Burnout, Compassion Fatigue & Sustainable Practice

Shannon Swales

I'm struggling with an overwhelming sense of being a fraud. It’s not my first rodeo with this experience, often called ‘Imposter Syndrome’, but it is the first time it has come up since pursuing my new direction in my work life: teaching.

In my therapeutic career, imposter syndrome was present from the very beginning. I first noticed it during my clinical training, and it continued as I began working with clients as a provisional psychologist. In truth, it was there even earlier, in my roles as a case manager and counsellor before I became a psychologist.

There has been a persistent sense that I am somehow less than, not as capable, not as knowledgeable, not as competent as those around me. This isn’t new. It echoes a much earlier narrative I have carried for much of my life, that I don’t quite measure up.

As I moved further into my career, this translated into a quiet but constant fear of being exposed. I would worry that other psychologists would discover that I wasn’t good enough, and that I didn’t truly belong in the profession.

This experience has shown up regularly, at times daily or weekly, as anxiety, self-doubt, and persistent second-guessing. I would overthink my clinical decisions, question my competence, and feel a deep sense of shame. It also shaped my behaviour. I often overprepared for sessions and spent excessive time trying to ensure I knew enough. I sought out ongoing professional development from a place of fear rather than growth. At times, I took on clients who were beyond my scope, driven by a need to prove my capability rather than a grounded assessment of fit.

Alongside this, I would avoid situations that required greater visibility, pull back from opportunities, and at times isolate myself professionally as a way of protecting against perceived judgement or exposure.

Underneath it all is a profound sense of not belonging, of being on the outside of a profession I have worked so hard to enter.

And here it is again.

I should be working on my mindfulness and meditation business today, a business I have kept going since I started teaching. I had a great idea to attract more customers and was looking forward to sitting down and working on it, but a giant stop sign appeared—Stop! You are a fraud! I was paralysed, unable to work. My old mate had turned up, the not good enough, that I am an imposter and people would discover it, my threat system alive and causing me to freeze.

And then another sign appeared behind the stop sign, saying, Turn to your journal and write it out; it may help. So here I am writing it out.

My fraud self right now is telling me the following:
“Compared to others, you are nothing.”
“There are much wiser and more intelligent people doing similar things.”
“People don’t like what you are doing; they are not commenting or buying.”
“You don’t have enough followers, and followers are
leaving, which means you are no good at what you are doing.”
“You may have nothing unique to give and are a copycat.”
“Maybe people won’t like this new idea; perhaps they
won’t join."
“You are not just a fraud with this business but your other
pursuits, the podcast, becoming a lecturer, the blog, etc.”
“You may fail.”
“Do something else today, maybe rest, watch some TV (go
and hide, basically).”

I can now see this is my fear speaking from writing it out. When I'm fearful, I get caught up in comparison and judgment thoughts and focus on protecting myself from possible adverse outcomes; I hide. My biggest fear is being judged by others as “not good enough”, not having my work valued, and being labelled as a fraud. My fear wants me to duck for the covers and make myself smaller to protect myself. It wants constant reassurance that there is value in my work (e.g., social followers, comments, etc.).My fear is looking for reasons to stay with my new work-life directions (i.e., validation from others) or pulling out altogether, all based on not wanting others to see me as a fraud.

I can choose to do what my fear wants: retreat from others or get the validation I need, but where would that lead me? Nowhere because both choices aren’t sustainable or life-enhancing. Plus, I don’t want to retreat. I want to see where these ideas will go and what they may bring to my life and the lives of others. I want a chance to find joy in my work life.

And I know where pushing through these feelings of fear professionally would lead me, because I have been there before. It would mean being stuck in burnout, empathy fatigue, and all the negative impacts it brings on my life. When fear controls my behaviour, my system and my life eventually collapses. The same is true if I ignore, or do not take time to find, what brings aliveness and joy in my work. Fear robs me of that joy. There is no room for it.

But when I open up, rather than push through, to the fear, I can also open up to what matters and what helps me feel connected to my work. Not only do I do better, the people I serve do better.

Equally as important, I don’t want to rely on others for validation. Not everyone will find value in what I'm doing for many reasons; this doesn't mean I'm defective. I must meet my fear with compassion and kindness and let myself know it will be okay. I need to let my fear realise I'm changing the rules and don’t need others to like me or what I do, to feel good about myself.

I also need to let myself know that I'm on a path of discovery and growth and letting go of many unnecessary learned beliefs that no longer fit. Doing this is a process; it will suck, but I need to trust it will be okay if I follow my heart.

When I meet my fear with compassion, it settles and allows me to continue on my chosen path. I may think I'm a fraud sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have something worthy to contribute.

A life ruled by fear is no life at all. A life lived with purpose, despite fear, is a life.

Imposter syndrome, for me, hasn’t been a sign that I am a fraud, but a reflection of a long-held fear of not being good enough and of being seen and judged. When I haven’t been aware of it, it has shaped how I work, how I show up, and at times has led me back into burnout and disconnection from myself and my work. What I am learning is that I don’t need to get rid of the fear, or push through it, but to turn towards it with awareness and compassion. When I do this, something shifts. I can step out of protection and back into what matters, allowing space for connection, meaning, and contribution. The voice of the imposter may still show up, but it doesn’t have to decide where I go next.

Does fear underpin your imposter syndrome? Often it does. If so, we need to turn our attention to the fear to help us not give into the direction our Imposter Syndrome wants us to go.

Fear is an interesting emotion. Its purpose is to alert us to danger, to protect us from it by enacting instinctive responses—fleeing-fighting-freezing-fawn-flop. The survival of the species depends on it. The problem with fear is that often what we fear are things that we are making up in our minds (like my fear of people judging me) or things that are happening to us in the present (e.g., not getting followers for my meditation business).

Many things we fear are part of the journey towards our self-development, so fleeing-fighting-freezing-flopping can have adverse outcomes (e.g., walking away from something meaningful like my burnout podcast). The good news is that we can respond differently when we notice the fear in these life-enhancing situations.

Next time your imposter syndrome shows up, recognise the underlying fear response. Notice and acknowledge (without judgement) what it is you fear. Check to see if there is any real danger of being harmed in what you are pursuing. If not, proceed with a combination of compassion actions and emotional regulation activities to help you step away from fear and into doing what matters.

Compassion actions may look like taking smaller steps in the direction of what matters, connecting to the meaning (i.e., what is of value, purpose, and vitality) behind those steps, and/or employing support (professional or personal) to help you move through it. It may look like compassionate self-talk, speaking to yourself as you would a loved one. It may also involve reminding yourself that many people struggle with imposter syndrome, that you are not alone, and that it is okay to feel fear — you are only human.

Emotional regulation activities can look like anything that helps your nervous system to ground. This may be a short walk in nature, brewing and drinking a cup of tea, talking it out with a compassionate friend, breathing exercises, or a guided meditation that helps you settle. There are many options to explore.

Author Biography

Shannon Audrey Swales is a clinical psychologist, author, podcast host, and midlife guide based in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Master's in Clinical Psychology and spent 15 years providing therapy to adults before burning out completely in 2021. That experience led her to take what she calls a "different kind of gap year", a year focused entirely on healing, self-discovery, and rebuilding a sustainable life.

During that time, Shannon began journaling weekly, a practice that became the foundation for Nothing Left to Give: A Psychologist's Path Back from Burnout. The book combines her personal recovery story with practical wellness exercises drawn from her professional training. Shannon now specialises in supporting midlife women navigating burnout, identity shifts, and life transitions. She hosts the Midlife Reclaimed podcast, writes regularly about wellness and selfcompassion, and offers individual therapy and group programs. She lives in Brisbane with her husband Ryan and their beloved dogs, Hana and Toby