Burnout therapy in NYC for women who are tired of being the strong one
Most women who look for burnout therapy in NYC have been tired for so long that exhaustion feels like their personality.
You are the one who handles it — the deadline at work, the family emergency, your parents' paperwork, your siblings' problems, the dinner, the birthdays. Rest feels like something you will earn later, and later never comes. Burnout is not a lack of resilience. It is what happens when a capable person carries too much for too long with no one carrying them. Rubina helps you put some of it down without feeling like you have abandoned everyone.
- LCSW
- CASAC-2
- Author of Stop Being Okay
- Urdu · Hindi · Punjabi
- In person in NYC
- Online across New York
How burnout shows up for the women Rubina sees
These are composites, not real clients, though many readers say they could be.
The eldest daughter
She translated for her parents at the doctor's office when she was nine. At thirty-four she still manages their finances, mediates family fights and sends money home, while working full time and raising two children. Her siblings call her the strong one. She cries in the shower so no one hears.
The high achiever
A lawyer has been promoted twice in three years. She can't remember the last weekend she didn't check email. She used to love her work. Now she feels nothing on Friday and dread on Sunday, and she gets sick every time she takes a vacation.
The caregiver
A woman moved her mother-in-law into the family home after a stroke. She is grateful she can help and furious that nobody else does. She feels guilty for both feelings and hasn't slept properly in months.
How Rubina works with burnout
Rubina begins by mapping what you are actually carrying — at work, at home and inside your head. Seeing it written down is often a shock, because so much of it is invisible labor that nobody counts, including you.
Then the work has two layers. The practical layer looks at boundaries, delegation and the small daily changes that give your nervous system a chance to recover. DBT and mindfulness skills help you notice exhaustion before it becomes collapse. The deeper layer looks at why you learned that your worth depends on being useful. For many women, especially eldest daughters and daughters of immigrants, this goes back to childhood roles they never chose. Self-compassion focused work and CBT help loosen the guilt that shows up the moment you try to rest.
Burnout recovery is not only about doing less. It is also about adding back what has quietly disappeared: friendship, play, movement, time that belongs to no one but you. Rubina will help you find small, realistic ways to refill the tank, even in a season of life that can't be cleared.
Rubina understands that cultural duty is real. She won't tell you to stop supporting your family. She will help you support them in a way that doesn't cost you your health. Her book, Stop Being Okay, was written for exactly this kind of exhaustion.
What can change over 8 to 12 sessions
Recovery from burnout takes time, and there are no promises. Clients often describe:
- You can tell the difference between tired and burned out, and act earlier
- You hand off at least one responsibility you assumed was only yours
- Rest stops feeling like something you have to justify
- You say no to a request and survive the guilt
- Your body — sleep, headaches, frequent illness — starts to settle
- You understand how people-pleasing and anxiety feed the cycle
Not sure where you stand? Take the free Am I Burnt Out? quiz. Women who want company in this work can also join the Good Daughter Burnout group.
What sessions look like
Sessions are 50 minutes and can fit around a demanding schedule. Rubina sees clients in person in New York City and online across New York State, so you can join from your office, your car or home after the children are asleep.
You can talk in English, Urdu, Hindi or Punjabi. If you would rather focus on career and life direction than clinical work, life coaching for women is another option. Rates are on the fees page.
Rubina K. Singh, LCSW, CASAC-2
Rubina has spent more than fifteen years in mental health. She holds a BSW from Rutgers, an MSW from Capella and is completing her doctorate in social work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York, a CASAC Level 2 addiction counselor, and the author of Stop Being Okay. She grew up between cultures, and she speaks English, Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi.
Questions people ask
Is burnout a real reason to start therapy?
Yes. Burnout affects sleep, mood, health and relationships. You don't need to wait until it becomes depression or a breakdown to deserve support.
I don't have time for therapy. How does that work?
Many burned-out clients feel this way. Online sessions remove travel time, and sessions can be scheduled early morning, evening or on Saturdays. Fifty minutes a week often gives back far more time than it takes.
What is good daughter syndrome?
It isn't a diagnosis. It is a name many women use for the pattern of being the responsible, self-sacrificing child who keeps the family running. It often shows up as guilt, resentment and exhaustion in adulthood.
Will therapy tell me to quit my job?
No. Rubina won't make decisions for you. Some clients do change jobs; many stay and change how they work. The point is to make choices from clarity rather than exhaustion.
Do you work with men who are burned out?
Yes. This page speaks mainly to women because they are most of the people who reach out about it, but Rubina works with clients of every gender and background.
Last reviewed October 13, 2026 by Rubina K. Singh, LCSW
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