Overfunctioning & Burnout

A woman with curly hair sitting at a table with her eyes closed, hands pressed against her forehead in a moment of concentration or reflection, with sunlight in the background.

When you do it all & it’s never enough.

You’ve become the emotional backbone of your household, your relationship, or your job. On the outside, you’re dependable and strong. But underneath, there’s exhaustion, quiet resentment, and the ache of never being fully seen or supported.

At Liminal Psych in Charlotte, NC, I work with high-functioning women, moms, and professionals who struggle with over functioning and codependent relationship patterns. These roles are often shaped by childhood dynamics—becoming the caretaker, the fixer, or even the “parent” in your family system. While these strategies once kept you connected, today they leave you feeling depleted and disconnected from your own needs.

What We Focus On:

Identifying roles you were forced into early (and how they repeat now)
Differentiating between love and responsibility
Practicing boundaries that preserve connection without overgiving
Validating your anger, exhaustion, and need for reciprocity

You don’t have to shrink yourself to stay connected.

Let's Get Started

Over Functioning &
Emotional Burnout

Over functioning often hides behind achievement and responsibility.
You might notice:
- Taking responsibility for everyone else’s needs while neglecting your own
- Managing, fixing, or planning for others—even when they don’t ask
- Being the “strong one” who keeps it together, no matter how exhausted you feel
- Anticipating problems before they happen and stepping in to prevent them
- Difficulty trusting others to handle tasks or emotions without your help
- Quiet resentment building because you give more than you receive
- Feeling anxious or guilty when you rest or prioritize yourself
- Over-scheduling, over-performing, or carrying the invisible load at home or work
- Struggling to ask for help or let others care for you
- Equating your worth with how much you do for others
Emotional burnout often hides behind strength and composure.
You might notice:
- Feeling responsible for other people’s moods, choices, or well-being
- Saying “yes” when you want to say “no,” to avoid conflict or rejection
- Struggling to set or keep boundaries without guilt
- Feeling anxious, resentful, or invisible in one-sided relationships
- Over-functioning: taking on more than your share at home, work, or in partnerships
- Difficulty identifying your own needs, wants, or feelings
- Self-worth tied to being needed, helpful, or indispensable
- Fear that expressing anger or needs will cause abandonment
- Confusing caretaking with love or loyalty
- Exhaustion from giving while rarely receiving
Together, we’ll explore the patterns that keep you stuck in cycles of over-functioning and codependency, and begin to create space for healthier, more balanced relationships.
At Liminal Psych, therapy focuses on:
- Identifying early roles you were forced into (caretaker, fixer, parentified child) and how they replay today
- Differentiating between love and responsibility so you can give from choice, not compulsion
- Practicing boundaries that preserve connection without sacrificing yourself
- Validating your anger, exhaustion, and longing for reciprocity
- Reclaiming your voice so your relationships become mutual, supportive, and authentic
Many women come to therapy because they’re tired of carrying everything on their own. If you grew up believing love meant caretaking, or that connection required self-sacrifice, therapy offers a new path.
At Liminal Psych, I integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and attachment-based therapy to help you heal the roots of over functioning and create relationships where you can show up as your full self. Sessions are available in-person in SouthPark (Charlotte, NC) or virtually across North Carolina.