Coaching with Sarah: How to Manage The Panic of Not Being Able to Control All The Things

Control shows up early in Christy’s story — first as protection, then as identity, and eventually as exhaustion. She has spent years anticipating other people’s needs, convinced that staying ahead of every outcome would keep things safe. Instead, it left her overextended and unsure how to take up space without earning it through service.

In this real-time coaching session, Sarah helps Christy notice the cost of constantly shaping herself around other people’s comfort. She isn’t confused about what’s wrong, she’s simply never been given permission to stop carrying so much.

The turning point comes when she names one commitment she quietly resents: a year-long carpool obligation she agreed to out of pressure rather than choice. Renegotiating that responsibility becomes the first act of repair. It’s not about convenience. It’s about finally allowing reciprocity.

This episode offers an honest look at the earliest stage of burnout recovery, the moment you decide that exhaustion is no longer proof of goodness. One boundary. One ask. One hour of energy reclaimed.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Live Burnout Coaching with Sarah Vosen

01:15 Christy Realizes She’s Burned Out for the First Time

04:30 Control and Codependency as Burnout Fuel

09:00 Parenting Crisis and Emotional Breaking Point

16:00 The Tree of Life Exercise for Energy Awareness

23:45 Naming Resentment and the Carpool Boundary

29:00 Learning to Delegate Without Guilt

37:30 Choosing Discomfort That Leads to Recovery

40:00 Final Reflection: What Will You Prune from Your Life?

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