  • I recommend prioritizing nutrition, as burnout is often associated with nutrient deficiencies, which makes replenishing them essential. I also suggest nervous-system-friendly practices and somatic exercises (such as coherent breathing, yoga, TRE, walking in nature, and art-making, etc). I hope this is helpful !

    Marine O. Rollin

    Nutritionniste | Ixelles

  • For burnout, massage therapy can be highly beneficial in complementing talk therapy. It helps release physical tension, promotes relaxation, and supports the nervous system in recovering from chronic stress. Techniques such as californian massage can be particularly effective in easing both physical and emotional strain.

    Cloé Rigot

    Naturopathe & Massothérapeute | Saint-Gilles

  • Burnout isn’t just mental—it’s stored in your body. Pair talk therapy with:

    TRE – Releases deep tension through natural tremors.
    Restorative Yoga – Calms the nervous system.
    Breathwork – Regulates stress fast.
    Craniosacral Therapy – Deep relaxation for body and mind.
    Cold Therapy – Resets energy and resilience.
    Qi Gong/Tai Chi – Gentle movement to restore balance.
    As a psychologist focused on well-being, I integrate these body-focused approaches into my practice to help you find balance and restore your energy. Your body needs healing too. Start small, feel the shift.

    Paulo  Romero Raglianti

    Psychologist - Well-being of high-level professionals | Etterbeek

  • DTMA is kind of variation of emdr. In case of burnout, it's difficult to go on a body therapy as the burnout is also a response to invite slow down, even mental or physical body. Respecting the burnout is also a kind of "kind" therapy. Regards.

    Valentino Beniamino Carbone

    New Partner |

    Therapist | La Hulpe

  • Burnout is a complex issue, and the best therapies often depend on the individual’s unique needs and experiences. Here are some body-focused therapies that can complement talk therapy effectively:

    Yoga: This practice combines physical postures, breath control, and meditation, helping to relieve stress and promote relaxation.

    Tai Chi or Qi Gong: These gentle martial arts focus on slow, flowing movements and deep breathing, which can help reduce anxiety and improve overall well-being.

    Massage Therapy: Therapeutic massage can relieve tension in the body, promote relaxation, and enhance emotional well-being.

    So
    ... Read more

    Sarra Zérouti

    Naturopath | Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

  • Hello,
    It's all about reconnecting body and mind, releasing accumulated physical tension and encouraging the recovery of energy and emotional balance.

    Sophrology is a mind-body method that combines breathing techniques, muscle relaxation and positive visualisation. For people suffering from burn-out, sophrology helps to calm the mind, release bodily tension and develop tools for managing everyday stress. It's a gentle approach that helps you gradually regain a state of calm and serenity.

    Reiki is an energy therapy that aims to restore the balance of energy in the body. For people suffering from burn-out, Reiki ca
    ... Read more

    Coryse Mwape

    New Partner |

    Sophrologue et praticienne Reiki | Molenbeek-Saint-Jean

  • Gestalt therapy and art therapy, to name a few!

    Mihai  Albu
    Mihai Albu 10,0

    Psychotherapist, Clinical psychologist and Art therapist | Ixelles

  • First, I would recommend some activities such as Yoga, Tai chi... If you believe in spirituality, energy balanced, chakras... I would recommend Reiki, Shiatsu massage, those are examples and suggestions. Also, take care of your guts. Many scientific studies mention nowadays that the healthier your guts are the healthier your mind is as well.

    Karen Gautet

    Naturopath | Liège

  • Hello, bioenergetic and similar. In general and if you struggle finding an available one, the humanistic approaches involve the body work in their approach so you can also explore the clients centeres, existential ones, etc. Hope it helps!

    Elvira Vitale

    Psychologist | Brussels

  • Hypnothérapie :)

    Claudia Brassart

    Conseillère en allaitement | Maffle

  • Jagaana breathwork can really help you!

    Alexandra Meulemans

    New Partner |

    Therapist | Louvain-La-Neuve

  • Body-focused therapies can be valuable complements to talk therapy for addressing burnout. Here are some recommendations:

    Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): MBSR combines mindfulness meditation and yoga to cultivate awareness of the present moment and reduce stress. It can help individuals with burnout develop coping strategies and increase resilience.
    Yoga Therapy: Yoga incorporates physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. Yoga therapy, tailored to individual needs, can help alleviate physical tension and mental fatigue associated with bu
    ... Read more

    Carine Duray-Parmentier

    New Partner |

    Psychotherapist | Namur

  • Hi. Have you tried bioenergetic therapy? This should help you to reduce emotional, mental and physical stress, often the cause of burnout, and "re-energize" your body.

    Pedro Mondaca

    Kinesiologist - (Bio) Energeticist | Uccle

  • I would like to recommend Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). It's an evidence-based program that integrates elements of cognitive therapy with mindfulness practices. It has been shown to be effective in preventing the recurrence of depression and reducing symptoms of anxiety, as well as burnout. A study on the effectiveness of MBCT on burnout symptoms in British doctors has revealed that after treatment, emotional exhaustion (the central dimension of burnout) was reduced and personal accomplishment scores were increased (Hamilton-West et al., 2018).

    MBCT emphasizes on cultivating mindfulness, which involves paying attent
    ... Read more

    Jason Wood
    Jason Wood 10,0

    Psychologist | Ixelles

  • Recovering from burnout is a long and demanding procedure. Talk therapy is very effective to address and improve the symptoms as well as to prevent such situation from reoccurring. But you’re right!
    Counselling therapy can be even more successful if combined with other therapy following a holistic approach that takes into account your body, emotions and energy and your environment.
    For instance, my experience shows that patients who start eating more nutrient-dense foods recover better and faster from anxiety, burnout and depression. Eating more foods which are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients make them win back energy
    ... Read more

    Laura Degallaix

    Systemic therapist and professional coach | Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

  • Running, swimming, walking, streching every day for instance!

    Luz Granados Londoño

    New Partner |

    Psychologist | Etterbeek

  • Mindfulness

    Fabian Jeanmart

    New Partner |

    Psychologist | Brussels

  • In addition to psychological support, the hormonal and micronutritional approach is crucial for recovering from burnout. Indeed, it is primarily a hormonal dysfunction. The adrenal glands are exhausted, causing an imbalance in cortisol secretion. Therefore, it is interesting to investigate this aspect, to look into the functioning of your thyroid, the overall state of your body, and your intestines, and to measure any micronutrient deficiencies in order to restore balance.

    I hope I have answered your question with kindness.

    Emma Djafer

    Emma Djafer

    Naturopath | Brussels

  • Hi, thank you for your answer. Burnout can have physical as well as psychological manifestations, and body-focused therapies can complement talk therapy in addressing both aspects. Here are some body-focused therapies that may be beneficial for individuals experiencing burnout:

    - Massage Therapy: helps to release physical tension, promotes relaxation, and improves circulation.
    - Yoga: Combines physical postures, breathwork, and meditation to reduce stress and increase overall well-being.
    - Acupuncture: stimulates energy flow.
    - Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Teaches mindfulness meditation to reduce stress and
    ... Read more

    Sarah Roussaux

    New Partner |

    Naturopath | Uccle

  • walk in nature, superfood diet , anti oxidant nutrition and complements. Specific neurotransmetteur complément.

    Audrey Vercoutere

    Naturopath and reflexologist | Grez-Doiceau

  • In burnout, it's important to act on several levels. Dietary adjustments are essential, as are thorough medical blood tests. A wide range of techniques can help, including sophrology, massage, osteopathy, acupuncture, fasciatherapy and shiatsu. The key is to work with the patient to find out what works best for him or her.

    Ingrid Paye

    Naturopath and nutritionist | Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

  • Hello, I recommend luminotherapy, cardiac coherence breathing (3 times a day, during 5 min), yoga adapted to boost your dopamine in the morning and your serotonine in the afternoon, exercice regularly and move, relaxation/meditation at least 30 min per day. Also burnout is essentially a physiological condition so micronutrition is essential (your need to boost your adrenal glands).

    Carine Crepin

    New Partner |

    Nutritherapist | Lasne

  • I'm not an expert in body focused therapy but I'm pretty sure that working with a specialist in this area may help. Search for psychologists with the approach of "Body Centered Psychotherapy" or "Movement Therapy".

    Rosangelica Arraiz Mujica

    New Partner |

    Psychologist | Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

  • Hello there,
    As a psychologist with training in experiential therapy, I could say that there are a number of programs as art therapy, drama therapy, music therapy and as well somatic experiencing like grounding / centering, breathing exercises, Jakobson relaxation technique - main purpose being to help people to develop and employ self-regulating strategies that would diffuse and replace with practice, the sensations associated with burnout with those that are a source of strength and comfort.
    However, there is not 'one size fit all' solution and it highly depends on your well-being challenges before burnout, on your personal
    ... Read more

    Luminita Rusu

    Psychologist | Braine-Le-Château

  • Gestalt thérapie, hippothérapie

    Anne Pierlot

    New Partner |

    Psychotherapist | Forest

  • Integratieve Lichaamsgerichte psychotherapie: Lichaamsgerichte therapie, Ademtherapie en Biofeedback therapie en gezondheidspsychologie

    Francis Mwami

    New Partner |

    Psychomotor therapist - Biofeedback therapist - Ademtherapeut | Gavere

  • Somatic Experiencing can be very useful to support stress relief, and help you reconnect to your mind and body. It can release tension and help you to understand your stress triggers and find way to overcome them. Overtime, it improves the flexibility of your nervous system and your resilience to stress. By working on your ressources, it helps you to improve your mood and reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

    Paulette Matkovic

    Trauma care | Laeken

  • I'm practising systemic therapy based on family and systemic constellations. You will feel with your body t the different elemnts of the system we will define together and place on the floor, and your body sensations will provide you with decisive information, which your brain has sometimes not access to. A very powerful tool which allows people to get connected to inconscious but precious information.

    Johanna Touzel

    Psychotherapist | Kessel Lo

The content provided is strictly informational and should not be considered a replacement for professional advice from doctors or healthcare providers.

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