professionals & managers in transition
For high-functioning adults who have always coped - until now.
this may be for you if...
you've been made redundant and don't know who you are without your role
you're experiencing burnout but can't afford to stop
you're a leader who is exhausted by the performance of leadership
you're returning to work after illness and struggling to find your footing
you're balancing work with caregiving or family complexity
you want a therapist who understands workplace realities
you value privacy, discretion, and depth
you're ready to do something different
what I work with
burnout
The depletion that comes from sustained high performance - not just tiredness, but a fundamental erosion of capacity, motivation, and sense of self.
redundancy
The identity crisis that follows job loss, particularly for those whose professional role has been central to their sense of who they are.
leadership fatigue
The particular exhaustion of holding responsibility for others over a sustained period and the difficulty of admitting that you are struggling.
loss of professional identity
When a career change, demotion, or role loss strips away the professional identity that has defined you and the work of finding out who you are without it.
The cost of high functioning
Still meeting every deadline. Still showing up. Still functioning while something underneath has quietly stopped working. Often missed, because from the outside, everything looks fine.
work-life complexity
Balancing demanding professional roles with caregiving, blended family dynamics, or personal health challenges and the identity strain this creates.
why this practice is different for professionals
Many professionals find standard therapy frustrating. They feel they have to explain too much context, that the therapist doesn't understand the realities of professional life, or that the work is too surface-level for what they are actually carrying.
My background in management and leadership means I understand the culture, the pressures, and the identity structures of professional life. I won't ask you to explain what a KPI is, or why being made redundant feels like more than just losing a job.
The work is deep, relational, and long-term. Not a programme, the kind of therapy that takes seriously what you are actually carrying.
ready to talk?
I offer a brief initial conversation to explore whether this practice is the right fit for you. No obligation, no pressure.
WHERE EAP ENDS, THIS BEGINS
Yolande Barkhuysen, Master of Counselling
Australian Counselling Association (ACA) | ACA College of Supervisors
If you are in crisis, please contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636