Midlife Reclaimed: A Podcast for Women Over 40 Navigating Midlife Burnout

Is your phone taking more than it’s giving? In this episode of Midlife Reclaimed , I take a personal and reflective journey into my mobile phone habits—how overuse has impacted my sleep, focus, and well-being, and what I’m doing to reclaim control. Drawing on research from Nick Petrie and his team, I explore the connection between phone overuse and burnout, and why a conscious "phone strategy" can...

Join us on EP 48 as we chat with Naturopath Wendy Burke—a passionate advocate for holistic hormone health. Wendy decodes the interplay of hormonal changes, stress, & midlife challenges that send your emotions into overdrive. Discover why your anger spikes, mood swings are unpredictable, & what your body is really signalling. We explore practical strategies—from herbal supplements & nut...

Welcome to Season 7—and my first solo episode back—as I mark a very special milestone:  four-year anniversary of the day I left my demanding career behind to reclaim my life. I dive deep into that transformative moment—exploring the mix of emotions that propelled me from fear to liberation—and reflect on the lessons learned along the way. In our conversation, I discuss how the act of leaving...

Midlife Reclaimed Welcome to Midlife Reclaimed , the podcast where we get real about chronic stress, overwhelm, and burnout in midlife—and the ways we can recover, grow, and come home to ourselves again. I’m Shannon A. Swales —psychologist, writer, and fellow midlife traveller. This show began as my personal burnout diary in Burnout: A Different Kind of GAP Year . Over time, it evolved into deeper...

In this unplanned bonus episode of When Burnout Becomes Reality , I hit record to verbally journal my thoughts and feelings around an upcoming assessment for ADHD and Autism. This is raw, unedited, and entirely in the moment—a reflection of what’s been sitting on my heart and mind. I explore questions like: What if I’m not neurodivergent? Why am I even seeking an assessment? I also share a bit of...

As 2024 comes to a close, join Shan for this reflective solo episode of When Burnout Becomes Reality. In this final episode of the year, Shan guides listeners through a soothing breathing practice to ground the mind, calm the body, and honour the soul—a reminder of the power of small moments to care for ourselves during the busiest of seasons. In this heartfelt episode, Shan reflects on: The Year...

In this episode, we explore the lived experience of neurodivergent burnout with Chrissy Foreman, a Neuro-affirming Artist and Arts Therapist based in South East Queensland, Australia. Chrissy, who is both Autistic and ADHD (AuDHDer), shares her personal journey with burnout, offering valuable insights into how it shows up, its cyclical nature, and the unique challenges of being late-diagnosed. We...

Feeling drained, stuck, or questioning everything in your life? You’re not alone, and it’s a challenge many face in midlife. In this episode, we dive deep into understanding the overlap between two powerful experiences: burnout and the midlife crisis. Both can shake up your life in big ways, but how do you know which one you’re dealing with—or if you’re facing both? Tune in to discover: The key di...

I sat down with Michael Coles, a 49-yr-old autistic man, married, father of 2, & a podcaster. Michael shares his powerful story of experiencing autistic burnout, offering insights into what contributed to it, how he recovered, & how he now works to support his mental health & well-being. We explore key topics like people-pleasing, ableism, workplace accommodations, at-home support, the...

In this solo episode, host Shannon Swales explores Burnout Growth, a transformative approach to recovering from burnout and creating lasting change. Drawing from Nick Petrie’s research and her own experiences, Shannon contrasts the paths of "bouncing back" versus "bouncing forward" after burnout. Key topics include: What Burnout Growth is and how it differs from simple recovery The four potential...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Denis Belicki, a clinical psychologist with over 40 yrs of experience. His impressive career has spanned forensic psychology, private practice with his wife, & his current role as a digital nomad, providing remote therapy to healthcare professionals. Dr. Belicki has dedicated much of his work to supporting emergency first responders, veterans, physicians, &...

In this solo episode of When Burnout Becomes Reality , Shannon takes you through everything you need to know about mindfulness and its role in overcoming burnout. Discover the essentials of mindfulness and how it can help manage stress and restore balance in your life. Key Topics Covered: Understanding Mindfulness: Learn what mindfulness is and how being present can alleviate burnout. Mindfulness...

In this episode, Michelle, a passionate and driven woman across all areas of life, shares her burnout journey through two careers: first as a social worker in Australia’s child protection sector, and later as an entrepreneur. Key insights: How passion and drive, without personal boundaries, inevitably lead to burnout. Setting aside time for deep reflection to assess what is and isn’t working in yo...

In this Solo episode of When Burnout Becomes Reality , we're diving deep into a question many of us wrestle with: "Am I Getting Better?" Burnout can cloud our judgment, making it hard to see our progress clearly. Our brains tend to fixate on the negative when we're stressed, anxious, or feeling down, which can skew our self-assessment. We'll explore why measuring burnout is crucial, not just relyi...

Introducing Ep and Guest, Daniel Ewers 16+ yrs in the business world, Chartered accountant & CFO. Daniel reached the pinnacle of that career at age 29. Life on the surface seemed perfect, but what he didn’t realise was that he was right on the edge of a 4 yr burnout & recovery - cued by a huge panic attack in 2019. During this burnout or what he calls a cocktail of depression & PTSD, D...

Welcome to "When Burnout Becomes Reality," where we delve into the depths of our mental health journeys, shedding light on the often-overlooked shadows of burnout. In this episode, we embark on a crucial exploration: "How to Stop Burnout From Sneaking Up on You?" We begin by introducing Nick Petrie's three degrees of burnout and how to respond to each level of burn. Petrie's work provides a valuab...

Attention all educators! In this ep., Shannon sits down with Rowena, a career teacher turned burnout coach. Drawing from her experiences with burnout & compassion fatigue, as well as over 30 yrs in the education industry, Rowena shares invaluable insights & wisdom. This ep. tackles critical questions, including: What causes teacher burnout? We explore individual factors like the rescuer mi...

Episode Notes: Welcome to "When Burnout Becomes Reality," where we delve into the depths of our mental health journeys, shedding light on the often-overlooked shadows of burnout. In this episode, we embark on a crucial exploration: "Am I Burnt Out?" Join us as we navigate the intricate web of signs and symptoms that define burnout, from exhaustion to cynicism to inefficacy. We're not just scratchi...

Attention mental health providers! In this episode, inspired by questions from American high school students Jayden, Gabriela, and Dana, we dive deep into the crucial topic of burnout in the mental health field. Join me as I address key questions such as the causes of burnout, its long-term effects, and practical strategies to combat it. In the first part, we explore the root causes of burnout and...

Ep Description: In this intriguing episode, Clinical Psychologist Anna Wiederroth shares her wealth of knowledge accumulated through years of compassionate work with individuals and couples, delving into the concept she terms 'relationship burnout'. With eloquence and depth, Anna unpacks the intricacies of relationship burnout, exploring its origins, patterns, and the hurdles it presents. She empa...

In this episode, I had the privilege of engaging in a thought-provoking conversation with Shannon Bowman, the driving force behind Create Balance Psychotherapy and Counselling (see more about Shannon below). Our in-depth discussion centred around a crucial subject - worker well-being within the organisational context. We explored common pitfalls that workplaces often stumble upon, inadvertently co...

In Episode 29 of When Burnout Becomes Reality Podcast, I sit down with Marissa McKool from McKool Coaching. A public health worker from the US who experienced her own burnout prior to the pandemic and, upon recovery, made it her life's ambition to help women in the public health sector prevent, recover from, and grow from burnout. I interviewed Marissa on a critical topic that is special to her: R...

Episode 28 brings you the wisdom of certified mindset and well-being coach Ange. Ange introduces us to five key steps to go from busy to balanced in this busy culture we find ourselves living in. A culture that is contributing to our unhappiness and conditions such as burnout. Our discussion on this topic flows from our very own personal journeys of imbalance to balance, those of the clients we wo...

EP 27 When Burnout Becomes Reality Podcast brings you the recording of my World Mental Health Day 2023 virtual event - Burnout Panel Discussion and Q&A. The Burnout panel included a mix of experts and lived experience guests to help bring a well-rounded discussion on this critical topic. They are Nichola Browning: Retired Nurse (30 plus years across public, private, not-for-profit and corporat...

Ep 26 allows the listener to learn from Clinical Psychologist Rebecca Black about two important areas associated with burnout: chronic illness - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia, & Unrelenting Standards Schema. Schemas are mental structures of preconceived ideas, a framework representing aspects of the world, or a system of organising & perceiving new information. Rebecca blends...