You look fine on the outside. Inside? It’s chaos.
Therapy for Burnout & People Pleasing
Online Therapy for Women in Massachusetts
Burnt Out People Pleaser
When saying yes is automatic and saying no feels unsafe
You say “yes” before you even have time to think. Then comes the mental spiral:
Why did I agree to that?
They’ll think I’m selfish if I back out.
I wish they never asked me.
Maybe if I just avoid them...
You want to be helpful. You want to be liked. Maybe you were taught that being likable, agreeable, and low-maintenance was the safest way to exist. Sometimes it was about survival, shaped by gendered expectations, religion, racial bias, or the quiet pressure of first-generation guilt.
But now you’re tired. Burnt out. Pushing past your limits again and again. And underneath it all? A mix of guilt, resentment, and the disconnection from yourself.
What People-Pleasing Really Looks Like
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![Woman sitting on an outdoor bench, holding a coffee in one hand and a phone to her ear — representing the habit of automatically saying yes to others without pausing to check in with your own needs.]()
Saying yes before you even check in with yourself
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![Woman sitting beside a man on a bench, smirking slightly as she looks down while working — capturing the hidden resentment that can follow saying yes out of obligation rather than genuine desire.]()
Feeling resentful after doing something “kind”
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![Woman slumped on a couch, appearing to have fallen asleep while working — illustrating the exhaustion and avoidance that comes from struggling to say no to others’ requests.]()
Avoiding texts or emails because you don’t know how to say no
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![Woman sitting on a couch, hugging a pillow with a thoughtful expression — reflecting the guilt and inner conflict that often comes with setting boundaries or protecting your time.]()
Feeling guilty for setting boundaries or protecting your time
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![Woman unloading a truck outdoors, glancing toward someone off-camera with a worried expression — symbolizing the fear of disappointing others or being abandoned if you don’t always show up for them.]()
Worrying people will be mad, disappointed, or leave if you don’t show up
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![Three friends sitting together at a coffee shop, gathered around a phone — representing the belief that constant approval or being liked is the only way to maintain connection and belonging.]()
Believing that being liked is the only way to stay connected
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![Woman standing outdoors, lost in thought with a distant expression — capturing the regret and emotional shutdown that often follow overcommitting to others.]()
Regret and emotional shutdown after overcommitting
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![Woman tending to her plants with a thoughtful, distant look — reflecting the urge to withdraw from relationships when emotional depletion and burnout set in.]()
Wanting to disappear from your relationships because you feel depleted
Therapy for People Pleasing – What You Can Expect
People-pleasing isn’t just about kindness. It’s often rooted in trauma, identity, and survival. In therapy, we’ll gently explore the systems and stories that shaped this pattern and begin the work of unlearning them with compassion.
We will:
Understand the internal parts of you that feel safest when accommodating others
Make space for the guilt without letting it lead your choices
Build nervous system safety around boundaries, rest, and saying no
Reclaim your voice, your time, and your energy
Learn to stay connected to others without abandoning yourself
This work helps you move from automatic yes to intentional, aligned choices. From overextending to rootedness. From approval-seeking to self-trust.
My Approach
I work with women—especially Black, First-Gen, and culturally diverse women—who learned that being agreeable was the safest way to be in the world. In this space, we name those dynamics, not judge them. We honor the ways you’ve survived and start building the internal permission to do things differently.
This is decolonized, socially conscious therapy that centers your identity and complexity. I don’t ask you to be someone else. I help you reconnect with the version of you that never got to rest.
This work is decolonized and identity-affirming. It honors the ways you’ve had to survive and invites you into a different way of being, one that prioritizes your wellness, not just your likability.
You don’t have to keep abandoning yourself to stay connected to others.
Therapy for Burnout and People-Pleasing
Here’s what you should know
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If you’re feeling emotionally exhausted, resentful, and like you’re constantly overextending yourself, it’s likely burnout. Especially when you can’t stop—even when your body is asking you to.
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For many people, especially those raised in high-pressure or marginalized environments, saying yes became a survival skill. In therapy, we slow things down and help you recognize your internal signals and rebuild your choice.
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No. The goal isn’t to become someone who doesn’t care about others. It’s to become someone who also cares for yourself. We work on building boundaries that feel ethical, compassionate, and clear.
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Absolutely. These parts of your story matter. We hold space for your lived experience, and I support you in untangling what’s yours to keep and what’s ready to be released.
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That’s real, and we’ll talk about it. Boundary-setting can shift your relationships, but it also creates space for deeper, more authentic connection—with others and with yourself.