Coaching with Sarah: How to Calm Your Mind When You're Overwhelmed and Feeling Stuck

Burnout recovery gets complicated as Sarah sits down with Janine, an anonymous guest who is more than halfway through medical leave but still unable to rest. She loves her team and takes pride in her work, yet the thought of returning to the same boss and culture fills her with dread. Even time away hasn’t quieted the anxious loop of questions: Should she go back? Ask for a different role? Step into something lighter? Or leave altogether? And how do you listen to the body’s warning signals when the brain insists you “should” push through?

Through thoughtful coaching, Sarah helps Janine notice how her nervous system responds to each option and what those reactions reveal about her deeper truth. The turning point comes when Janine recognizes she isn’t looking for more information, she’s been waiting for permission to trust herself. One small next step, like reading a book without interruption, becomes more than rest. It’s an act of self-leadership.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on the messy middle of burnout recovery. There’s no perfect plan or quick fix - just the slow work of honoring signals, taking honest steps, and remembering that rest isn’t earned, it’s allowed.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Real-Time Burnout Coaching with Sarah Vosen

02:11 Janine’s Burnout Story and Medical Leave Struggles

04:40 Recognizing a Toxic Work Environment

07:27 Should I Return to Work or Walk Away?

08:15 Financial Concerns and Early Retirement

12:10 Anxiety About Returning to the Same Boss

20:04 High Achievers and the Pressure to Recover Quickly

24:52 The Trap of Maximizing Leave Time

31:11 Brain vs. Body: Who Do You Trust?

35:03 Learning to Trust Intuition and Body Signals

40:08 Creating Safety Through Small Choices

45:15 Choosing Restorative Activities Over Productivity

Dive Deeper:

Burnout isn’t a personal failure or a lack of resilience. It’s a signal that something in the system, expectations, roles, pace, or support, is out of alignment. Conversations like this one help surface the human experience of burnout, while the broader work continues to explore how organizations can respond more intelligently and sustainably.

To explore burnout, leadership, and sustainable performance through a workplace and organizational lens, connect with Cait Donovan: https://bit.ly/bookcait

Learn more about Cait’s speaking work: 

https://www.caitdonovan.com/speaking

Short on time? Watch this 3-minute overview: 

https://bit.ly/caitdreel2025

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm