In the outskirts of Bordeaux, in Talence, a group of women discreetly enter the gates of the Maison des Burnettes every Monday. This former house of a wine estate served as a refuge for the city’s residents during World War II. Now, it welcomes women of all ages and professions, mostly single mothers, who are victims of professional exhaustion. The women are welcomed with a coffee in the lounges decorated by a former “burnette” who underwent a career change into interior architecture. Anne-Sophie Vives, the director of the association L’Burn, which is celebrating its 5th anniversary, explains that they receive an increasing number of membership requests.
Anne-Sophie Vives, a former notarial assistant who experienced severe burnout herself, shares her story and how she decided to help other women after going through her own struggles: “I kept it hidden from those around me for a long time. I was able to rebuild myself by talking to other women about the difficulty of balancing work, motherhood, and being a woman.” She emphasizes that women today are even more affected by burnout due to intra-family and professional inequalities, mental burdens, and the challenge of balancing personal and professional lives. This multifactorial exhaustion requires a specific form of support and guidance.
The attendance numbers at the association support the latest findings from Santé publique France, which show that psychological suffering related to work was twice as high in 2019 compared to 2007, with women experiencing more anxiety and depressive disorders over this period. With the support of public funds and various sponsorships, L’Burn employs ten staff members and thirty active volunteers who have assisted over 600 women in Gironde and other parts of France, including through video conferencing, in 2023. The association offers group therapy sessions, legal advice, and professional reintegration workshops, all designed in collaboration with sector specialists like doctors and lawyers, focusing on peer support among individuals who have faced the same psychological or physical illness.
Anne-Sophie Vives points out the unique aspect of L’Burn, stating that there are few structures available for women to seek help, leading some to arrive at the association after a period of medical wandering due to a lack of access to psychiatrists. Even general practitioners refer their female patients to L’Burn. In recognition of its distinctive approach, the association was a finalist in the 2023 edition of the La France s’engage foundation prize, under the presidency of François Hollande. The former French President visited the Maison des Burnettes in February and praised their expertise in addressing mental suffering beyond depression, advocating for its recognition as an occupational illness.
