OTCC - OT Week Special Series: Burnout, Boundaries and a Sustainable Life in OT

 This episode of OT Coaching Confidential is part of our special OT Week series, The people behind a professional life, five conversations with professionals who support the lives and careers of occupational therapists.

In this episode, Alyce is joined by Toni Knight, a psychotherapist and presenter specialising in helping professional women prevent burnout. Over the past 11 years, Toni has supported hundreds of occupational therapists and developed her program, Stop Burnout, Be Brilliant.

Together, they explore why OT work can leave therapists vulnerable to burnout, from demanding work environments and limited resources to the pressure to keep giving more. Toni explains why burnout isn’t an individual failure, and why support needs to reflect each person’s circumstances.

They discuss the demands of early career practice, recognising when stress becomes persistent, and finding strategies that help you meet your needs throughout your career. They also consider the pressures facing business owners, including caring for a team while navigating uncertainty and making difficult decisions.

A central thread runs through the conversation: work can bring meaning, satisfaction and income, but it cannot meet all our human needs. Building a sustainable professional life means making room for the person behind the therapist.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The workplace and wider systems that contribute to burnout.

• Over-performing, perfectionism and self-sacrifice.

• Toni’s three Ds: depletion, disengagement and declining performance.

• Supporting early career OTs through demanding periods of learning.

• Why boundaries and burnout strategies need to be individualised.

• Recognising unmet needs and seeking support.

• Professional identity and creating a satisfying life beyond work.

• Delegation and prioritising wellbeing as a business owner.

Connect with Toni Knight

Explore Toni’s burnout recovery resources:
toniknight.co/burnout-recovery

Connect on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/toniaknight

Brought to you by Alyce Svensk at The OT Coach Australia.

Supporting allied health professionals to build confidence, clarity and connection through mentoring, supervision, workshops and The OT Coach Academy.

The OT Coach Australia. Where therapists come to grow.