Understanding and Addressing Burnout Workshop Series (A series of free and confidential online PSU workshops focusing on burnout)

Unrealistic workloads, unrelenting workplace pressures, inadequate access to timely support and problematic workplace cultures are significant contributing factors for burnout nevertheless healthcare practitioners are often left to feel that it is a personal failure or lacking that results in their symptoms of burnout.

Many don’t recognise the features at all until it has significant impact on their health, relationships, sense of self and livelihood.

In this series of short 3-hour workshops we hope to create an informal and confidential space for participants to pause and think about features of burnout and how they may address them.

This workshop will introduce you to the beginnings of a CBT informed approach to spotting and addressing burnout. We will invite you to consider what is within your control to change or influence. This will include thinking about some deeply held beliefs (such as Imposter Phenomenon), expectations or perfectionist tendencies, anxieties about risk and negative cognitive distortions impacting your approach to work and wider boundaries.

Both evening and Saturday workshop options are being offered for flexibility.

Who are the workshops for?

Doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals in training in London and KSS or others who are eligible for accessing the PSU.

Delivery format & what to expect:

• Online via zoom lasting 3 hours. Please ensure you have a working camera and audio to attend.

• Each workshop is part of a series but can be attended as a standalone session.

• The sessions are informal and confidential spaces where we will use small and large group discussions and educational material to think about burnout.

• Participants will be introduced to a CBT-informed approach for thinking about contributing factors for burnout and how to address them.

• Pre-course information will be sent out prior, and handouts will be sent to attendees after the sessions. Attendance certificates will be available afterwards.

• Session information for each workshop is outlined below

Facilitator information: The sessions are facilitated by Dr Lisa Tyrer, a former GP and a current CBT psychotherapist. Lisa combines her experience as a CBT therapist, her work with medical practitioners experiencing burnout and the relevant research to help participants deepen their insight and skills in addressing burnout.

How to book your place: Spaces are limited so please only book a slot if you can attend the full session. You will need to book for each session individually and will be sent the zoom link in advance of each workshop.

You can book your place via the PSU Workshops page under the Performance & Wellbeing tab: https://london.hee.nhs.uk/professional-development/psu-workshops-peer-support information 

Workshop 1- Understanding Burnout and How to Prevent it (3 hours)

Tuesday 11th Feb 2025 - 5:30-8:30pm

Wednesday 19th Feb 2025 - 9:00 -12:00pm

Saturday 1st March - 9:00-12:00 pm

Thurs 13th March - 5:30- 8:30pm

In this session we will be looking at the ICD-11 definition of burnout and how it presents in medics. We will look at the first key contributor to burnout: energy depletion and exhaustion. We will discuss sleep, self-care, living in line with our values and setting and maintaining boundaries. We will also look at the effect of stress on performance and how you may try to work differently. The aim of this workshop is to give you some tools to develop and maintain a safer work/life balance and protect yourself from burnout.

Workshop 2-The Role of Negative thinking and Emotions in Burnout (3 hours)

Friday 28th Feb 2025 - 9:00-12:00pm

Tuesday 4th March 2025 - 5:30-8:30pm

Saturday 15th March - 9:00-12:00

Wednesday 19th March - 09:00 -12:00

In this session we will look at the second key contributor to burnout: depersonalisation, cynicism and negativism in relation to your work. We will be discussing the effect of automatic negative thoughts, thought biases and rules for living that take over in Burnout and how challenging these can keep us seeing positives in the things we do. We will also look at the effect of emotions on how we feel and think and look at the why mindfulness works physiologically. The aim of this workshop is to give you some tools to challenge negative thinking and avoid depersonalisation at work and home.

Workshop 3- Understanding Perfectionism and Burnout (3 Hours)

Friday 21st March 1:30-4:30pm

Tuesday 25th March 5:30-8:30pm

Saturday 29th March 9:00-12:00pm

Wednesday 2nd April 9:00-12:00pm

In this session we will look at the third key contributor to burnout: reduced professional efficacy and the relationship between perfectionism and feelings of not being good enough. We will look at the good and bad sides of perfectionism and tips on managing the negative consequences of perfectionist traits. The aim of this workshop is to give you a better understanding of how perfectionism impacts you and tools for reducing the negative effects including Imposter Phenomenon, anxiety about risk, and procrastination and avoidance.

Further inquiries: For any questions please email Enquiries.PSULondon@nhs.net