From Burnout to Breakthrough: Reigniting and Tending to Your Inner Fire with Dr. Xiaojue Hu

The early signs of burnout are easy to miss or dismiss. They show up as a shorter fuse with a client, decision fatigue that leads to overthinking or rushed decisions, or a full calendar paired with a growing sense of dread and overwhelm.

These signals build over time and are often overridden in the name of productivity and success, especially in today’s business world, where sustained pressure is part of the job.

In this session, Dr. Xiaojue Hu brings a psychiatric perspective to understanding burnout and the context in which it occurs, including its impacts on judgment, performance, and decision-making under pressure. Drawing on both clinical and lived experience, she will discuss how to recognize early signs of depletion before they escalate, as well as different ways to regulate and reset the nervous system.

Attendees will learn practical strategies to regulate energy, maintain clarity in high-demand environments, and build greater resilience over time. The session will also explore how burnout can become a meaningful source of insight, leading to more sustainable ways of working and living.

The session begins with a short teaching segment, followed by small-group exercises designed to help attendees identify their own patterns and apply the tools in real time. The group then reconvenes to share insights and reinforce learning.

Attendees will leave with:

• A more holistic understanding of burnout and its causes
• Practical tools for regulating energy and preventing escalation
• Strategies for building resilience and supporting clearer decision-making under pressure

Note on Related Programming:
This session is part of a broader two-evening exploration of sustainable leadership, agency, and decision-making under pressure. Attendees are also invited to continue the conversation with Dr. Hu at the June 4 LEAP Pop-Up experience, Wisdom of Courageous Leadership, featuring Dr. Jessica Taylor and other cross-disciplinary experts from Courageous Being, a center for applied psychological anthropology. Together, they will explore the big questions surrounding Worth, Wealth, and Wellness and how these forces influence inner transitions that ultimately shape performance, communication, workplace culture, and the future of leadership. Attendees will gain grounded perspectives, practical insights, and actionable tools they can apply immediately in both work and life.  

For more information and to reserve your space for the June 4th event visit: https://courageousbeing.com/wisdom-of-courageous-leadership-event/

Please note this event will be held in the Gold Room to the Left of the Fireplace on the main floor of the University Club.