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October 14, 2025 32 mins

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Burnout isn’t just “being tired.” For many musicians, singers, and creatives, it creeps in quietly until suddenly you can’t think clearly, you can’t create, and you feel stuck in cycles of exhaustion.

In Season 12 Episode 1 of This Is A Voice, Jeremy Fisher and Dr. Gillyanne Kayes open up about their own experience with burnout, how it affected their work and creativity, and what they did to recover. 

They’re joined by singer and coach Franka van Essen, who explains burnout through the lens of Polyvagal Theory - and why creatives often toggle between burnout, boredom and overdrive.

We talk about:

The real signs of burnout (that you might be ignoring)

Why freelancing makes burnout more likely

How Polyvagal Theory can help you recognise the “zones” you live in

Practical ways to step back into rest, creativity, and connection

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, disconnected, or wondered “is this burnout?”, this episode will help you recognise it - and give you hope that you can recover.
#burnout #singerburnout #polyvagaltheory  #musicianmentalhealth #vocalcoach  #singingteacher 
 
00:00 Mood swings and despair

01:19 What burnout looks like

02:56 Measuring burnout

05:21 Jeremy’s change of behaviour

07:12 Franka on how burnout can start

09:19 Singing teachers and burnout

12:16 Musicians and task switching

13:49 Polyvagal theory and the zones

17:10 Toggling between the zones

19:01 Compassion fatigue

22:25 Household boundaries

25:08 A plate of raspberry puddings

25:44 Getting back in the green zone

28:44 Learning to say no

You can contact Franka van Essen on 
http://www.voice2blossom.nl/
Instagram and Facebook voice2blossom
LinkedIn Franka van Essen

And Franka’s short course on Polyvagal Theory for singers, teachers and coaches is included in our monthly Learning Lounge membership here 
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/



Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

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