
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
Real. Raw. No Holding Back. Stories from people like you who've burnt out and come back to tell the tale. From thought leaders to your friend down the street, there's a story in FRIED that you will relate to, guaranteed. You are not alone. You might be fried crispy at this point, but I promise you there is a way through. Each week, there is a story of breakdown and build back up and we don't skip over the nasty bits. The journey through burnout is rarely a beautiful one, but it creates some pretty amazing careers and lives. The point of this space is to assure you that you aren't alone and that there is a way through. If one week doesn't resonate, be sure that another week will. There's a solution for every story and we will cover them all. I promise. And - the help doesn't stop there. UNFRIED is a small group coaching program (under 10 people per cohort) that is available for you. Find the info here. (bit.ly/UNFRIED)
Latest episodes

Jun 23, 2024 • 24min
#straightfromcait: The F.R.I.E.D. Framework for Burnout Recovery for Individuals AND Companies
Explore the F.R.I.E.D. framework for burnout recovery, focusing on safety, reprioritization, exploring possibilities, and dedication. Learn about creating buffers in internal and external environments, recognizing BRFs and BPFs, and embracing growth through dedication.

Jun 16, 2024 • 52min
Aria Johnson: Uncovering the True You During Burnout Recovery
Aria Johnson, TV personality and voice coach, shares her burnout recovery journey, highlighting societal pressures on women. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, asking for help, and letting go of perfectionism for peace. The podcast explores self-awareness, authenticity, and setting boundaries to avoid burnout.

Jun 9, 2024 • 49min
#FRIEDguides: How to Listen to Your Body for Burnout Recovery
Learn how to use holistic methods to recover from burnout by listening to your body. Discover why it's essential to recognize and respond to physical signals and societal expectations. Hear personal stories about overcoming burnout symptoms and prioritizing self-care in a culture that glorifies pushing through pain.

Jun 2, 2024 • 1h 2min
Jaime Rabin: Using the Power of Your Home to Support Your Burnout Recovery
Dr. Jaime Rabin, an expert in acupuncture and feng shui, shares insights on creating a soothing home environment to support burnout recovery. She discusses the impact of clutter, the significance of the front door in feng shui, and personalized organization strategies. Learn how to optimize your living space for well-being and mental health.

May 26, 2024 • 46min
#friedguides: Why Am I So Clumsy and Injury Prone During Burnout?
Need to get started on your burnout recovery? Download the Core Values Worksheet today!https://bit.ly/corevaluesfreebie“When I’m stressed, I trip more, I bang into things more, I stub my toe more—so there’s definitely something going on here,” Cait shares, highlighting the curious link between burnout and clumsiness. In this latest "Fried Guide" episode, Sarah Vosen joins Cait to delve deeper into why burnout can make us more accident-prone and even lead to injuries. They discuss how stress can cause physical reactions like tensed neck muscles and narrowed peripheral vision, making us clumsier.According to Chinese medicine, unprocessed emotions can accumulate in the liver, decaying and poisoning our system. This toxic buildup, combined with neglecting our basic needs like rest and proper nutrition, leads to a depletion so severe that our bodies can't even benefit from healthy inputs. Sarah explains how ignoring our spiritual needs contributes to this misalignment, exacerbating our stress and physical discoordination.So, what’s the solution? Identifying a personal outlet—whether it’s exercise, journaling, or engaging in meaningful conversations—and approaching these activities with mindfulness and intention. Cait and Sarah share how they navigate their own emotional landscapes and manage their stress cycles, offering insights into finding balance in our complicated lives.Quotes“When you’re in the flow of life, and you’re aligned and in balance with yourself, you’re in this flow with everything around you, and therefore, there’s no clumsiness. You’re on it; you’re in your center. Your energy is very intentional. Your thoughts are clear and everything goes smoothly, as you wish.” (3:45 | Sarah Vosen) “Chronic stress mode, when we’re not processing our emotions or processing life, it gets stored in our tissues and our physical body gets solid, hard, tense, and then everything’s not flexible. We’re meant to be flexible, we’re meant to be like a tree that bends in the wind, but when all that stuff builds up and you’re just hanging on tight and you’re tense, not only are you not seeing with your eyes but your body can’t, really it’s just not flowing.” (8:07 | Sarah Vosen) “The same way that we have overactive emotions when we’re burnt out, we know we’re responding ridiculously but we can’t help ourselves, this is the same when we injure ourselves and have a pain response. It’s above and beyond and not appropriate to the thing that happened.” (9:59 | Caitlin Donovan)“When you’re burnt out your body is under-resourced. So, it doesn’t have the tools or the resources that it needs to deal with the injuries that aren’t life-threatening, which is why it usually takes someone getting really sick, or really hurt, or really ending up in the hospital to start responding.” (32:19 | Caitlin Donovan)LinksConnect with Cait:Initial Call with Cait: bit.ly/callcaitInitial Call with Sarah: bit.ly/callsarahvPodcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

13 snips
May 19, 2024 • 59min
Jahmaal Marshall: Trauma Responses on Autopilot Lead to Burnout
Certified counselor Jahmaal Marshall discusses childhood trauma's link to burnout, the impact of people-pleasing behaviors, and setting boundaries. Exploring giving without expectations and expressing gratitude, he shares personal insights on breaking free from codependency and prioritizing self-care for burnout recovery.

May 12, 2024 • 14min
#straightfromcait: Realities of Burnout Recovery and Coaching (Behind the Scenes)
“I don’t want to convince you that whenever we finish working, you should be dancing, pirouetting on clouds in ballet slippers,” host Caitlin Donovan explains on this solo episode of FRIED, where she talks about managing expectations from burnout recovery work, particularly the program FRIED offers lead by her partner Sarah Vosen. In a space that, largely for marketing purposes, will promise that you’ll come out the other side of recovery feeling nothing but joy forever after, Cait offers some refreshing transparency about what she offers, why she specifically only offers short-term help, and the seemingly simple outcomes that will completely change your quality of life. Health, peace, productivity, improved communication–these are all huge things made all the more sweet for having recovered from burnout. Yet, recovery doesn’t mean a life free from problems. Cait explains her reasoning behind only offering short-term coaching and why Sarah stopped offering coaching packages. There is no one, perfect way to be coached or to find your way out of burnout. The best first step is to get clear about your goals and the results you yourself want to achieve. Quotes“I can’t promise you that we’re going to go from burned out to blissed out. I can’t promise you that you’re going to go from burned out to fired up. I can’t promise you that you’re going to go from burned out to completely joyful and fulfilled. I don’t even think that’s what we’re aiming for.” (2:10 | Caitlin Donovan)“This initial three-month kick is just to get you out of the muck.” (3:58 | Caitlin Donovan)“Getting clarity around those goals and what those results should be for you is more important than my telling you you’re going to have fulfillment and be joyful and have bliss.” (6:47 | Caitlin Donovan)“We’re not painting this magical picture of where you’re going to be. I want to share that with you because I want you to know how we’re thinking about it behind the scenes, how we’re thinking about you behind the scenes, and how we want to show up for you as honestly as we can—I mean, this is pretty honest—in a space that often feels a little disingenuous.” (8:06 | Caitlin Donovan) “Coaching, therapy, healing—it’s not magical. It’s messy. It definitely leads to a better life—there’s no way I would want the life I had back then compared to the life I have now. But am I skating through life without problems? No. Do I never feel resentment? Jesus—hell, no. I’m still human. You’re still going to be human after going through this process.” (8:56 | Caitlin Donovan) LinksConnect with Cait:Initial Call with Cait: bit.ly/callcaitInitial Call with Sarah: bit.ly/callsarahvPodcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

May 5, 2024 • 59min
Dr. Kristen Donnelly & Dr. Erin Hinson: The Culture of Burnout
Dr. Kristen Donnelly and Dr. Erin Hinson delve into the origins of burnout culture in the US, influenced by early religious beliefs and modern-day capitalism. They discuss the dangers of equating hard work with morality, the impact on female-identified individuals, and the importance of challenging societal norms. The podcast highlights the need for individual and cultural changes to combat burnout, emphasizing self-awareness and embracing joy as a tool for recovery.

Apr 28, 2024 • 44min
#friedguides Why Your Burnout Recovery is Stuck (and How to Unstick It)
Discover why your burnout recovery may be stuck and how to unstuck it by embracing patience and self-care. Learn about the importance of making small changes in your environment, avoiding toxic relationships, healing attachment styles, and overcoming self-shame. Explore strategies to navigate challenges, prioritize rest, and seek support for a successful recovery journey.

Apr 21, 2024 • 51min
Colleen Kachmann: Is Drinking Part of Your Burnout Story?
“I’m in recovery from recovery,” explains Colleen Kachmann, Certified Master Life and Recovery Coach who joins the podcast to share her story of dealing with alcohol and burnout, and give new insight into the current understanding of and attitude toward addiction. For years, while playing the role of perfect mother, wife, career woman and volunteer, Colleen was also a self-described heavy day drinker. After joining Alcoholics Anonymous she found herself “indoctrinated” into believing that she was powerless over alcohol. An incident at a family dinner led to the realization that actually, we are all in control of ourselves and our lives. Through self-directed neuroplasticity and nervous system regulation, we can change the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. She has since founded “Recover with Colleen” where she teaches women who are “lost in the weeds” with alcohol to pursue mental health, happiness and a connection with their power and purpose rather than sobriety. On today’s episode of FRIED, she’ll describe what she calls “emotional sobriety.” She’ll explain how to develop a growth mindset, break out of victim mentality and learn to stop leading with “I can’t.” She’ll reveal what we’re really afraid of when we start to think of the worst-case scenario in the face of making change and what happens when we deal with “what is” instead of “what if.” It’s not about the alcohol, Colleen explains. Join today’s discussion to take the first step toward standing in your power. Quotes“I raised my children, I taught hot yoga, I taught aerobics, I was a health coach, I was all the things—I volunteered, I worked, I was a good ex-wife and a good new wife and all the things to all the people. So, you can see burnout coming there because I was very perfectionistic about my life. And I had this idea that I was getting away with my drinking.” (4:36 | Colleen Kachmann) “I became a perfect sober person. I was still playing the alcohol game. My life revolved around the topic of alcohol, but I had to switch teams. Now I’m team sober.” (7:09 | Colleen Kachmann)“I believe that when we realize that everything we do is actually a choice, now we can choose from a place of power.” (16:57 | Colleen Kachmann) “We don’t have to make our kids [lives] better. I think the truth underneath that story is we’ve lost ourselves in our kids, it’s been easier to just do the things for everybody else because we can hold our breath longer, and, ‘Oh, look, here’s a bottle of wine. So, I’ll just exchange my needs for some drink tickets, and shut the hell up. I can do that, just give me another drink.’” (28:08 | Colleen Kachmann)“We think we’re scared of having to live in an apartment after we get the divorce from the big house, or that we can’t do things. But actually you’re afraid of the story you’re going to tell yourself, that you’re starting over, that you failed, that you just lost your whole life or everything was meaningless behind you and you’ve wasted your time. It’s those stories that we’re afraid of.” (31:08 | Colleen Kachmann) LinksConnect with Colleen Kachmann:https://recoverwithcolleen.com/ https://www.instagram.com/recoverwithcolleen/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenkachmann/ https://recoverwithcolleen.com/accelerated-recovery-masterclass/6Connect with Cait:Initial Call with Cait: bit.ly/callcaitInitial Call with Sarah: bit.ly/callsarahvPodcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm