The Burnout Companion FAQs
A few things you might want to know...
The Burnout Companion is about support that fits around real life.
No pretending everything is fine. No pressure to have the right words. And no expectation that you need to have reached breaking point before you're allowed to ask for support.
Here are some of the things you might want to know before deciding whether Alongside, my private 1:1 support, feels right for you.
What is The Burnout Companion? The Burnout Companion is the umbrella for my more personal support for people who have spent a long time carrying a lot for everyone else. My own lived experience means I have a particular understanding of SEND parenting, adoption, caregiving and advocacy, but you don't need to share my story to belong here. The idea is simple: sometimes you don't need another thing to learn or complete. You might just need somewhere to put some of it down.
What is Alongside? Alongside is my private, one-to-one Burnout Companion support. It's primarily delivered through WhatsApp and gives you somewhere to bring what's happening in your life as it's happening. The difficult day. Something you're trying to make sense of. A decision that's going round and round in your head. A win nobody else quite understands. Or simply: “Today has been A LOT.” There are no modules to complete and no homework to keep up with. You bring what's happening. We'll start there.
Who is Alongside for? Alongside is for people who have spent a long time carrying a lot. You might be experiencing burnout or overwhelm. You might be a SEND or adoptive parent. You might be caring for somebody, juggling work and family, advocating, supporting everyone around you or simply feeling like you've become the person who always copes. You don't need to fit neatly into a particular box. If you've spent so much time looking after everything and everybody else that you've barely had space to notice how you are doing, this space may be for you.
How does the support work? Our support is primarily through WhatsApp. You can send written messages or voice notes depending on what feels easiest. Sometimes I'll respond with a reflection or question. Sometimes I might share an idea, resource or something for you to consider. Sometimes a voice note might make more sense than a written response. And sometimes you might simply need somebody to hear you. This is ongoing, reflective support rather than a continuous conversation throughout the day.
When can I message you? You don't need to wait until I'm working to send a message. If something is on your mind, you're welcome to put it down when it works for you. There's no expectation that I'll respond immediately — and there's no expectation that you respond immediately to me either. My usual response times are: Monday–Tuesday: within 24 hours Wednesday–Friday: within 48 hours Saturday: limited availability Sunday: I'm offline Occasionally life happens on my side too. If I know I'm going to be unavailable for longer than usual, I'll let you know wherever possible.
Is there a limit to how much I can message? I don't want you counting messages or worrying that you've “used up” your support. At the same time, Alongside is designed for ongoing reflective support rather than continuous messaging throughout the day. Sometimes one situation might mean sending several messages, and that's absolutely fine. If the amount or type of support you're needing begins to fall outside what I can responsibly provide through this service, we'll talk about it openly. This isn't about restricting you. It's about keeping the support thoughtful, useful and sustainable for both of us.
Can I send voice notes? Absolutely. Sometimes it's much easier to talk than type, particularly when you've had one of those days. Voice notes of around five minutes or less are ideal. If you've got more to say, you can always send another. I'll sometimes respond with a voice note too, particularly when I feel a little more context or explanation would be useful.
What might we talk about? There isn't a checklist. Our conversations might explore burnout, overwhelm, rest, guilt, boundaries, overfunctioning, identity, caregiving, work, relationships, asking for help, self-awareness or reconnecting with yourself. But you don't need to arrive knowing what you want to “work on.” Sometimes you might simply need somewhere to put down what's happened that day. That's allowed too.
Are you a counsellor or therapist? No. I'm a coach, educator and Burnout Companion. My work is informed by my professional experience, ongoing learning and lived experience. Alongside isn't counselling, psychotherapy, medical or mental-health treatment, crisis support or social work. There may be times when we talk about difficult feelings or experiences. I'll listen, reflect and support you within the boundaries of my role, but I won't attempt to provide support that requires qualifications or expertise I don't have.
Can we talk about SEND, adoption or caregiving? Absolutely. These are areas that form an important part of my own lived experience, and you're very welcome to bring them into our conversations. I may share things I've learned through my experiences of parenting, SEND, education, services and advocacy or point you towards information and organisations that may be useful. However, I don't provide professional SEND legal, medical, educational, adoption or social-care advice. I'll always try to be clear about when I'm sharing lived experience rather than professional expertise. You remain the person who decides what's right for you and your family.
Is the support for my child too? No. Alongside supports you. Naturally, what's happening with your children, family or caring responsibilities may be a big part of what you want to talk about. But I don't provide assessment, therapy, coaching or other direct professional services to your child through Alongside. You are the person I'm supporting.
What happens if you think I need additional support? I'll tell you, with care. If I suggest another professional or service, it isn't because you're “too much” and it isn't me trying to get rid of you. Sometimes something you're experiencing deserves expertise I don't have. That might mean counselling, medical or mental-health support, specialist SEND advice, social-care support or another professional service. Where appropriate, I'll help you think about the type of support that might be useful and where you could begin looking. And needing specialist support doesn't necessarily mean our work together has to end. In many circumstances, Alongside can sit alongside other appropriate professional support. Caring about you also means being honest about where my role ends.
Is what I share confidential? I treat what you share with me with care and respect. However, confidentiality cannot be absolute. There may be circumstances involving safeguarding, serious concerns about the safety of you or another person, or a legal requirement where I may need to share relevant information. Where it's safe and appropriate to do so, I would aim to discuss my concerns with you. You'll receive more detailed information about confidentiality, safeguarding and the boundaries of our work in the Alongside Client Agreement before we begin.
What if I need urgent help? Alongside and The Burnout Companion are not emergency or crisis services, and messages aren't continuously monitored. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need urgent help for your mental health but it isn't an emergency, NHS guidance says you can use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental-health option. Get urgent mental-health help through the NHS If you need somebody to talk to, Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123, any time, day or night. Contact Samaritans If you'd prefer to text, Shout provides free, confidential 24/7 text-based mental-health support in the UK. Text SHOUT to 85258. Get support from Shout Please don't wait for a response from me if you need urgent help.
How much does Alongside cost? Alongside is £99 per month. That gives you a month of private, one-to-one WhatsApp support, reflection and conversation within the response times and boundaries described above. There's no course to keep up with and no homework to fall behind on.
Do I have to be at breaking point before I ask for support? Absolutely not. In fact, I'd really rather we challenged the idea that somebody has to reach breaking point before they're “allowed” support. Maybe you're exhausted. Maybe you're noticing that you're disappearing underneath everybody else's needs. Maybe things aren't terrible at all — you're just recognising that you don't want to keep carrying everything alone. You don't need the perfect reason. And you don't need the perfect words. Come as you are. We'll start there.
Still have a question? If there's something I haven't answered here, you're welcome to get in touch. Or, if you've read enough and Alongside feels like the kind of support you've been looking for: