Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist

Shawna Lovin, MA, LPCS

Welcome to Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist. This isn't your typical self-help podcast. This is where seasoned therapist Shawna Lovin, LPC-S tells the truth about burnout, helper life, and building a different kind of practice and career.If you're a therapist, counselor, social worker, or helper who's exhausted by what the system keeps asking of you — and you're ready to build something that actually fits your life and your energy — you're in the right place.Expect real talk about clinical culture, sustainable practice building, Human Design as a capacity tool, and what it looks like to build a different life on purpose. No hustle gospel. No performative wellness. Just honest, grounded conversation from someone who's lived it.Hosted by Shawna Lovin, LPC-S | Texas LPC Supervisor | Practice Building Consultant | shawnalovinlpcs.comNew episode every week.——————————————————————————WORK WITH ME——————————————————————————Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-meLPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervisionTen Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.comFREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset ——————————————————————————FIND ME——————————————————————————YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And if this one landed — share it with one person who needs it.

  1. Episode 1

    71. Hey, Hey y'all, Howdy, How ya' doin'? (Season 3)

    Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist is back — and this season is for high-responsibility helpers who are tired of pretending they’re fine. If you’re the one holding it down at work, holding it together at home, and quietly falling apart in your body… yeah, love. I made this for you. Season 3 is nervous-system-first, truth-telling, and built for real life: 🔥 burnout + over-functioning 🧠 nervous system + regulation (without the performative “healing aesthetic”) 🧿 a little woo, a lot of wisdom ✈️ rest, slow living, and “different sky” medicine And yes — you might find a few videos dropped in. You can watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast player. Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    15 min
  2. Episode 2

    72. New Year Energy for Helpers: Why “Fresh Start” Makes You Worse

    If the “new year, new you” energy makes you want to throw your phone… this episode is for you. We’re talking about the energetic pressure of a new year (including 2026’s “start over” vibe) and why it hits helpers differently—therapists, healers, first responders, teachers, medical + legal folks… anyone who’s high-functioning on the outside and quietly cooked on the inside. This isn’t a motivation episode. It’s a nervous-system reality check. In this episode, I talk about: Why “fresh start” energy can feel like pressure (not hope) when you’re already at capacityThe helper shadow: resentment, numbness, and the fantasy of quittingWhat “tired but wired” actually means (and why doom-scrolling isn’t decompression)The difference between speed and freedom—especially for helpersA reframe for building a life you don’t need a vacation from 👉🏾 Everything you need is on my website: www.shawnalovinlpcs.com ➡️ Texas LPC Associates Supervision that keeps you ethical and human ➡️ Messy Middle Blueprint: Your personalized energetic blueprint for burnout recovery Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    26 min
  3. Episode 3

    73. The Clinical Culture Manifesto

    I didn’t quit helping. I quit clinical culture. Today, I give you a manifesto for helpers who are high-functioning on the outside and quietly cooked on the inside. We’re naming the truth: burnout isn’t always personal failure. Sometimes it’s your nervous system doing its job inside an environment that demands self-betrayal. If you’re over it but not done… welcome. 👉🏾 Everything you need is on my website: www.shawnalovinlpcs.com ➡️ Texas LPC Associates Supervision that keeps you ethical and human ➡️ Messy Middle Blueprint: Your personalized energetic blueprint for burnout recovery Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    13 min
  4. Episode 4

    74. You’re Not ’FINE’: Why Gen X Helpers Don’t Ask for Help

    Gen X helpers don’t always burn out loud. They burn out quietly because many of you were raised to function through feelings, not ask for support. This episode is about the psychology and nervous-system conditioning behind “I’m fine,” and why asking for help can feel unsafe, shameful, or pointless—even when you’re exhausted. We talk about: the “don’t bother anyone” trainingindependence vs isolationwhy rest can feel like weaknesswhy you wait until you’re breakingwhat recovery looks like when you’ve been the strong one foreverIf you’re Gen X and tired of being the capable one… welcome. 👉🏾 Everything you need is on my website: www.shawnalovinlpcs.com ➡️ Texas LPC Associates Supervision that keeps you ethical and human ➡️ Messy Middle Blueprint: Your personalized energetic blueprint for burnout recovery Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    21 min
  5. Episode 5

    75. Stop Fixin’ Grown A** Folks: When Boundaries Make You the Problem

    When you set boundaries, somebody always calls you the villain or the problem. Especially if you’ve been the family’s emotional manager for years. In this episode, I’m talking about the messy middle of family rupture—when a message looks like love but lands like a summons… and you realize you can’t “repair” with people who are more committed to protecting their self-image than protecting your kids. I’m paraphrasing personal details on purpose. This isn’t a drag session. It’s a pattern. We talk about: How “sweet” texts can still be pressureWhy your body braces before your mind catches upRelief + guilt (and why that combo is a sign you’re changing something real)What it means to “break up with the mother wound”How to stop being the family’s emotional janitorIf you’re a helper who looks fine but feels cooked… welcome. 👉🏾 Everything you need is on my website: www.shawnalovinlpcs.com ➡️ Texas LPC Associates Supervision that keeps you ethical and human ➡️ Messy Middle Blueprint: Your personalized energetic blueprint for burnout recovery Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    16 min
  6. Episode 6

    76. When You’re the Regulator: The Family Role That Burns Helpers Out

    Some of you were not raised. You were recruited. If you grew up in an enmeshed or unpredictable home, you may have become the regulator early. The peacekeeper. The one who could feel the room before anyone spoke. The one who stayed alert, adapted fast, and kept everything from tipping over. Now you are a helper who is great in crisis, but your nervous system never fully stands down. In this episode, we talk about how family roles shape burnout, especially when your body has learned that safety depends on reading moods, managing tension, and staying one step ahead. We cover: enmeshment: when love feels like access and separation feels like betrayalunpredictability: eggshells, hypervigilance, and chronic bracingwhy your “intuition” may actually be nervous-system scanninghow this role turns into over-functioning and burnoutwhat boundaries look like when your body thinks distance is dangerIf you look calm on the outside but live internally on standby, this episode is for you. Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    12 min
  7. Episode 7

    77. Good Girl Contract: How the Mother Wound Fuels Helper Burnout

    A lot of helper burnout is not about workload. It is about childhood conditioning finally breaking down. In this episode, we unpack how the mother wound can shape emotional patterns like over-functioning, self-abandonment, perfectionism, and chronic guilt. You learn to be emotionally convenient, and then clinical culture rewards that same pattern and calls it professionalism. So if you have been praised for how much you can carry, feel guilty when you rest, and keep performing while quietly falling apart, this one is for you. We cover: why “resilience” can sometimes be emotional invisibilityhow the good girl contract gets wired into your nervous systemmother wound patterns that drive people-pleasing, over-functioning, and burnoutwhy guilt is not guidancehow to choose energy integrity over performanceYou are not lazy. You are not weak. You may just be running on survival patterns that were never meant to become a lifestyle. Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    17 min
  8. Episode 8

    78. When Your Birthday Lands Next to Mother’s Day

    Every year, my birthday lands right up against Mother’s Day, and every year it stirs up more than people think. This episode is for anyone who feels complicated around being celebrated, being needed, being mothered, or being the one who keeps holding it all together. We’re talking about tenderness, resentment, caretaking, identity, and what it means when your own life keeps arriving right beside everyone else’s expectations. And yes, we’re doing it honestly. Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE —————————————————————————— WORK WITH ME —————————————————————————— Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset —————————————————————————— FIND ME —————————————————————————— YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.

    24 min

Trailers

About

Welcome to Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist. This isn't your typical self-help podcast. This is where seasoned therapist Shawna Lovin, LPC-S tells the truth about burnout, helper life, and building a different kind of practice and career.If you're a therapist, counselor, social worker, or helper who's exhausted by what the system keeps asking of you — and you're ready to build something that actually fits your life and your energy — you're in the right place.Expect real talk about clinical culture, sustainable practice building, Human Design as a capacity tool, and what it looks like to build a different life on purpose. No hustle gospel. No performative wellness. Just honest, grounded conversation from someone who's lived it.Hosted by Shawna Lovin, LPC-S | Texas LPC Supervisor | Practice Building Consultant | shawnalovinlpcs.comNew episode every week.——————————————————————————WORK WITH ME——————————————————————————Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-meLPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervisionTen Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.comFREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset ——————————————————————————FIND ME——————————————————————————YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna Website: shawnalovinlpcs.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And if this one landed — share it with one person who needs it.