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 differences between a midlife crisis and burnout, and how each uniquely impacts your energy, mindset, and motivation.
• How these experiences can occur together, intensifying feelings of exhaustion, self-doubt, and urgency to change.
• Practical, step-by-step strategies for navigating both challenges at once, from reclaiming your energy to finding clarity on your next steps.

If you’re in your 40s or 50s and feeling overwhelmed by stress or existential questions, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable advice. Whether you’re seeking renewed purpose or simply need a breather from burnout, we’ll guide you on the path to clarity, growth, and well-being.

Host Bio: Shannon is a psychologist driven by a deep passion for empowering individuals with the essential mental health knowledge & skills needed to flourish. She guides them through a transformative journey from chronically stressed & burnt-out states to a state of overall wellness. Her commitment to this cause is rooted in personal experience, having traversed the challenging terrain of burnout herself. Shannon's odyssey has imbued her with a renewed perspective, enabling her to approach her career & the care of others with a more balanced & empathetic mindset. Join Shannon on this inspirational journey as she shares her transformative experiences & valuable insights, fostering a message of growth through adversity, collective & self-care, & the triumph of well-being.

W: www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com

Book: Nothing Left to Give: A Psychologist's Path Back www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/buy-my-book

Blog: Lessons From a Burnt Out Psychologist www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/blog

Social Media: @burnoutpsychologysupport

Membership: Thriving Beyond Burnout Membership for Midlife Women Join WAITLIST for 2025 Launch - www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/thrive-beyond-burnout

Be a guest: If you’d like to share your burnout experience or are an expert in the field of burnout, please email shannonswales@burnoutpsychologysupport.com.

Disclaimer: Engaging with our content does not intend to create, nor does it create a therapist-client relationship between you & Shannon Swales. The views, opinions, tips, etc., expressed in this podcast by my guests or Shannon are general and are not a replacement for personalised therapy. We encourage those suffering to seek professional help. If you are in a life-threatening emergency, get in touch with your emergency services, in Australia, 000. For immediate counselling support (Aus only), Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7); 13YARN 13 92 76 (24/7) for First Nation Australians.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 power of authenticity, & compassionate support from others. It is a must-listen for anyone who is autistic or who wants to better understand the unique challenges autistic individuals face & the real risk of burnout.

Guest Bio: Having been diagnosed 3 times, first with PDD-NOS back when he was 3, then diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome at 35, then rediagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2017, he has been struggling with high levels of anxiety & stress his whole life. Late last year, he was hospitalised as a result of chronic stress from changes being imposed on him, due to a change in staff members, & their non-acceptance of Michael’s way of working, which previously was going well with accepting staff members. As a result, he needed to resign from his job, & now, through the NDIS, he can access therapies not previously available to Michael. Also, recently diagnosed with Expressive & Receptive Language Disorder.

W: http://www.deepdiveau.net

IG/Tiktok - @thedeepdiveau (& @michaelcoles3 Tiktok)

YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/@thedeepdiveau

Links to Michael’s Guest Spots on other podcasts – http://linktr.ee/michaelcoles

Host Bio: Shannon is a psychologist driven by a deep passion for empowering individuals with the essential mental health knowledge & skills needed to flourish. She guides them through a transformative journey from chronically stressed & burnt-out states to a state of overall wellness. Her commitment to this cause is rooted in personal experience, having traversed the challenging terrain of burnout herself. Shannon's odyssey has imbued her with a renewed perspective, enabling her to approach her career & the care of others with a more balanced & empathetic mindset. Join Shannon on this inspirational journey as she shares her transformative experiences & valuable insights, fostering a message of resilience, collective & self-care, & the triumph of well-being.

W: www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com

Book: Nothing Left to Give: A Psychologist's Path Back www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/buy-my-book

Blog: Lessons From a Burnt Out Psychologist www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/blog

Social Media: @burnoutpsychologysupport

Membership: Thriving Beyond Burnout Membership for Midlife Women www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/thrive-beyond-burnout

Be a guest: If you’d like to share your burnout experience or are an expert in the field of burnout, please email shannonswales@burnoutpsychologysupport.com.

Disclaimer: Engaging with our content does not intend to create, nor does it create a therapist-client relationship between you & Shannon Swales. The views, opinions, tips, etc., expressed in this podcast by my guests or Shannon are general and are not a replacement for personalised therapy. We encourage those suffering to seek professional help. If you are in a life-threatening emergency, get in touch with your emergency services, in Australia, 000. For immediate counselling support (Aus only), Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7); 13YARN 13 92 76 (24/7) for First Nation Australians.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 outcomes after burnout, from Post-Traumatic Stress to Post-Traumatic Growth
• Practical strategies for turning burnout into an opportunity for meaningful growth, like reflection, new challenges, and building healthy habits
• 
  

This episode is packed with actionable insights to help you break the burnout cycle and thrive.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the difference between "bouncing back" and "bouncing forward"
• Learn how deeper reflection and intentional change can help break the burnout cycle
• Explore practical steps you can take today to foster long-term growth and resilience

Resources:

• Nick Petrie’s research on burnout and growth https://nicholaspetrie.com/
• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
• Shannon's memoir, Nothing Left to Give: A Psychologist's Path Back from Burnout

Tune in to start transforming burnout into lasting growth!

Host Bio: Shannon Swales, is a psychologist driven by a deep passion to empower individuals with the essential mental health knowledge & skills needed to flourish. She guides them through a transformative journey from chronically stressed & burnt-out states to a state of overall wellness. Her commitment to this cause is rooted in personal experience, having traversed the challenging terrain of burnout herself. Shannon's odyssey has imbued her with a renewed perspective, enabling her to approach her career & the care of others with a more balanced & empathetic mindset. Join Shannon on this inspirational journey as she shares her transformative experiences & valuable insights, fostering a message of resilience, self-care, & the triumph of well-being.

Connect with Shannon's work via

www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/contact, by reading her burnout memoir - Nothing Left to Give: A Psychologist's Path Back www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/buy-my-book, exploring her blog - 'Lessons From a Burnt Out Psychologist' - www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/blog, or social media pages @burnoutpsychologysupport or her latest Thriving Beyond Burnout Membership for Midlife Women www.burnoutpsychologysupport.com/thriving-beyond-burnout

Share Your Experience: If you’d like to share your burnout experience or are an expert in the field of burnout & would like to share your wisdom on the pod, please email me at shannonswales@burnoutpsychologysupport.com.

Disclaimer: Engaging with our content does not intend to create, nor does it create a therapist-client relationship between you & Shannon Swales, Burnout Psychology Support Psychologist. The views, opinions, tips, etc., expressed in this podcast by my guests or me are general in nature and are not a replacement for personalised therapy. As I have done for myself, I encourage those suffering to seek professional help. If you are in a life-threatening emergency, please get in touch with your emergency services in Australia, 000. For immediate counselling support (Aus only), Lifeline 13 11 14 (24 hrs/7 days); 13YARN 13 92 76 (24 hrs/7 days) for First Nation Australians.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.