Burnout isn’t just stress and that’s why your "self-care" isn't working.

If you’ve tried taking a vacation, sleeping more, or clearing your inbox, but you still feel like a hollowed-out version of yourself, this episode is for you.

We’re diving into the two hidden drivers of burnout that go far beyond a heavy workload: Identity-linked pressure and Nervous System Dysregulation.

In this episode, we explore:

The Burnout Misconception: Why vacations don't work.

The Identity Trap: Why high-achievers can't "turn off."

The Biological Reality: Burnout as a nervous system shutdown.

The Signs: From "tired but wired" to emotional flattening.

The Solution: Shifting how you view your value.

Do you recognize these patterns in yourself?

Let’s talk about it in the comments.

🔗 About Sarah Dawkins

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

LET’S CONNECT

https://www.sarahdawkins.com

https://x.com/dawkins_sarah

https://www.facebook.com/dawkinsse

https://www.instagram.com/sarah.dawkins.health

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdawkins-holistichealthcoach/

#Burnout #MentalHealth #HighAchiever #NervousSystem #SelfCare #ProfessionalGrowth

Are you tired of managing symptoms without ever finding a cure? I sit down with Dr Jen Draper, a former General Practitioner with 30 years of experience who walked away from a thriving clinical practice to redefine what "healing" actually means.

Together, we pull back the curtain on the sickness industry and the subtle dependency model created by modern healthcare. Jen shares her personal journey recognizing that her physical pain was a direct message from her body that she was on the wrong path.

Key Information

01:29 Jen shares her journey with pain and excessive weight, mirroring her emotional state.

04:49 Jen shares her personal struggle and realization that the pain in her feet was a somatic metaphor: every step she took into her high-stress clinic was a step on the wrong path and healing only began once she stepped away

06:21 Both former medics discuss the difficulty of relinquishing the prefixes of Dr or Nurse when your entire self-worth has been layered on top of a professional persona since childhood

16:00 Jen offers a cynical yet candid look at Continuing Professional Development. She describes how pharmaceutical companies influence medical education and how doctors are often trained to switch patients from one form of chemical dependency to another

26:03 The conversation shifts to a specific nutritional approach that challenges Western medicine. Jen explains why she stopped prescribing expensive compounded supplements in favor of bioavailable copper, magnesium and the emotional willingness to let go

34:54 Jen argues that the current system encourages us to outsource our health to experts, whereas true healing requires taking radical self-responsibility and trust your own body's intuition

41:58 A provocative look at why preventative care can actually be a nanny state tactic that keeps the nervous system in a state of constant reactivity and fear, often leading to false positives and unnecessary treatments

49:54 Jen describes a startling experiment using a magnet to detect iron filings in fortified cereals and multivitamins, illustrating how the sickness industry may be contributing to iron toxicity under the guise of nutrition

Ready to stop being a patient and start being your own healer?

Dr Jen's Bio

Dr Jen Draper is a former medical doctor with nearly 30 years of clinical experience who chose to leave the conventional healthcare system after recognising the subtle dependency model it creates.

After decades of prescribing within a system structured around symptom management, she began asking a deeper question. Why are intelligent, capable adults becoming lifelong patients of their own patterns?

Today, she is the founder of Well Being Holistic, the creator of The Insourcing Method™ and The Unpatient Way™, and the author of UNPATIENT: How to STOP Outsourcing Your Healing and Rebuild Self Trust in a World That Profits from Your Disconnection.

Her work helps high performing professionals recalibrate nervous system conditioning, reorganise survival based identity structures, and reclaim regulated clarity.

Her approach integrates nervous system science, subconscious restructuring, and Human Design™ as a mirror for self recognition rather than a belief system.

She is known for her grounded authority, clinical precision, and calm clarity. The doctor who left the system and built a better one for those it left dysregulated.

Her core message is simple.

You do not have a mindset problem.

You have a nervous system that learned to survive instead of lead.

Connect with Dr Jen

Website: https://wellbeingholistic.net/

Facebook Group Courage to Conquer: https://tinyurl.com/couragetoconquer

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/drjen.wellbeingholistic/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjen.wellbeingholistic/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjen-wellbeingholistic/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjen.wellbeingholistic

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wellbeingholistic

🛑 Stop the cycle of "quick fixes" and heal naturally.

Download your Free Holistic Weight Loss Root Cause Guide here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UtZa5LiwRcKum6lPVFGwpf86rDwnUwtJ/view?usp=sharing

Is losing weight worth losing your ability to walk? Today, I’m talking about a high-profile case where a popular weight loss drug left a woman crawling on her hands and knees.

In this episode of Mind Body Medicine for Self-Healers, host Sarah Dawkins discusses the controversial side effects of pharmaceuticals like Mounjaro and why a recent viral post triggered a massive debate on social media.

Sarah dives deep into why we must look beyond calories and protocols to address the mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and metaphysical root causes of weight gain and the power of natural healing.

Sarah shares why she moved away from the 'diet' mindset to lose three and a half stone / 50 lbs / 24 kg, naturally by looking at the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual root causes. It’s time to stop fighting your body and start listening to it.

There is a free resource to help you identify your unique root cause, whether it’s physical, emotional or even metaphysical.

📥 Download the Free Holistic Weight Loss Resource here : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UtZa5LiwRcKum6lPVFGwpf86rDwnUwtJ/view?usp=sharing

Let’s take a hard look at what it actually takes to heal.

Key Information and Timestamps

00:51 – The hidden risks of weight loss jabs and injections

Sarah discusses the case of Jenny Murray and the severe side effects (loss of mobility) associated with the drug Mounjaro.

01:37 – How to access Sarah’s free resource for natural weight loss

Sarah introduces her free resource that helps listeners determine their specific root causes and supports a natural weight loss journey.

📥 Download the Free Holistic Weight Loss Resource: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UtZa5LiwRcKum6lPVFGwpf86rDwnUwtJ/view?usp=sharing

02:13 – How to identify the mental, physical, and spiritual root causes of weight gain

A breakdown of the different levels where weight gain originates—mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and even metaphysical.

02:38 – Why traditional dieting and strict calorie counting often fail

Sarah explains why focusing solely on "diet and calories" or "strict adherence to protocols" is less effective than addressing the actual reason for weight gain.

03:31 – The importance of self-awareness and belief systems in the healing process

Sarah highlights why we must take a "hard look at what we believe, what we say, and what we do" to achieve true self-awareness and healing.

Who am I?

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers with Sarah Dawkins.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

www.sarahdawkins.com

#naturalweightloss #weightloss #sideeffects #MindBodyMedicine #selfhealing #rootcausehealing #mounjaro #holistichealth #holistichealing #metabolichealth #emotionaleating #weightlossjourney #triggered

Can you truly heal yourself from trauma when the system fails you? In this episode of Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers, I sit down with Simone Swartz an Army veteran, author and PTSD expert, to discuss her powerful journey from military sexual trauma (MST) to holistic recovery.

Simone opens up about the "silent battle" of surviving sexual assault SA within the military, the dangers of self-medicating with alcohol and how she eventually reclaimed her voice. Shifting the narrative from PTSD as a lifelong "sentence" to a treatable condition. Simone explains why traditional talk therapy is often only half the battle.

Key Information & Time Stamps

01:34 Simone recounts her experience with Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and the systemic lack of medical care and justice that followed her assault.

04:08 A deep dive into how suppressed mental distress shows up as physical symptoms, including sleeping disorders and chronic body tension.

07:19 Simone discusses the research-backed truth that PTSD is not a "life sentence" and can be successfully treated if faced head-on.

11:58 An honest look at the use of alcohol as a "crutch" to numb trauma and the importance of recognizing when a coping mechanism has become toxic.

15:43 How transitioning to physical exercise and "positive addictions" provides the necessary structure for long-term sobriety and healing.

17:31 Why talk therapy often reaches a plateau and the necessity of "body work"—such as martial arts, massage, and Reiki—to move trauma out of the physical frame.

21:59 Simone explains why dogs are uniquely qualified to help sexual assault survivors regain a sense of safety and trust when human interaction feels overwhelming.

28:50 The ethical and financial benefits of rescuing shelter dogs and training them as service animals for survivors on a budget.

Whether you are a veteran, a survivor of sexual assault, or someone struggling with the physical manifestations of trauma, this episode offers a roadmap for moving from victim to self-healer.

Simone's Bio

Simone is a Army Veteran, author, public speaker and PTSD expert. She has a newly published step by step guide to PTSD recovery and accompanying workbook that can be purchased on amazon and also the link is on her website. She has founded Service Dog Strong, one of the first nonprofits to give sexual assault survivors diagnosed with PTSD service dogs. She believes in raising awareness that PTSD affects greater populations than is mainly discussed in the media. PTSD can affect survivors of street gun violence, sexual assault, domestic violence and trafficking and her massage she wants to share with the world is that PTSD is treatable after any trauma.

Connect with Simone

https://youtube.com/@ptsdandwhathelpedme

https://www.instagram.com/servicedoginnewyork

https://www.instagram.com/ptsdandwhathelpedme

https://www.tiktok.com/@ptsdandwhathelpedme

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-swartz-7b003a35b/

Who am I?

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers with Sarah Dawkins.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

www.sarahdawkins.com

#ptsdhealing #mst #assault #healingispossible #healingjourney #servicedog #servicedoglife

Are your hormones running the show? In this episode of Mind Body Medicine for Self-Healers, I welcome hormone health coach and yoga instructor Maddie Pollack. After surviving cancer at 25, Maddie discovered she was living with undiagnosed PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). She shares how she moved from irregular cycles and adrenal fatigue to a life of balance using the pillars of nutrition, movement and nervous system regulation.

Key Highlights & Timestamps

01:47 The Birth Control "Band-Aid": Maddie discusses being placed on birth control at age 15 without education or a diagnosis, masking her PCOS symptoms for years.

05:05 The "Hustle" Trap: A look at how waking up at 5:00 AM for intense fasted workouts can backfire for women with PCOS by spiking cortisol and depleting the adrenals.

07:53 Coffee and Cortisol: Maddie explains why drinking coffee on an empty stomach was a major trigger for her anxiety and why eating protein before caffeine is a non-negotiable for hormone health.

09:02 The Magic of Seed Cycling: A breakdown of how to use pumpkin, flax, sesame, and sunflower seeds to support hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle.

10:21 Shifting Exercise for Longevity: Why Maddie traded HIT classes for yoga and strength training, especially as estrogen begins to decline in the 30s.

15:51 HPA Axis Dysfunction: An explanation of "Adrenal Fatigue" and how a dysregulated nervous system leads to the "tired yet wired" feeling.

21:13 The Miracle of Magnesium: Sarah and Maddie discuss why magnesium is the first mineral to be depleted by stress and Sarah shares her DIY recipe for magnesium oil.

22:45 #1 Tip for PCOS Healing: Nervous system regulation

Maddy's Bio

Maddy Pollack is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Hormone Health Coach and Yoga Instructor. After surviving cancer at 25 years old, she dove into the world of wellness and received her Hormone Health Coach certification, which changed her life forever in the best way.

Maddy works one-on-one and in group settings with clients to help them balance their hormones naturally, reverse PCOS symptoms, lose weight, live in tune with their cycles and become more confident in their bodies. Through the pillars of nutrition, movement, and nervous system regulation, she emphasizes a whole body approach with her clients and is passionate about helping women tune in to their mind-body connection.

Connect with Maddy

www.maddypollackhealth.com

https://www.instagram.com/maddypollack_health/

https://www.tiktok.com/@maddy.pollack.health

Who am I?

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers with Sarah Dawkins.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

www.sarahdawkins.com

#pcosrelief #pcosawareness #pcoslifestyle #healingispossible #nervoussystemregulation #seedcycling #healyourself

Why does chronic pain return even after months of physical therapy and exercise? Today I sit down with chronic joint and back pain specialist Bonnie Ryckova to uncover the missing link in injury recovery.

Bonnie shares her powerful journey from childhood trauma and multiple accidents to discovering the "layers of compensation" the body builds over decades. Learn why traditional strengthening exercises often fail when the body is stuck in a fight-or-flight response and how nervous system regulation can finally break the cycle of painful flare-ups. This conversation offers a roadmap to move from "fixing" your body to partnering with it for lasting relief.

Key Highlights & Timestamps

03:09 The "Dissociation" of Injury: Bonnie describes the psychological impact of her first childhood injury, explaining how a plaster cast led to a feeling of disconnection from her own limb, a common side effect of physical trauma.

05:17 The Hidden Impact of Childhood Accidents: A detailed look at how a "minor" accident at age 10 created a "rotational" compensation in Bonnie's pelvis that stayed with her for decades, despite X-rays showing nothing was broken.

14:26 Trauma Processing vs. Physical Fixing: Following a car accident in her 30s, Bonnie explains the pivotal moment she realized that physical exercise alone couldn't heal her because the emotional trauma of the impact hadn't been processed.

20:05 The "Layers of Compensation": A breakdown of how the body adapts over time. Bonnie explains that the demands we put on our bodies (career changes, travel, stress) add "layers" to old injuries, making standard physical therapy less effective over time.

22:34 Nervous System "Fight or Flight" in Fitness: Bonnie discusses the irony of the fitness industry, where high-intensity "hustle" can actually prevent healing by keeping the nervous system in a constant state of threat.

31:18 Learning to Listen to "Body Guidance": Bonnie shares her method of lying on the floor and allowing the body to lead the movement (rocking, pelvic tilts) rather than following a rigid exercise protocol.

41:09 The "Silent" Rib Cage Breath: A step-by-step tutorial on the specific breathing technique Bonnie uses to expand the thoracic spine, relax the jaw, and signal safety to the brain to stop a pain flare-up.

Bonnie's Bio

Bonnie is a Chronic Joint and Back Pain Specialist who works with people whose pain keeps returning despite physiotherapy and exercise. Her work focuses on understanding how the body has adapted over time and where load is no longer shared evenly.

Her background includes biomechanics, clinical Pilates and postural therapy, alongside lived experience of chronic pain, hypermobility, and injury recovery. This informs a way of working that is structured, body-led, and realistic, prioritising clarity before action.

Her work has been featured in Forbes (2024), 30 Day Health Magazine (2025), and The I-Paper (2026).

Connect with Bonnie

https://bonnieryckova.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnieryckova

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnieryckova

Who am I?

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers with Sarah Dawkins.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

www.sarahdawkins.com

#healingpain #chronicpainsolutions #chronicpainrecovery #chronicpainhelp #chronicpainrelief #chronicpainawareness #emotionalpain #traumarecovery #traumahealing

Today, I sit down with Shreya Vohora to uncover the invisible link between our homes and our health. Shreya shares her profound dual-recovery journey from PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and chronic mold toxicity, offering a roadmap for anyone struggling with unexplained fatigue, weight gain or hormonal imbalances.

Key Moments

01:34 The Subtle Signs of PCOS: Shreya discusses her diagnosis journey at age 21, the limitations of standard medical testing and the moment she was told by a doctor that she might never have children.

13:52 Endocrine Disruptors: The emotional moment Shreya discovered her "luxury" beauty and cleaning products were actually hormone disruptors, leading to a complete overhaul of her environmental toxins.

21:28 Identifying Mold Toxicity Symptoms: A breakdown of the "hidden" symptoms, including joint pain, chronic mucus and a specific type of breathlessness that is often mistaken for being physically unfit.

24:33 The Detox Protocol: Shreya explains the technical journey of "unplugging" compromised detox pathways and using specific binders and saunas to remove toxins from the bloodstream.

32:53 The "Black Mold" Myth and Species Testing: A critical explanation of why not all mold is visible or black and why you must get a baseline before starting remediation.

36:40 Why Bleach Fails at Mold Remediation: A vital warning on why bleach is ineffective for porous surfaces like plasterboard and timber and how it can actually cause microscopic spores to spread further.

41:07 The Mind-Body Connection: Shreya reflects on how internalized grief manifested as physical illness and weight gain, acting as a biological "safety shield" to protect her during a period of trauma.

47:43 Simplification vs. Biohacking: Shreya explains why we must remove toxins and simplify our environment before we can effectively "optimize" with technology.

Shreya's Bio

Shreya Vohora is a London-based entrepreneur specialising in how the built environment shapes health and helping people create homes that support energy, focus, sleep, and long-term well-being.

Her expertise is grounded in her own recovery from mould toxicity and hormonal imbalance, which sparked her deep dive into environmental health. Today, she translates complex science into simple, practical strategies anyone can use. From spotting hidden toxins that even realtors miss to improving air quality, reducing EMF exposure, and using nature and light to boost mood and vitality, Shreya offers clear, actionable guidance that fits real life.

She runs a luxury interior design and construction company, interiors with art and co-founded RightRop an AI-powered platform that helps consumers make safer, more personalised product choices. Everything she does is aligned with her mission to help people create healthier spaces that genuinely work with the body, not against it so they can live their happiest and healthiest life. Her approach is practical, evidence-based, and designed for everyday living.

Connect with Shreya

https://vibrantlivinglab.substack.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreyavohora/

Who am I?

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers with Sarah Dawkins.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

www.sarahdawkins.com

Why You Can’t "Force" Your Healing: From Survival to Safety

Are you trying too hard to heal?

In the final part of my healing journey trilogy, I reveal a counterintuitive truth: the harder we push, the harder it is for our bodies to recover. Many of us treat healing like a discipline, controlling our diets, pushing through fatigue and demanding results but your body cannot heal while it is in survival mode.

In this episode, we explore:

The Nervous System: Why safety is a feeling, not a thought.

The Wisdom of Symptoms: Decoding the messages behind eczema, thyroid issues, and adrenal burnout.

Depression as "Deep Rest": Re-framing mental health struggles as a biological cry for stillness.

The Power of Allowing: Shifting from "doing" to "being" to turn off your body's red alert.

If you’ve been your own harshest critic, it’s time to stop pushing and start listening. Learn how to cooperate with your body and provide the safety it needs to finally heal.

Key Information

00:18 — The Healing Trilogy: Reflecting on the journey from where I was to where I am now.

00:39 — The Myth of "Effort": Why trying harder and being more disciplined can actually prevent healing.

01:43 — Survival vs. Safety: Understanding that the body heals only when it no longer feels the need to protect itself.

02:30 — The Nervous System: Safety is a feeling in the body, not a scientific concept or a logical thought.

03:22 — Rest is Not Lazy: Re-framing rest as a necessary form of self-care and a signal of safety to the brain.

04:58 — Listening to Body Wisdom: Shifting from looking for external solutions to listening to internal messages.

05:16 — Decoding Symptoms: Eczema, Adrenal Fatigue, Thyroid

07:05 — Depression as "Deep Rest": A powerful re-framing of depression as the body's desperate cry for stillness.

07:46 — Cooperating with the Body: Learning to treat yourself with the same kindness you offer others.

08:35 — A Message for Those Still Healing: Why not being "healed yet" isn't a failure, but a learning process for your body.

Who am I?

Sarah Dawkins is a passionate Holistic Health and Healing Coach, international speaker and author of Heal Yourself. She’s also a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the award-winning host of the uplifting podcast Mind Body Medicine for Self Healers with Sarah Dawkins.

With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, Sarah combines her deep understanding of conventional medicine with her own powerful self-healing journey to create a truly integrative approach. Having overcome multiple chronic health challenges herself, she now supports others in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their symptoms, helping them restore balance, reclaim their energy and create lasting, vibrant wellness.

www.sarahdawkins.com

#learningtips #selfawarenessmatters #selfhealing #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection