From Burnout to Clarity: Dr. Hewitt’s Journey to Mental Health Advocacy
Dr. Britney Hewitt is a colleague & classmate from optometry school. But she's more than just an optometrist—she's also on track to become a registered psychotherapist. Her path to mental health advocacy was inspired by her own experience with burnout.
At one point, she was working 6 days a week. Her days began to blur together, leaving her drained despite a successful career.
“I wasn’t loving the day-to-day,” she says. “I thrive on variety, and I just felt like a robot going through the motions every day.”
Unfortunately, burnout is a familiar story among healthcare professionals.
As Britney explains, “healthcare workers are often high-achievers, perfectionists, and used to being successful. That can lead to overextending ourselves, saying yes to too many things, and avoiding our own needs.”
Taking the Leap
An optometrist by training, she found herself navigating burnout silently—but it was the pandemic that gave her the pause she needed to rethink everything.
“Pandemic time made me realize that slowing down feels really good,” Britney reflects. “It allowed me to connect with my passions—self-care, mental health, psychology—that had always been on the back burner.”
Following her passions, she pursued a Master’s in Counseling Psychology while continuing part-time as an optometrist.
“The fear of a big change gave me imposter syndrome quite a bit, but my gut was always telling me that I needed to make this change,” she says.
And that instinct proved true: blending her clinical skills with counseling allowed Britney to connect deeply with her clients while rediscovering joy in her professional life as an optometrist.
Mindfulness and Self-Care
For Britney, the first step in recovering from burnout was mindfulness—learning to pause and notice what was really going on beneath the surface. "It starts with self-awareness," she says. "Ask yourself: what aspects of my job are making me feel this way?"
Britney also emphasizes the importance of self-care: “I’ll take a whole day just to do things I enjoy, turn my phone off, and dive into the things that make me, me.” For her, being near water, running, or enjoying a creative hobby isn’t just leisure—it’s essential therapy.
These principles help her maintain balance and protect her own mental health, even while supporting others.
Advice for Healthcare Professionals
Britney offers guidance to those quietly struggling in healthcare:
“The majority of people in your field are probably feeling similar things. Opening up to someone in the field or who has a similar career can be really helpful. You’re not alone.”
Her story is a powerful reminder to listen to your inner voice and pivot as needed.
As she says, “The first step is always the hardest. But once you make that change, momentum carries you forward.”
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