FRIED. The Burnout Podcast

**TW: This episode contains a description of a violent hate crime.**   “It’s a Fitbit for your mouth,” says Andrew Lee, Registered Dental Hygienist and Founder of Otis Dental. Drew is describing his Brux-Sensor Night Guard, a micro-dental-sensor technology that helps monitor and regulate your stress levels by recording your teeth grinding during sleep! Drew was recently awarded a patent for this technology, which he hopes will help users proactively identify heightened stress levels, even if they don’t consciously notice them.   Drew tells listeners that bruxism, or the involuntary clenching of the mouth and grinding of the teeth, is actually at the root of several top burnout symptoms. If you are experiencing headaches, neck or shoulder tension or insomnia, chances are that bruxism is involved. Drew notes that the dental industry has been relatively stagnant when it comes to addressing issues like bruxism, and the clunky night guards that dentists offer patients are often expensive and ineffective. Drew has made it his mission to create a direct-to-consumer offering that cuts out the middleman and brings customers the relief they need at an affordable price point.   Tune into this week’s episode FRIED. The Burnout Podcast to learn more about how bruxism could be tied to your burnout. Learn more about Drew’s own burnout story (he suffered from bruxism himself!), the three main causes of bruxism, and Drew’s top tips and tricks for overcoming your bruxism to reduce stress, improve sleep and protect your teeth!   Quotes • “We’ve got to focus more in the dental industry on preventative measures rather than restoratives where it becomes too late and now you need to get botox injections in your jaw or you have to get all these fillings and crowns and implants and bridges and then eventually by the time we’re older, we end up with dentures and then we never really question, ‘What did I do to make it go this way?’” (08:15-08:36) • “The truth is [dentists] are people, too. They have their flaws and their limitations. It’s just like seeing doctors or firefighters who smoke, and they know the dangers of it. It’s just contradictory and hypocritical – that’s just who we are. We’re humans.” (11:33-11:47) • “Especially in this modernization of the digital world, we forget everything that our bodies are telling us and then it becomes asymptomatic where it’s still happening to us, we just don’t feel it anymore because we choose not to feel it.” (13:25-13:37) • “That’s where meditation comes in. Find your core again. Remember who you were before this all happened. You’re there, you’re still in there – you just really need to pull that person back out of the darkness and say, ‘You’re ok, you’re gonna be ok. You can do this.’” (22:22-22:38)  • “70% of the reason why we brux is because of stress, some form of stress....The remaining 30% can be a combination of just misaligned teeth….A huge factor is also medication. There are a lot of antidepressants that actually cause bruxism." (25:15-25:40)   Links https://hellootis.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hello_otis support@hellootis.com   Guide to Self Gua Sha Routine for Neck and Jaw Tension from Beth Russell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgzy9k2x5ys   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we are on the road to burnout recovery, all of us have the same question: How long will my burnout recovery last? In my professional experience, I have found that the average recovery period lasts around 12-18 months, but the reality is that burnout recovery looks different for everyone. As much as you might want to look to others’ stories for guidance, your burnout journey will always be your own.   However, there are steps you can take along the way to ease the process. On today’s #straightfromcait episode, I will share my top three tips for facilitating a smooth burnout recovery. The journey will never be easy, but by doing one thing at a time, giving yourself grace and compassion and taking responsibility only for the portion that belongs to you, you can supercharge your recovery.   Plus, don’t forget to join the FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Discussion Group on Facebook! This discussion group is an excellent place for you to receive support along the road to recovery from those who understand it best. Remember to be kind to yourself and lean on others as much as you need to along the way.   Quotes • “What I’ve seen in clients and patients over the years is that recovery runs anywhere from about three months for burnout light situations to about two years or even longer.” (1:45-1:58) • “When I say only do one thing at a time, what I mean is, do not overhaul your diet, go back to work and start meditating all on the same Monday. Burnout recovery works best in stages.” (2:25-2:37) • “Give yourself grace….Everybody going through this process is on a different path, and you’ll all go through different burnout recovery stages at different times. There is no perfect order, no matter what anyone tells you about how this is supposed to unfold. Whatever order helps you to progress is the only order that matters in your life.” (5:45-6:13) • “Grace, compassion, space, and kindness: give yourself those things as much as you can.” (6:50-7:00) • “Reach for a point where you know as well as you can how much of your burnout is internal...and how much is due to your workplace/environment/relationships.” (7:02-7:19) • “Burnout recovery does not require diving into your past traumatic experiences….In the beginning of your recovery, the focus is on helping your body to rewire responses and habits related to being on nonstop alert. This can be done without any revisiting of old trauma.” (9:46-10:08)   Links  https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Push your edge and not your buttons,” says Daniel Mangena, International Speaker, Bestselling Author, Broadcaster and Coach. If there’s one thing that listeners should take away from today’s episode, Dan says it’s to pick one change and intentionally incorporate it into your life rather than inundating yourself. The road to burnout recovery is paved with small steps rather than a massive life overhaul!   Dan’s own burnout was catalyzed by his fixation on others’ opinions. He found that he was putting so much weight on what others may or may not have been thinking about him that he lost sight of what really mattered in his life. He spent many years contemplating suicide and was stopped only by the thought of what others might think if he botched the attempt. After poring over recent studies and ancient texts in search for the missing link in his life, Dan started his burnout recovery almost by accident. He explains that by polluting his brain with positivity, he slowly began to nourish his mind and discover self-acceptance.   Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a fascinating conversation with Dan about finding your purpose and manifesting your dreams. Learn how Dan’s Asperger’s diagnosis has radically changed his outlook, why your knot is not contingent on society’s expectations, and why adding nourishment to your life is a surefire way to counteract burnout.    Quotes • “When I look at my burnout event...it was literally closing down and giving up on life because I had given such credence, weight and value to my belief about what other people may or may not think about me.” (3:25-3:46)  • “I don’t believe anything is done in isolation, and success is always going to be, I believe, a communal effort, even if that community is indirect, even if it’s the communal effort between you and the people that buy your product from you or buy your services.” (21:34-21:54) • “I really want to spark within people recognizing that their light, their knot, their strength is not contingent on society’s judgement about what your role is or where you’ve come from or what you create. I believe that it comes down to who you are and what’s showing up and that every single one of us do have something to contribute.” (31:25-31:47) • “I had no intention of choosing life. It happened because the inputs that I polluted myself, I pummeled myself with, spoke to life.” (40:04-40:15) • “When we start to starve ourselves of nourishment at any level, I believe we can start that cascading effect into what we call burnout, which may be experienced in the body last, but that’s not where it starts because the body is the last point of experience of what starts out as a vibration. So, we burn out vibrationally first, which I believe is cutting ourselves off from vibrational nourishment.” (45:27-45:49) • “I always like to say, ‘Push your edge and not your buttons.’ Growth is going to come from pushing the edge. There’s going to be discomfort at the edge, that is growth. If there’s no discomfort, you’re not doing anything, you’re staying the same.” (58:23-58:34)   Links https://dreamwithdan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dreamerceo https://www.linkedin.com/in/dreamerceo/ https://dreamwithdan.com/hmm   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that the items you choose to surround yourself with have a direct impact on your happiness AND your productivity? Sure, you may naturally feel more content when wrapped up in a cozy blanket or holding your favorite mug. But, did you know that the items you find most comforting and beautiful produce visible changes in your brain?   On this week’s #straightfromcait episode, I share findings from three neuroscience studies showing the power of visually appealing objects to shape our brain. Learn about the changes in our brain that occur when we are under large amounts of stress and how we can use our environment to counteract these negative outcomes in a meaningful way.   If you have an everyday object that you find particularly beautiful or that adds to your sense of contentment when you are in a given space, I’d love to hear from you. Join our FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Facebook Group if you haven’t already and share with us! We’re all in this together – let’s give ourselves the best possible chance of a full burnout recovery.   Quotes • “When you experience something that is beautiful to you, it makes you feel like you just got a treat, and it makes it easier to make decisions that are based on what you actually want from life.” (3:44-3:53) • “Your brain becomes more sensitive to threat the longer you experience stress, which means that you might be interpreting threat when there is none.” (4:46-4:57) • “I want you to take a look at your workspace and ask yourself if there is anything you can do to make the lines around you softer.” (8:25-8:30) • “Absorb this idea that you can utilize your environment to help shape your brain and to give yourself the best possible chance of full burnout recovery.” (10:38-10:50)   References Bar, Moshe, and Maital Neta. “Visual Elements of Subjective Preference Modulate Amygdala Activation.” Neuropsychologia, vol. 45, no. 10, 2007, pp. 2191-2200. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.03.008. Gourley, Shannon L., et al. “The Medial Orbitofrontal Cortex Regulates Sensitivity to Outcome Value.” Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 36, no. 16, 2016, pp. 4600-4613. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4253-15.2016. Ishizu, Tomohiru, and Semir Zeki. “Toward A Brain-Based Theory of Beauty.” PLOS One, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021852.   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I do not think it serves most humans to have a stigmatizing label,” says Diann Wingert, therapist turned Mindset and Productivity Coach. “I think once the label becomes your identity, it is a trap, and it will be your destination.” In her work as a coach, Diann has found the label of “Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” particularly harmful, as it implies that extreme reactions to rejection, criticism and exclusion are in some way pathological. Instead of viewing RSD as a pathology, Diann instead helps her coaching clients adopt the mindset changes and resilience skills necessary to overcome rejection and move forward with confidence.   Diann tells listeners that rejection sensitivity played a key role in her own burnout experience. As a licensed therapist, she often found herself shaping the work she did with clients so that they would like her, as opposed to initiating the tough conversations that would propel them towards true growth and change. As a result, she began to resent her clients, along with just about everyone else in her life. It wasn’t until she closed her practice (and sold every last piece of furniture in the office!) that Diann was able to forge a new path for herself and establish the professional and personal boundaries necessary to end her burnout for good.   Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Diann Wingert about coping with rejection. Learn about the dangers of pathologizing a normal human experience, why identifying resentments is a crucial step towards overcoming burnout, and how mindset changes can make a world of difference when it comes to silencing your inner shitty committee.   Quotes • “I was seeing up to ten people a day, five days a week...and after five years of that, I realized that I was becoming impatient with my clients, I was tired of listening to stories that I thought were redundant and repetitive, and I literally wanted to stand up and say, ‘Haven’t we been talking about this long enough? Don’t you want to get on with it?’ And I thought, you can’t do this anymore. You are no good to anybody, including yourself.” (3:50-4:18) • “The emotion that I wasn’t paying attention to and the one that ultimately propelled me out the door was resentment.” (5:05-5:14) • “I didn’t want to be rejected by my clients. I was taking responsibility for their results, so I was shaping the work I did with them according to what I thought they could tolerate...because if I pushed them beyond what they could tolerate, they would be uncomfortable, they wouldn’t like me, and they’d leave, and I couldn’t help them anymore.” (11:20-11:45) • “I do not think it serves most humans to have a stigmatizing label, and what I often find is that many people claim it, cling to it, and embrace it as an identity because it explains things, but it also can provide a place of safety and acceptance with others who also claim that identity. And while I think it’s very important to say, ‘This is my felt experience, this is my reality,’ I think once it becomes your identity, it is a trap and it will be your destination.” (24:30-25:14) Links https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/ https://www.instagram.com/coachdiannwingert/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/ http://bit.ly/obstaclesquiz/   The Cook's Hookup Energy Technique: https://northeasthealing.com/stress-management-tip-cooks-hook-ups-technique/    HidrateSpark Water Bottle: https://hidratespark.com/products/hidratespark-steel   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that although I received my Masters Degree in Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine back in 2007, I never received a Bachelor’s Degree? This academic path is actually quite common around the world, but definitely less so here in the states. And, of course, I happened to settle down in New Jersey, the one state in the entire country that doesn’t allow you to become licensed in or practice acupuncture without a Bachelor’s degree in addition to a Masters.   Fast forward to this summer: I am now going backwards at age 39 to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Biobehavioral Health at Penn State’s World Campus. I am loving the opportunity to throw myself back into academics and to establish connections between my background in Eastern Medicine and the concepts we’ve explored so far in my new courses.    Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode to learn more about my journey back into higher education as an adult. Learn about the overlaps between Biobehavioral Health and Eastern medicine, why science always has its shortcomings, and why it’s never too late to dive back into the world of academia.   If you have any questions you want answered about burnout and the science behind it, feel free to share your thoughts in our FRIED. Facebook Group. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing research articles and other relevant sources on my #straightfromcait episodes, plus I’m always on the lookout for a good research paper topic!    Quotes • “So, I decided at the age of 39 that I’m going to go backwards and get a degree that is lesser than the one I have to be able to practice a medicine that I’ve been at for a decade and a half. I told you, it’s a little convoluted, but here we are.” (3:00-3:20) • “Biobehavioral health is like the Western version of Eastern medicine. It’s the Western medicine’s ideal of creating a more holistic system.” (4:16-4:26) • “I both love science and remain a science skeptic….Science is incomplete and will always be – that’s part of its definition. It’s a beautiful, powerful thing that we have to remember is here to help us explore and to learn and then to continue exploring and learning. Everything we learn is simply another step to getting another step to getting another step to allow us to go deeper or broader or connect things that weren’t connected before.” (5:40-6:11) • “I didn’t add a full-time degree to my life and not eliminate anything else. I had to eliminate something in order to maintain my sanity and be sure that I’m not burning out while I’m researching burnout and talking to you about burnout.” (8:08-8:22)   Links  Penn State Biobehavioral Health Bachelor’s Degree: https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-biobehavioral-health-bachelors-degree/  FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast    XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I think of food as medicine. Everything you eat becomes every cell in your body, so it can be healing or it can be potentially exacerbating the issue,” says Carolyn Brown, nutritionist and co-founder of Indigo Wellness Group. Carolyn explains that when it comes to burnout recovery, food can act as a healing or a harmful force, depending on how it is used. That’s why she tends to promote simple, enjoyable additions rather than harsh, restrictive diets. When we are focusing on decreasing our stress levels, hardcore changes to our diets or exercise routines will only raise our cortisol levels even more.   Carolyn is no stranger to burnout. Her burnout story began in New York City, where she was living in a shoebox apartment and seeing over 150 clients a month one-on-one. Carolyn felt stifled in just about every aspect of her life, from her physical space to her work life to the NYC dating scene. When she finally realized how burnt out she had become, she finally made a cross-country move to Colorado, where she could find the physical and emotional space to breathe.    Tune into the kickoff episode of our 4th season of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Carolyn about the restorative power of simple changes. Learn why loving where you live is a crucial step towards mental and physical wellness, how seemingly small changes can make a world of difference in your day-to-day life, and why gentler is better for your body and your soul when it comes to nutrition.   Quotes • “I had this total a-ha moment following a full-on breakdown. I was walking through the streets of Rome hysterically crying wondering if anyone had ever been so lost in their whole life.” (4:50-5:02) • “Get the veggies that look beautiful or the plates and the mugs. That was something really important to me when I started my new, fresh life in Denver, I got rid of everything from that New York apartment. So every single mug or plate I was buying, I wanted to try to be supporting a small, woman-owned business and also have it be something I loved every single time I picked it up.” (25:42-26:06) • “Clutter ends up impacting what we eat and how we eat, too….Clutter can make us eat up to 44% more. And we’re more likely to eat the unhealthy things when we’re in an environment of clutter.” (26:41-26:55) • “I think of food as medicine. Everything you eat becomes every cell in your body, so it can be healing or it can be potentially exacerbating the issue….Just simply try to add one fermented food per day. I really think of addition when you’re feeling a little bit paralyzed, like what can we add in. This isn’t the time to say, ‘Let’s go on a sugar cleanse or anything like that.’” (37:26-37:56)  • “Make sure you’re hydrated. When we’re dehydrated, we’re just grouchier, especially women. There’s lots of research on this, that it really affects women’s decision-making, ability to focus and mood overall.” (39:08-39:20) • “Please don’t try any crazy diets or extreme eating trends while feeling really stressed or burnt out. It adds to your stress levels. We want to really be focusing on decreasing stress and many of these things, whether it’s funky eating habits, severe intermittent fasting, going keto, or doing HIIT training, doing really intense exercise, actually ends up increasing our cortisol, increasing our stress hormones, doing the opposite of what you might hope to.” (39:53-40:25)   Links Carolyn’s Website: www.indigowellnessgroup.com Carolyn’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/carolynbrownie Register for Carolyn’s Detox’ish Week: https://academy.indigowellnessgroup.com/courses/indigo-detox-ish-week-august-2021    XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Brennan, founder of Held Massage Therapy, specializes in grief massage and body-based healing. She discusses how grief can arise from various losses, not solely death, including life changes exacerbated by COVID. Jess highlights the critical roles of doulas in life's transitions and emphasizes the importance of grief readiness and loss literacy. She advocates for compassion in healing and shares insights on personalized mourning practices, self-care, and the power of community support during these collective challenges.

What is the difference between burnout and depression? I was recently asked this question in the FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Discussion Group on Facebook. Because I explored this topic at length in my book The Bouncebackability Factor: End Burnout, Gain Resilience, and Change the World, I decided to share a short excerpt on this week’s #straightfromcait episode.   While depression and burnout look different for everyone, my conclusion is that they may simply be two sides of the same coin. The key distinction seems to be that burnout is associated with high levels of stress, whether it’s due to work or to general life events, while depression may not have such a direct cause.    Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode to learn more about the overlaps and distinctions between burnout and depression and how they have manifested themselves differently in my own life. Once you have listened to the episode, I encourage you to join our Facebook discussion group (if you haven’t already!) and share your thoughts. Has depression been part of your burnout story? I look forward to hearing from you!   Quotes • “The World Health Organization calls burnout an occupational hazard, but it’s an overall wellness hazard. It literally affects everything.” (2:49-2:56) • “My view is that burnout and depression are different results with similar causes. I believe that untreated burnout can lead to depression, so burnout can be part of the road to depression, but doesn’t need to be. My feeling is that the main difference is that people that are burnt out know they are burnt out, and that it’s because of overwhelm and too much stress. With depression, it often seems unrelated to other things.” (5:45-6:13) • “In my opinion, the depression associated with burnout manifests itself in self-doubt. When burnt out, you start questioning yourself and your abilities and/or passion for your chosen path.” (7:06-7:16)   Links  https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast  https://monkeypuzzletraining.co.uk/free-downloads/MBI_self_assessment_for_organisations.pdf  bit.ly/bouncebackorder   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I don’t want to hear anything about the theoretical translation of an ancient Chinese concept translated half-assed into English translated half-assed through your Western construct of what the hell it means,” says Jade Connolly Duggan, Corporate Culture and Wellness Expert. The daughter of two acupuncturists, Jade has had the practice of acupuncture flowing through her veins practically since birth. However, she explains that most of the time finding mind-body wellness is much more about consciously conversing with your body than it is about theory or predetermined labels. While theory has its benefits, it often fails to tell the complete story.   A high-school dropout who helped the NSA communicate more effectively with the CIA and saved Pepsi’s culture-merge when purchasing Gatorade, Jade is an expert in teaching soft skills to business and community teams. After hitting and overcoming burnout multiple times in her life, Jade has made it her mission to help others reconnect with their body’s intuitive dial, so they can lead more fulfilling and attuned lives.   Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Jade about learning to listen to what your body is telling you. Learn why perfection is the enemy of done, why English is incredibly barren when it comes to descriptors of sensation, and why getting curious about your mind and your body is an excellent way to overcome your burnout.   Quotes • “I was single parenting my first child, I was living on my own, and I was working and commuting and not living near family support. And I remember thinking to myself, ‘If I don’t get some help soon, I’m gonna die.’ And I was in the hospital with meningitis within two weeks.” (3:16-3:36) • “It was very humbling to be an acupuncturist, to be in acupuncture school, to be in a family of acupuncturists and to have this sense of not knowing how to mitigate or navigate my burnout.” (8:16-8:30) • “I recognize that there are things that I can experience in another language that I can’t experience in English. It’s a body, right? My language invents the body I get to inhabit.” (37:00-37:12) • “How do we get these physicians who run a big portion of all of the medical schools together in their board to look at that chasm between each other and see if they can close that gap and get a little bit closer to maybe I can know a little bit more, but only if I can actually have more language around it, if I can listen a little bit closer, if I can actually get close enough to have the poetry of your existence in my own body in some way?” (42:06-42:42) • “Part of the work for me is moment by moment to go, ‘There is no right.’” (48:53-48:56) • “Is this what you’re actually experiencing or is it what you read in a book? Is it what you think you’re supposed to be experiencing? Is it a ‘should’ from somewhere else?...If I didn’t have the label of burnout, or I didn’t have the label of anger, or if I didn’t have the label of depression, or whatever it was, what’s the experience that I’m having right now and when does that experience change even just a little tiny bit?” (57:00-57:32)   Links https://www.mindbodyleadership.com/    https://www.instagram.com/nsfwleadership/ https://www.facebook.com/nsfwleadership/ https://www.mindbodyleadership.com/offers/YaoELLJB/checkout (Code: CURIOSITY)   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices