I learn new things from my clients all the time. Recently, one shared with me the work of psychologist Dr. Christina Maslach of UC-Berkeley, who researches extensively on the subject of burnout.

Most of us know that burnout is more than stress and more than exhaustion. Dr. Maslach’s work shows that there are multiple factors that go into the subject, and that burnout is an organizational problem, not just an individual weakness.

One things she says that strikes me is that trying to make people fit into their jobs is the wrong approach and that a better perspective is changing the workplaces to fit the people. She uses the analogy of the canary in a coalmine–it makes no sense to avoid the canary’s warning and instead try to create a more resilient canary.

Dr. Maslach’s work is not directly relevant to neurofeedback or hypnosis, but it certainly underlies some of the reasons people come to me for training and assistance.

She gave an excellent Ted Talk, which examines just what makes up the phenomenon of burnout. You may find that here. She also talks about solutions to burnout in a short audio interview here.