Asia-Pacific Mental Health and Well-being Congress

THEME: "Future Directions: Pioneering Mental Health and Well-being Initiatives"

img2 27-29 Oct 2025
img2 Bali, Indonesia
E K Wills

E K Wills

SJOG Burwood, Australia

Title: Innovating Burnout Recovery Pathways: A Clinician-Led, Private Hospital-Linked Program for Sustainable Work-Life Balance

Biography

Dr E. Kate Wills is part of the new wave of post graduate psychiatrists with previous life experience and a focus on holistic care and wellbeing. Areas of special interests focus on neurodiversity, trauma, and occupational (or workplace) mental health. Her work is informed by her previous studies in Business, education and teaching Business English abroad, in addition to work in the Film Industry as the Head of Department in design.

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational burnout is a significant mental health challenge in Australia, with 61% of individuals reporting symptoms, substantially higher than the 48% global average. Despite increasing demand, particularly among those in helping professions, access to structured recovery programs remains limited. This abstract introduces a novel, clinician-led program designed to address this service gap.

Methods: Conceptualised for individuals experiencing work-related stress or burnout as an Adjustment Disorder, the program offers two delivery modalities to enhance accessibility: a 12-week, half day, group-based, in-person course ("Building Emotional Wellbeing for Burnout") linked to a private hospital outpatient service, and a self-paced, online alternative ("The Burnout Rescue Kit"). Both pathways integrate evidence-based cognitive behavioural strategies, legal-psychological safety frameworks, and goal-focused recovery planning to support a structured return to function.

Results & Conclusion: This dual-format design facilitates broad access and flexible engagement, proving particularly beneficial for individuals on income protection or WorkCover. Preliminary feedback from general practitioners, psychiatrists, and clients indicates high acceptability, with functional recovery being a key noted benefit. As the first private hospital-associated, clinician-led burnout course of its kind in Australia, it presents an evidence-informed, scalable model to address systemic burnout, holding particular relevance for workers in the healthcare sector, non-paid carers and those with significant life stressors or changes in phases of life.