Redefining Success: A Therapist's Path to Peace with Sarah Olson

Burned out, questioning everything, and wondering if you’re allowed to want something different from your work and your life? This episode is for therapists, group practice owners, and mental health leaders who have hit a wall and know they cannot go back to “business as usual.”

In this conversation, Sarah Olson opens up about slamming into burnout at full speed, even while her practice and life looked successful from the outside. She traces the moment everything stopped working, the fog that made it hard to think straight, and the reckoning that forced her to step back, rest, and rebuild her relationship to work, productivity, and worth.

You’ll hear her talk about how hard it actually is to delegate, release control, and trust a team when you’ve been holding everything together for too long. Sarah describes what it took to take real time off, reconnect with her body, and how healing her own trauma shifted everything.

Key takeaways:

➡️ Burnout can manifest unexpectedly, even when things seem to be going well.

➡️ Recognizing the signs of burnout is crucial for recovery.

➡️ Taking a break is not a sign of weakness but a necessary step for mental health.

➡️ Delegation can be challenging but is essential for sustainable practice management.

➡️ Self-care should not be viewed as selfish but as a priority for well-being.

➡️ Redefining success involves understanding personal limits and needs.

➡️ Quality work can be achieved in shorter, focused periods rather than long hours.

➡️ It's important to listen to your body and respect its signals.

➡️ Leadership styles can shift significantly after experiencing burnout.

➡️ Finding peace in professional life is a continuous journey.

➡️ Listening to your body is crucial for maintaining well-being.

➡️ Healing personal trauma can enhance professional practice.

➡️ Small changes can lead to significant improvements in well-being.

➡️ Prioritizing what truly matters can help manage stress and burnout.

If you've ever wondered what sustainable work-life balance as a clinician could look like, Sarah outlines a pathway there in this episode.

Episode chapters:

00:00 – The burnout experience

03:40 – Recognizing the signs of burnout

07:32 – The decision to step back

18:30 – The shift in mindset

24:58 – Finding community and support

26:45 – Recognizing personal limits and the need for rest

29:12 – The journey back from burnout

30:50 – Learning to delegate and trust the team

33:02 – Navigating the challenges of group practice ownership

35:47 – Understanding burnout and its impact

38:22 – Shifting perspectives on productivity

42:16 – Finding motivation and embracing change

46:03 – Dismantling old beliefs about success

53:33 – The evolution of leadership in practice ownership

01:03:02 – Leading with connection and inspiration

01:06:58 – Listening to your body: a journey to self-care

01:14:12 – Shifting therapy practices: from management to leadership

01:18:47 – Marketing and building a sustainable practice

01:21:31 – Advice for clinicians: small steps to avoid burnout​

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