“Burnout is Like a Tree that has Lost Contact with its Roots.”

Executive coach & psychologist Cees Stegenga delves deep on why we burnout & how we can recover.

I first met senior coach, psychologist and trainer Cees Stegenga when I was mired deep in burnout. I was super lucky — Cees is one of the top executive and burnout coaches in the Netherlands.

I felt trapped in burnout and in our first session, Cees helped me see that I had options. That encounter changed my life forever.

11 years later, we are friends and colleagues.

Cees specializes in burnout, which is why I asked to tap his vast wisdom and experience. Our conversation was thought-provoking and shifted my thinking on why we burn out. I’m sure you’ll see why.

What sparked your interest in burnout?

I started out as a physiotherapist, and soon realized that I was more interested in what was going on mentally for my patients — what was the psychological impact of the accident or physical complaints? When I started freelancing, this curiosity only grew.

I worked with so many people who had office jobs and came to me with back or neck complaints — and I was fascinated by the underlying cause. My patients, mostly, were not. It was…