Carer Fatigue and Burnout - A Comprehensive Program for Recovery and Prevention
Tracks
Ballroom 2
| Tuesday, September 1, 2026 |
| 11:20 AM - 11:40 AM |
Overview
Tess Howells, Thrive Positive Psychology
Three Key Learnings
1. Contextualising burnout within a socio-political, cultural, "muti-level of stress" framework
2. Understanding workplace and personal risk and protective factors
3. Prioritising Radical Self-care for healthy, sustainable caregiving
Speaker
Ms Tess Howells
Director
Thrive Positive Psychology
Carer Fatigue and Burnout - A Comprehensive Program for Recovery and Prevention
Abstract
Carer Fatigue and Burnout - Prevention and Recovery Through Radical Self-Care
Based on four years intensive research following her own diagnosis of PTSD and burnout, psychologist Tess Howells has identified major factors that could either lead to carer health and wellbeing, or to illness and burnout.
Unlike existing programs for burnout prevention and recovery, this program is framed within the often unseen and unacknowledged social and cultural factors impacting women as carers and takes a whole-person approach.
With a particular passion to support those in rural and remote areas, Tess has developed a self-paced, comprehensive online program, which gently and compassionately supports participants to identify and understand the multi-level factors impacting carer physical and mental health such as:
- societal and cultural expectations of women and devaluing of roles and contributions
- early life influences (attachment styles, trauma, adverse childhood experiences)
- the interaction of biology and psychology including an understanding of the nervous system from a poly-vagal perspective
- the impact of chronically high levels of cortisol on women's bodies and minds
- workplace and personal risk and protective factors
Participants are introduced to Radical Self-Care - which unlike traditional approaches to self-care, locates stress within a cultural-political framework, acknowledges the realities and demands of caregiving and offers a range of practical, doable, evidence based micro-tools that can be incorporated into already busy lives.
Based on four years intensive research following her own diagnosis of PTSD and burnout, psychologist Tess Howells has identified major factors that could either lead to carer health and wellbeing, or to illness and burnout.
Unlike existing programs for burnout prevention and recovery, this program is framed within the often unseen and unacknowledged social and cultural factors impacting women as carers and takes a whole-person approach.
With a particular passion to support those in rural and remote areas, Tess has developed a self-paced, comprehensive online program, which gently and compassionately supports participants to identify and understand the multi-level factors impacting carer physical and mental health such as:
- societal and cultural expectations of women and devaluing of roles and contributions
- early life influences (attachment styles, trauma, adverse childhood experiences)
- the interaction of biology and psychology including an understanding of the nervous system from a poly-vagal perspective
- the impact of chronically high levels of cortisol on women's bodies and minds
- workplace and personal risk and protective factors
Participants are introduced to Radical Self-Care - which unlike traditional approaches to self-care, locates stress within a cultural-political framework, acknowledges the realities and demands of caregiving and offers a range of practical, doable, evidence based micro-tools that can be incorporated into already busy lives.
Biography
Tess is a psychologist, training consultant and author with over twenty years experience in rural clinical practice, including working with Royal Flying Doctor Service, International Health & Medical Service and various government and NFP organisations.
Diagnosed with PTSD and burnout in 2020, Tess' journey of recovery included much self-reflection and four years of research into the factors that could lead to either carer health and wellbeing, or to illness and burnout. Tess now offers her extensive experience and research to all carers - paid health and community workers and unpaid family carers - particularly those in rural & remote areas.
