Today’s episode gets into burnout in the helping professions with special guest Ina, a therapist and mentor.
Ina shares her journey from experiencing burnout to mastering balance and leadership in her field. Learn the importance of self-care, boundary-setting, and focusing on strengths to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Get ready for actionable tips and inspiring stories tailored for therapists, coaches, and caregivers.
If you work in a helping profession, chances are you’ve been praised for how much you give.
You hold space. You absorb chaos. You fix what feels broken. And you do it while quietly burning out behind the scenes.
I sate down with Ina to talk about what it really takes to thrive in a helping role without sacrificing your own well-being in the process. And what she shared wasn’t your typical “self-care tips” list.
It was a deeper reckoning with how easy it is to lose yourself in your work when your identity is wrapped around helping others.
Sometimes Burnout Looks Like Overachievement
Ina opened up about her own experience juggling graduate school, a newborn, conference presentations, and leadership roles in her field.
On the outside? She looked unstoppable. But on the inside? She was completely detached from herself.
She didn’t hit burnout because she was failing. She hit burnout because she was excelling at a pace that wasn’t sustainable.
I thought if you’re a good therapist, then you’ll be booked two months in advance. And it happened, I made it happen. But that was not a badge of honor you want to wear.
This is one of the biggest red flags I see in high-achieving helpers… conflating being overbooked with being valuable. If your calendar is packed but your energy is shot, that’s a warning sign.
Modeling Behavior Is More Powerful Than Preaching It
You can’t help clients set boundaries if you don’t have your own.
Ina shared how extending client sessions, skipping breaks, and taking on too much not only hurt her, but confused her clients. She was saying one thing, but doing another. And people pick up on that, even if they don’t consciously realize it.
We don’t learn by what we hear. We learn by what we see.
In helping work, your actions are part of the intervention. You’re not just guiding people, you’re modeling what it looks like to protect your peace, lead with clarity, and to make sustainable choices.
Your Clients Deserve the Grounded, Present Version of You
Showing up frazzled, resentful, or stretched too thin doesn’t make you a better provider. It just makes you harder to trust.
When you operate from depletion, you can’t deliver the level of care, clarity, or connection that your clients need.
You’re not a martyr. You’re a human.
And being a powerful, effective helper starts with prioritizing your regulation, not just everyone else’s.
Leadership in Helping Work Is About Alignment
Ina works with therapists to help them step into leadership by aligning with their values and living the life they tell others is possible.
Leadership means living in integrity. It means practicing what you teach. It means creating a life that’s not just performatively “balanced,” but actually fulfilling.
So many helpers are unconsciously trying to heal a younger version of themselves through their work. That can be a beautiful driver, but only when it’s done with self-awareness.
Boundaries Are Sacred
If you think setting a boundary makes you a bad therapist, coach, or leader… you’ve been sold a lie.
Boundaries aren’t about keeping people out. They’re about keeping you in alignment. They protect your energy, your clarity, and your availability to be fully present when it counts.
Ina reminds us that you’re not helping your clients by being available at all hours. You’re helping them when you model what it looks like to value your time and protect your capacity.
Helping Others Starts with Helping Yourself
If you’re in the helping field and you’re feeling crispy, resentful, numb, or constantly overwhelmed, you’re likely overdue for a recalibration.
You don’t have to leave your role or abandon your mission.
But you do have to get honest with yourself about what’s no longer working. And you have to believe that you’re worthy of a life that supports your gifts.
If Ina’s story resonated, I encourage you to connect with her on Instagram.
Got thoughts or questions from this week’s episode? Drop them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you! 🫶
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00:00 Introduction to Burnout in Helping Professions
00:39 Meet Ina: Therapist, Coach, and Mentor
01:21 The Importance of Self-Care and Boundaries
04:48 Focusing on Strengths Over Weaknesses
13:05 The Turning Point: Ina’s Journey to Balance
19:25 Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Self-Care
26:34 Mentoring Therapists: Stepping into Leadership
29:58 Defining Success and Managing Overwhelm
35:20 Final Thoughts and How to Connect with Ina
I’m Tara Kermiet, a leadership coach specializing in burnout prevention and work-life integration. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re holding it all together with duct tape and coffee. But success doesn’t have to mean running yourself ragged. I help high achievers find work-life balance and shine as badass leaders.
👉 Take my quick quiz to find out where you stand on the burnout spectrum, plus get tailored tips to help you turn things around before it’s too late. Visit: https://tarakermiet.com/free-resources/
😍 If we’re not friends yet on social media, why the heck not? Follow me on Instagram (@TaraKermiet) and/or LinkedIn (@TaraKermiet) so we can stay connected!
🎤 Got a question, a topic you want me to cover, or just want to share your thoughts? I’d love to hear from you! Send me a DM or email.
Stay balanced, stay badass, and make good choices!
Disclaimer: My content is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. For serious concerns, please consult a qualified provider.
