Healing Burnout: Listening to the Wisdom of the Nervous System

Dr. Claire Plumbly is a clinical psychologist, trauma specialist, and author dedicated to helping people understand burnout and reconnect with themselves through compassionate, body-based healing. As the founder of Plum Psychology and an EMDR consultant based in the UK, Claire has spent her career supporting individuals recovering from chronic stress, trauma, and burnout. Through her one-to-one therapy work, intensive EMDR programs, and her book The Trauma of Burnout , Claire combines neuroscience, psychology, and practical regulation tools to help people move beyond survival mode and rediscover safety, clarity, and emotional balance. In this episode, host Shay Beider and Dr. Plumbly explore the crucial differences between stress and burnout, highlighting burnout as a syndrome characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion, detachment from what once brought joy, and reduced effectiveness in daily life. Claire shares how our autonomic nervous system shapes our ability to feel safe, think clearly, and connect with others, introducing accessible tools such as breathing exercises, the physiological sigh, progressive muscle relaxation, and bilateral tapping to help regulate the nervous system. Shay and Claire discuss the importance of boundaries, the impact of feeling "tired but wired," and the power of grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Together, they explore the concept of "glimmers"—small cues of safety and joy that help restore balance—as well as embodied affirmations and compassion-focused therapy, which encourage people to relate to themselves with kindness rather than criticism. Their conversation offers practical and hopeful reminders that healing from burnout begins with learning to listen to the body, cultivate safety, and reconnect with what helps us feel whole again. Show Notes: Learn more about Plum Psychology here Read Claire's book here Download the Self Compassion app for Apple products here and Google products here Download the Heart Math app for Apple products here and Android products here This podcast was created by Integrative Touch (InTouch), which is changing healthcare through human connectivity. A leader in the field of integrative medicine, InTouch exists to alleviate pain and isolation for anyone affected by illness, disability or trauma. This includes kids and adults with cancers, genetic conditions, autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic stress, and other serious health issues. The founder, Shay Beider, pioneered a new therapy called Integrative Touch™Therapy that supports healing from trauma and serious illness. The organization provides proven integrative medicine therapies, education and support that fill critical healthcare gaps. Their success is driven by deep compassion, community and integrity. Each year, InTouch reaches thousands of people at the Integrative Touch Healing Center, both in person and through Telehealth. Thanks to the incredible support of volunteers and contributors, InTouch created a unique scholarship model called Heal it Forward that brings services to people in need at little or no cost to them. To learn more or donate to Heal it Forward, please visit IntegrativeTouch.org

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