If you’re getting through each day but feel disconnected from yourself, simply pushing harder may not be the answer. You might recognize the experience of running on autopilot, saying yes when you need to say no, or knowing that something needs to change without knowing where to begin. In this conversation, Karina speaks with clinical psychologist Dr. Veronique Elefant-Yanni about understanding what you feel, not just what you think, and making room for a different relationship with yourself.

Drawing on her 3D Human Therapy® framework, Veronique introduces affect and her distinction between “thinking space” and “feeling space.” She shares four everyday wellbeing practices: breathing, walking in nature, appreciating small pleasures, and meditation. Together, they explore people-pleasing, self-trust, and why returning to work after burnout can bring bigger questions about your values and choices. It’s an invitation to approach recovery with curiosity and self-compassion rather than treating yourself as something that needs fixing.

In this episode, you will:

• Understand how Veronique uses affect, body tension, valence, and activation to describe your inner experience.
• Recognize the disconnection Karina describes as living on autopilot.
• Try four everyday practices Veronique recommends for reconnecting with how you feel.
• Explore how people-pleasing and seeking approval can make boundaries harder to maintain.
• Reflect on your values and choices when preparing to return to work after burnout.
• Recognize that seeking professional support is not a personal failure.

Conversation highlights

00:00 Introduction

02:12 What is Affect?

13:22 How does our affect effect our daily lives?

21:26 Environment vs. Internalization

24:25 Four tools to keep the connection between thinking and feeling strong?

28:51 Why we struggle to slow down and appreciate the present

36:59 I don’t have a choice, I have to go back to work

47:02 Wrap-up and Connect with Dr. Elefant-Yanni

Resources mentioned

• Free 3D Human Therapy® guide: Feel Better, Think Clearer— the guide discussed in the episode, with an introduction to the framework and four wellbeing tools.

About Dr. Veronique Elefant-Yanni

Dr. Veronique Elefant-Yanni is a clinical psychologist with a PhD in Affective Sciences and over 25 years of clinical practice. She created 3D Human Therapy®, a non-pathologizing framework focused on helping people understand their affective experience and reconnect thinking and feeling.

Connect with Dr. Veronique Elefant-Yanni

• Psychology Experts: website and contact

Listener reflection

Where in your day do you notice yourself running on autopilot, and what small moment of presence could you make room for today?

Search questions & answers

Question: What is affect in 3D Human Therapy®?

Answer: Affect is your immediate feeling response to what is happening inside you and around you, before you put that experience into words. In 3D Human Therapy®, it is described through three dimensions: tension (how tense or relaxed you feel), activation (how alert or sleepy you feel), and valence (how pleasant or unpleasant you feel). Noticing these sensations is a way to check in with yourself rather than focusing only on your thoughts.

Question: What everyday practices can help me reconnect with myself during burnout recovery?

Answer: Four everyday practices to try are taking three slow belly breaths, walking in nature without your phone for 30 minutes at least twice a week, fully appreciating a small daily pleasure, and meditating for 20 minutes a day. A small pleasure could be savoring a cup of coffee, reading a few pages, or talking with a friend. For meditation, focus on your breathing or surrounding sounds, gently returning your attention when it wanders. These practices create opportunities to notice how you feel; they are not a substitute for professional support.

Question: How can people-pleasing make it harder to set boundaries at work?

Answer: People-pleasing can make saying no feel difficult because being helpful becomes tied to receiving approval or feeling good enough. At work, this can mean agreeing to extra tasks, feeling responsible for everything, and overlooking your own limits. A useful starting point is to ask whether you genuinely want to help or feel you must say yes to earn acceptance. Recognizing that difference can help you make room for your own needs when setting boundaries.

Question: Why can returning to work after burnout feel difficult even when I’m ready?

Answer: Feeling ready to work again does not necessarily mean feeling ready to return to the same working conditions. Burnout recovery can lead you to reconsider your values, priorities, and what you want from work, making a return to your previous routine feel uncomfortable or at odds with your needs. Financial and family responsibilities may limit immediate changes. Identifying what you want to be different and planning toward it, even over a longer period, can help restore a sense of choice.

Back After Burnout is produced by the SwissCast Network, the only podcast network with podcasts produced in, for, or about English-speaking Switzerland.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Rate & Review

Rate & Review

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network