ACT for Burnout

by Debbie Sorensen

"I know what it's like to care deeply about my work and yet feel utterly exhausted by it."

Burnout is more widespread than ever before, and it's time to do something about it.

Rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this book delves into the systemic, cultural, and economic contexts that contribute to burnout, and gives you the tools to exit the cycle. Exercises and reflection questions help you reconnect with your values to find what's really important, and disentangle yourself from unhelpful thought patterns. By engaging with your emotions rather than avoiding or suppressing them, ACT allows you to respond more effectively and become re-engaged in your own life again. This book will show you how to move out of the burnout cycle, reconnect with meaningful aspects of your work, and make changes that last.

Genres: Self Help

256 pages, Paperback

Published January 18, 2024

Reviews

[Cristina Persa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a comprehensive book. Loved the many examples and tips for add to your life more quality. Very well organized ideas and how were add it in context.

[Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I saw this book on NetGalley while I was dealing with burnout and requested it, wanting to read more about the topic. I found ACT for Burnout a very informative and helpful book. I really liked the accepting, understanding and encouraging tone of the book. And I appreciated how the author never blamed the individual for burnout and places the blame with cultural and systemic causes. I think reading this book while I was in burnout really helped, although it did mean I got through the book slower than I normally would have.

There are lots of different topics related to burnout and burnout recovery and I liked the variety of exercises and questions the author states. While not everything equally resonated with me, there were enough parts that did and I think almost anyone can find some points that work for them or resonate with them. I really liked the section about values, identity and to figure out what is really important for you and why. This is definitely a book I recommend and I'll probably will get back to it and re-read it in the future as there is just so much good information and tips in it.

[wonderfullyweird88 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burnout is something I’m unfortunately very familiar with, so I’m always on the lookout for helpful tools and resources to manage it. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one of my preferred therapeutic approaches, so I was really glad to have the opportunity to review this book.

There are lots of different topics related to burnout and burnout recovery covered here, and I liked the variety of exercises and reflective questions the author provides. While not everything resonated with me equally, there were enough parts that really did—and I think almost anyone can find something in this book that will speak to them.

One section I especially appreciated was the part about values, identity, and figuring out what truly matters to you and why. That deeper reflection helped me reconnect with what’s important in a meaningful way.

This is definitely a book I would recommend, and one I’ll likely return to and re-read in the future. There’s so much good information and practical advice packed into it—it’s a great resource for anyone navigating burnout or looking for a more mindful, values-based way to heal.


I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Zoozoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a great overview of what burnout is, what causes it and how to effectively deal with it alongside suggestions of prevention techniques. Despite the author being a professional, the book is not written in an overly academic or complicated way, and it is easy to understand the core themes they explore.
I really liked that there are reflection questions at the end of each chapter. That's also a reason why I would agree with the author to not rush the reading (as I did anyway, oops). I will definitely have to return to the questions at some point, as I was reading this before bedtime and extremely sleepy, which I do not recommend at all, haha. It's a great book to carve out some time for, for example a chapter a day, so you can really savour it.
Overall, I enjoyed the reading experience and all the knowledge this book provides, and will definitely use some of the strategies therein.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free review copy!

[Louise Foerster · Rating 4 out of 5]

ACT FOR BURNOUT by Debbie Sorensen is that smart, intelligent, and compassionate friend who sits you down, explains where you are and how you got here and then shows you a way to resolve and move on past burnout and the cycles of misery gripping you. I knew very little about ACT before reading this book and am impressed with how effective and clear it is in resolving complex and well-entrenched patterns of thought and behavior. I enjoyed Sorensen's style and how she presents actionable ideas in ways that others can follow -- even jolting me to the core with perceptive and desperately needed insights.. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

[Michelle Castaneda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Act for Burnout: Recharge, Reconnect, and Transform Burnout With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Debbie Sorensen is a thorough look at what it means to be burned out and what leads to this. It is also a great guide for what to do if you are already burned out and how to prevent it in the future. I appreciated that this book was written by someone qualified to write it, because this gave more validity to the commonsense information in this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

[Ashley Hamm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how comprehensive this book is - while it’s written from the stance of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the author included many different perspectives to offer a well rounded look at how to address burnout. I appreciated how she wove the importance of systemic change throughout the book, emphasizing that while we can do something to address our burnout, it is a systemic and culture-wide issue that must be addressed on that level to achieve lasting change.

[Liz Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent for mental health clinicians and individuals who want to learn techniques to prevent, manage, and recover from burnout. The author does an amazing job of identifying the individual and cultural/ systemic factors that lead to burnout. The information is well-written and organized.

[Kathryn Pedersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book I thought that the only way to recover from burnout would be to quit my job and escape to an island for three months. This book not only defines burnout but gives daily tips to move through and prevent burnout. It’s the small daily steps we take. Thanks for an easy read with lots of
tactical advice.

[Crimson Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley for an advanced ARC of this book

For many years I have suffered from burnout and fatigue so I was keen to knowing there was a way to change my way of thinking to become better with it.

In this book I learnt allot about thw history of burnout also some practises to try that where really quite helpful, this book may not be for everyone but it helped me a bit and I am greatful for that

Read 18th feb

[R.A. Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

ACT for Burnout is a reference text. It highlights the current wave of burnout affecting our society, before linking in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and how it can help sufferers escape the impact of burnout. This was an interesting read that I would recommend for anyone who wants to understand burnout, the origins and effects, and a practical explanation for how to alleviate it.

This was a NetGalley review.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"ACT for Burnout" by Debbie Sorensen is a super practical, no-nonsense guide for dealing with work stress and burnout. Sorensen uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to give you real tools you can actually use, explained in a way that feels approachable and kind—like getting advice from a friend who gets it.

She keeps things simple, breaking down ACT into steps that make sense in real life, with examples that make you go, “Yep, that’s me.” It’s not just talk—there are exercises, mindfulness tips, and ways to line up your day with what matters most to you. Her focus on acceptance and self-compassion is a total game-changer for handling stress.

What really makes it stand out is how relatable it feels. You don’t have to be a therapist or know anything about psychology to get it—Sorensen meets you where you are, and you can start using her advice right away without feeling overwhelmed.

Bottom line: If you’re burned out (or headed that way), this book is a smart, encouraging place to start.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written, easy to follow guide to understand burnout (and the internal and external dynamics) and how to transform with acceptance and commitment therapy. Compared to other books like this, I find this book does a great job at: 1) explaining the external dynamics that contribute to burnout to help people to stop blaming themselves, 2) categorizing 10 types of internal dynamics that contribute to burnout 3) the importance and how to build emotional intelligence 4) emphasizing the importance that solving burnout is more than working on yourself but also requires changed to external circumstances 5) highlighting just how important social connections are to over wellbeing and how to cultivate supportive relationships. This book helped me at the start of my burnout recovery. I don't rate it a 5 however, because I've found Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) more helpful than ACT in the long-term. I use MSC as my main framework for wellbeing, while considering the values part of ACT to live more meaningfully.