Client resources
The Spoon Theory
A gentle framework for understanding your energy — and why some days there simply isn't enough of it.
Where it began
The Spoon Theory was created by Christine Miserandino in 2003. Sitting in a diner with her best friend, Christine tried to explain what it felt like to live with lupus — an invisible illness that left her exhausted in ways that were hard to put into words.
She grabbed a handful of spoons from nearby tables and handed them to her friend. Each spoon, she explained, represented a unit of energy. Every task — getting dressed, making breakfast, having a conversation — costs a spoon. When they're gone, they're gone. You can borrow from tomorrow, but you'll pay for it.
Her friend burst into tears. For the first time, she understood.
Why it matters beyond chronic illness
While Christine wrote the Spoon Theory to describe life with a physical illness, it has since been embraced by people living with anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, autism, grief, and burnout — anyone whose energy doesn't work the way the world expects it to.
If you've ever woken up exhausted after a full night's sleep, cancelled plans because you simply had nothing left, or felt guilty for not being able to 'just push through' — the Spoon Theory might finally give language to something you've been carrying alone.
You are not lazy. You are not dramatic. You are managing a limited resource in a world that rarely accounts for it.
Signs you might be running low on spoons
You don't have to figure this out alone
Counselling can be a space to explore your energy, your limits, and what's been depleting you. Together we can look at what's underneath — and find a gentler way forward.