Megan Bearce (she/her)

Burnout has become an epidemic and is an issue many clients struggle with. I frequently write and speak about burnout, whether its related to a career, parenting, or the endless day to day stressors that many of us experience. I help clients figure out strategies for reducing it and indentify short and long term goals for lasting change.

Supporting woman in my therapy practice has been a goal from day one. Whether it's related to body image, workplace mental health, or finding their voice and advocating for change, I love helping women live the lives they want for themselves. Women are under tremendous amounts of pressure to "do it all" and do it perfectly. I want to help people learn how to say "no" to unrealistic expectations and "yes" to what they want. Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and burnout are often intertwined.

In my opinion, adjustment disorder should be renamed "life transitions." Many of my clients seek out therapy when a big change, or many changes at once, become unmanageable. I have unique expertise with frequent business travel stressors. I love helping clients transition to parenthood or to an empty nest. COVID-19 has been the ultimate adjustment for most everyone, and the residual emotional impact of it is one that therapy can help mitigate.

Our thoughts often influence our emotions and our behaviors. I listen for words client's use and listen for patterns in what they say and how that does or doesn't not align with how they live life or the goals they have for themselves. I listen for words like "always", "never", "should" and then ask for more information or exceptions and how those words impact their mood.

I feel that a client is the expert on their life and I want to hear how they experience the world and what their goals are. An example of how this looks in therapy: The client isn't depressed. Depression is influencing their life. What makes it easier for depression to be around? What makes depression stay away? It goes hand and hand with social justice and creates space for meaningful change a client wants vs. what a therapist thinks is best.

Many of my clients come in with specific goals, but not always. I ask what they want different in their life and what they'd like to stay the same. Once we collaboratively explore this, we together come up with goals and strategies for reaching their goals. My hope is to have sessions further and further apart as clients build their confidence, make changes, and have symptoms lessen. Sometimes they will return for a few check-in appointments or if a new challenge arises.