The GP Wellbeing Project

For years, I’ve worked at the intersection of psychology, burnout, and the caring professions. As both a clinician and researcher, I’ve spent time listening to the stories of doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other frontline professionals who carry the emotional weight of their work long after their shifts end.

Alongside this professional journey, I’ve also navigated my own experience with burnout. Like many in caring roles, I found myself stretched between responsibility, empathy, and exhaustion. That lived perspective now shapes my therapeutic approach, helping me offer support that is both psychologically grounded and deeply human.

This personal and professional alignment evolved into a dedicated research project — and eventually, into GPWellbeing.com, an ongoing platform focused on understanding and improving the mental health of Australian GPs.

The GP Wellbeing Project

In the aftermath of COVID‑19, I conducted one of Australia’s largest studies exploring burnout among general practitioners. The project gathered responses from over 180 GPs across the country, shedding light on the ongoing pressures facing the profession.

Key findings from the study:

• Burnout remains extremely high in Australian GPs, even years after the height of the pandemic.

  • 86% of GPs reported at least moderate burnout.

  • 34% reported high burnout (using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory).

• Gendered patterns emerged:

  • Female GPs were more likely to attribute burnout to workload‑related pressures.

  • Male GPs were more likely to attribute burnout to the emotional demands of patient care.

• One of the most significant findings was the protective role of self‑compassion.
  GPs with higher levels of self‑compassion experienced less work‑related burnout, even when their workloads were heavier.

This suggests that improving self‑compassion — something we can reliably improve through therapy — may meaningfully reduce burnout in the profession.

This research is now under peer review in a Q1 journal, with the goal of contributing lasting, evidence‑based insight into the wellbeing of Australian doctors.

Why This Matters for Present Mind

My therapeutic approach integrates:

• Evidence‑based burnout research

• My lived experience as someone who has confronted burnout firsthand

• A deep understanding of the emotional ecology of caring roles

• Compassion‑focused, values‑based treatment tailored to clinicians, carers, and high‑responsibility professionals

Through Present Mind, I provide a space where doctors and other professionals to safely explore exhaustion, moral injury, emotional load, and the complex psychological landscape that accompanies modern life.

Whether someone is early in their career, mid‑career and struggling, or nearing a breaking point, the work we do together is grounded in both research and real‑world experience.

GPWellbeing.com — Now Part of My Clinical Practice

I hope to grow GPWellbeing.com into a resource hub and a home for ongoing research, however it now also forms part of my practice at Present Mind, offering:

• Information about the GP Wellbeing Project

• Updates on forthcoming publications

• Opportunities for future participation in wellbeing research

• Evidence‑based tools for understanding and managing burnout