Breaking Up with Burn Out

Tiffany Leader, LCSW

Burnout, burnout recovery, and burnout coaching aren’t just buzzwords—they’re lived experiences for high achievers, helping professionals, and caregivers who feel like they’re running on empty. If you’re navigating compassion fatigue, chronic stress, or the weight of therapist burnout, nurse burnout, social worker burnout, animal welfare burn out or teacher burnout, .. really ANY burn out, this space is for you. Maybe you’ve been thinking: something feels off… I can’t keep doing this. I’m exhausted. Or: I feel guilty if I say no... I should take time off, but I can’t—I feel like I’m disappointing people. I’m so overwhelmed and don’t know what to do. There isn’t any joy left, and I want it back. This podcast is a space to slow down and understand what’s really happening beneath the surface—through conversations on nervous system regulation, boundaries, and recovery practices that actually fit your real life. Hosted by Tiffany Leader, LCSW, this show blends personal experience with clinical insight to support you in moving out of survival mode and into a more grounded, sustainable way of living. Because you don’t have to keep pushing through, and you don’t have to do this alone. Lets Connect: Coffee Chat: https://calendar.app.google/zvozRHTuuLEd91PQ9 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffany.chen.961 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@seethewonderllc Website: Https://seethewonder.net tleader.substack.com

  1. 2d ago

    #3 Burn Out Is a Bad Romance: Fear of Leaving Identity Loss

    Welcome back to the Burnout Is a Bad Romance: Let’s Break Up series. In this episode, we explore how burnout and toxic relationships both chip away at your sense of self — and why the fear of “who am I without this?” keeps us stuck in patterns that are hurting us. We talk about: * How people-pleasing and boundary-breaking lead to identity erosion * Why “I’m so busy” becomes a badge of honor that masks burnout * The parallel between staying in a toxic relationship and clinging to a burnout-inducing job * Reflection questions to help you reconnect with the parts of yourself that might flourish outside the role or relationship Updates from See the Wonder: * We’re hiring clinicians for our virtual therapy practice (Florida, Nevada, and expanding). Visit seethewonder.net for info. * The Supported Clinician — a new monthly virtual community for pre-licensed and newly licensed clinicians navigating the realities of our field. Link in show notes. * Real Relief — integrative coaching for neurodivergent families, combining burnout recovery with neurodivergent family support. Link in show notes. Next episode: Reclaiming empowerment and healing — turning the corner from recognizing the parallels to taking action. I’d love to hear from you. Reply here, or leave a comment wherever you listen. Connect with Tiffany & team at See the Wonder: * https://seethewonder.net * Stay in Touch * Instagram: @seethewonderllc * Schedule a Connect Call Until Next Time, Tiffany This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tleader.substack.com

  2. Aug 12

    #2 Burnout Is a Bad Romance : Rationalization Isolation

    In this episode of Breaking Up With Burnout, I continue my series "Burnout Is a Bad Romance" to speak directly to the helpers, high achievers, caregivers, and therapists who tend to push through exhaustion rather than tend to it. I explore how the same excuses that keep people stuck in toxic relationships — rationalizing red flags, telling yourself "it'll get better," isolating from support — are the very same excuses that keep us stuck in burnout and compassion fatigue. I share my own story of working in complex trauma and anti-trafficking work, where I mistook my capacity to "handle it" for a badge of honor, until panic attacks, sleeplessness, and constant tears became impossible to ignore. My therapist's question — "When's it gonna get better?" — became the moment I finally saw that burnout recovery wasn't about pushing harder, it was about making hard choices to protect myself. As discussed in the episode here it the Burnout Reset Guide for anyone who needs it! If this episode resonated with you, or the Burnout Guise helped you in any capacity, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out anytime at info@seethewonder.net, or head over to seethewonder.net to learn more about our therapy, coaching, and organizational trainings for burnout and compassion fatigue. You don't have to navigate this alone — support is just a message away. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tleader.substack.com

    #2 Burnout Is a Bad Romance : Rationalization Isolation
  3. Aug 4

    Burnout is a Bad Romance

    If you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted and wondering if what you’re experiencing is burnout, this episode will help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface. In this first installment of a new mini-series, I draw a striking parallel between the early stages of burnout and the early stages of a toxic relationship — because in both, the warning signs hide behind something that feels good: passion, purpose, and being needed. I made this episode for the helpers, high achievers, caregivers, therapists, and clinicians who pride themselves on being the go-to person — the ones who love being needed so much that they miss the moment self-sacrifice turns into self-abandonment. I know, because I was one of you. Just like a “honeymoon phase” floods your brain with oxytocin and endorphins and quiets your rational mind, early burnout floods you with passion and purpose that quiet your body’s warning signals. I unpack how love bombing and grand gestures in relationships mirror the overwork, extra responsibility, and “I’ll figure it out” mentality that quietly built chronic stress in my body — long before I would have ever called it burnout. Explore burnout recovery resources at See the Wonder — https://seethewonder.net or email us at info@seethewonder.net with any questions! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tleader.substack.com

    Burnout is a Bad Romance
  4. May 25

    Ep #75: Chronic Stress and the Stillness Problem

    If you’re a high achiever, helper, or caregiver who can’t seem to sit still — this episode is for you. Tiffany breaks down why stillness feels unsafe when you’re burnt out, and introduces active rest as a gentler path back to recovery. Small shifts, big relief.If you’re a high achiever, helper, caregiver, or therapist who feels like you can’t sit still — this episode is for you. Tiffany digs into why stillness feels so uncomfortable when you’re stressed or burnt out, and why your nervous system isn’t broken — it’s just trying to protect you. She introduces the concept of active rest as a gentle, practical bridge between constant doing and true recovery. From awe walks to gardening to simply lying on the floor for 10 minutes, you’ll walk away with real ideas for what rest can look like in your season of life. If burnout recovery has felt out of reach because slowing down feels unsafe, this episode will help you understand why — and give you a starting point. Links: * 100 Days of Summer — a movement challenge with coach Kayla Jeter * Awe walks — concept from coach Cassidy Cecera, Instagram: cassidy.eats * Buy me a coffee link — for listeners who want to support the podcast Connect with Tiffany & team at See the Wonder: * https://seethewonder.net * Stay in Touch * Instagram: @seethewonderllc * Schedule a Connect Call Until Next Time, Tiffany This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tleader.substack.com

  5. May 18

    Ep. 74 Copy Moon Joy

    If you're feeling overwhelmed, depleted, and disconnected — wondering why joy feels so far away — this episode is for you. Whether you're a helper, caregiver, therapist, or high achiever running on empty, burnout has a way of dimming the light inside us. Tiffany shares how the NASA Artemis II mission became an unexpected and powerful antidote to burnout, and why joy, awe, and community aren't just feel-good extras — they're essential to your recovery. EPISODE OVERVIEW: Tiffany introduces the Artemis II Effect — four ways this 10-day mission directly counteracts burnout: community & belonging, the humanity of the crew, exploration & discovery, and awe-inspired perspective shifts. If something has felt off and you’re exhausted, this episode is a reminder that wonder is medicine. RESOURCES: * 📸 Artemis II crew photos — [click here] * Iceland Crew Research: [Click Here] * 🎥 Dr. Kelsey Young’s research — [YouTube link] * 🧵 See the Wonder on Threads — [https://www.threads.com/@seethewonderllc] * 🎁 Free 5-Step Burnout Reset — [https://seethewonder.myflodesk.com/howtotakeamoment] * 📧 info@seethewonder.net | tiffanyleader@seethewonder.net Connect with Tiffany & team at See the Wonder: * https://seethewonder.net * Stay in Touch * Instagram: @seethewonderllc * Schedule a Connect Call Until Next Time, Tiffany This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tleader.substack.com

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Burnout, burnout recovery, and burnout coaching aren’t just buzzwords—they’re lived experiences for high achievers, helping professionals, and caregivers who feel like they’re running on empty. If you’re navigating compassion fatigue, chronic stress, or the weight of therapist burnout, nurse burnout, social worker burnout, animal welfare burn out or teacher burnout, .. really ANY burn out, this space is for you. Maybe you’ve been thinking: something feels off… I can’t keep doing this. I’m exhausted. Or: I feel guilty if I say no... I should take time off, but I can’t—I feel like I’m disappointing people. I’m so overwhelmed and don’t know what to do. There isn’t any joy left, and I want it back. This podcast is a space to slow down and understand what’s really happening beneath the surface—through conversations on nervous system regulation, boundaries, and recovery practices that actually fit your real life. Hosted by Tiffany Leader, LCSW, this show blends personal experience with clinical insight to support you in moving out of survival mode and into a more grounded, sustainable way of living. Because you don’t have to keep pushing through, and you don’t have to do this alone. Lets Connect: Coffee Chat: https://calendar.app.google/zvozRHTuuLEd91PQ9 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffany.chen.961 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@seethewonderllc Website: Https://seethewonder.net tleader.substack.com