EEC 450: Burn Bright, And Not Burnout, with Alexis Kennedy

Dr. Alexis Kennedy built her career at the intersection of law and forensic psychology. With both a PhD in Forensic Psychology and a JD, she spent decades researching child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking. After years of absorbing the cumulative weight of that work, she experienced firsthand what she had only studied in others: burnout. You built a career studying trauma, and then burned out. What did that actually look like? Corporate leaders are often celebrated for their ability to push through. From a neuroscience standpoint, what is actually happening in the brain and body when someone has been in that "push through" mode for too long? You work with judges, executives, and first responders. What do these groups have in common when it comes to why they resist asking for help? W You have said that protecting yourself is not a weakness; it is the strategy. For a skeptical executive who sees self-care as soft, what does the science actually say about the cost of not protecting yourself? Your approach is specifically designed for people who are too busy or too skeptical to slow down. What does an evidence-based recovery strategy look? Alexis Kennedy Dr. Alexis Kennedy built her career at the intersection of law and forensic psychology. With both a PhD in Forensic Psychology and a JD, she spent decades researching child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking. After years of absorbing the cumulative weight of that work, she experienced firsthand what she had only studied in others: burnout. That turning point became her catalyst. She redirected her research expertise toward understanding why driven, accomplished professionals hit the wall and what the science says about getting back up. She now works with the audiences least likely to ask for help: judges, lawyers, executives, firefighters, and first responders who are too busy or too skeptical to slow down. Her approach is practical and evidence-based. She translates neuroscience and stress physiology into concrete strategies that high-performing professionals will actually use. Dr. Kennedy is a sought-after speaker, researcher, and advisor who has worked inside courtrooms, fire stations, law firms, and corporate boardrooms across North America. Her message is simple: protecting yourself is not a weakness. It is the strategy. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Erin Hedinger is an LCSW with more than a decade of expertise in integrative psychospiritual and humanistic modalities and an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies. She started her practice, EH Therapy LLC, in 2019 and has since curated a holistic approach that combines evidence-based treatment models with the timeless wisdom of ancient myths, rituals, symbols, and storytelling. You created a Modern Day Hero's Journey- a holistic model for healing and ecstatic living. Can you tell listeners why you think this model is needed at this time and what inspired you to create it? At the heart of your model is a pretty bold claim: that healing and ecstatic living are not two separate journeys but one. Can you unpack that for us? You bring this to life through the metaphor of an inner-world theater. Can you take us on a tour of that inner world and help listeners understand what is actually happening inside them? And walk us through the model's different phases? You write about the Fall as a universal human experience. Why is understanding our own falls so central to this journey, and what role does shame play in keeping us stuck? So what does it actually look like when someone does the work and steps out of survival into what you call ecstatic living? Erin Hedinger Erin Hedinger is an LCSW with more than a decade of expertise in integrative psychospiritual and humanistic modalities and an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies. She started her practice, EH Therapy LLC, in 2019 and has since curated a holistic approach that combines evidence-based treatment models with the timeless wisdom of ancient myths, rituals, symbols, and storytelling. At the heart of Erin's work is a belief that healing and living fully are not two separate journeys, but one. Her framework guides clients inward, helping them process grief, trauma, and unmet needs, while simultaneously reclaiming the hidden desires and gifts within. The goal, she believes, is not simply to survive or merely exist, but to build the most authentic, ecstatic life possible from the inside out. Her therapeutic approach is the foundation of her recently completed book, Your Modern-Day Hero's Journey: A Guide to Ecstatic Living, a transformative guide that weaves archetypal storytelling with leading psychological research to help readers heal and thrive. Beyond her practice, Erin has been a member of the Amherst Writers & Artists since 2012 and became a certified writing group leader in 2016. When not working with clients, Erin can be found practicing yoga, exploring the gorgeous wooded trails of Morristown, New Jersey, engaging in creative writing, spending time with loved ones, or indulging in glorious works of fiction! Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Pat has authored two cookbooks: Whisk Upon a Star and Mouth of the South. Her latest book: Hurdles in a Girdle...Holding Life Together When You're Bursting at the Seams was published by the same group that produced Jack Canfield's books, known for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. How did you get interested in hypnotherapy? What is the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy? Why do willpower and motivation fail at the conscious level, and how does hypnotherapy address that? What role does the subconscious mind play in our ability to stay motivated or consistent? Can you share an example where hypnotherapy helped someone succeed where willpower alone didn't? How does hypnotherapy help people stay inspired? Can you describe the process? Pat Allen Pat Allen went into real estate and opened Pat Allen Realty Group fourteen years ago, where she consistently ranks among the top 1.5% of brokers nationwide. Pat has authored two cookbooks: Whisk Upon a Star and Mouth of the South. Her latest book: Hurdles in a Girdle...Holding Life Together When You're Bursting at the Seams was published by the same group that produced Jack Canfield's books, known for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and The Success Principles. Jack endorsed Pat's book on the cover. Pat is dedicated, determined, and driven, and her success is due to the fact that she always makes it about her client...not herself. She felt compelled to help other women find love, purpose, and joy in their lives. "My message is that we should never stay stuck in a bad marriage/relationship or an unfulfilled job. Fear holds us back from a life of joy, love, and purpose. If children are involved, thinking it's better to stay in a bad marriage is wrong…they will be impacted the rest of their lives." Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Lucy Lewand is a hospitality consultant, speaker, and founder of Happy Hospitality Solutions, with more than 40 years of experience helping organizations turn everyday interactions into a real competitive advantage. What's the difference between good service and true hospitality — and why does it matter for business results? What are the biggest missed opportunities you see in the first 7 seconds of a customer experience? You talk about hospitality as a competitive advantage — what does that actually look like in real life? What are a few phrases or habits that quietly damage interactions — and what should replace them? For leaders who feel like their team is 'good but not great,' what's one simple shift that creates immediate impact? Lucy Lewand Lucy Lewand is a hospitality consultant, speaker, and founder of Happy Hospitality Solutions, with more than 40 years of experience helping organizations turn everyday interactions into a real competitive advantage. She works with leaders across industries to create what she calls the "hospitality hum" — how people are welcomed, how they're engaged, and ultimately how they feel from the very first moment. Her work brings decades of hands-on experience into simple, practical frameworks leaders can use right away, whether they run a hotel, a nonprofit, or a sales team. Lucy knows hospitality isn't just an industry — it's a leadership discipline. And the organizations that treat it that way consistently outperform those that don't. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Holly Beitel is a transformational speaker, coach, and creator of the A.R.C. Method™, helping leaders and entrepreneurs eliminate self-sabotage at the root by re-authoring the internal stories shaping their decisions, identity, and results. You are a transformational speaker. Where do you lead your clients from what to what? What is your A.R.C. Method, and how is it different than mindset work? What makes your method of working with leaders and entrepreneurs unique? What are the "symptoms" that would help someone realize they could benefit from your process? How long does it take? Can a three-day experience really create a sustainable transformation? What are the transformational results you deliver, and how fast do your clients see results? What kind of collaboration opportunities do you offer? Holly Beitel Holly Beitel is a transformational speaker, coach, and creator of the A.R.C. Method™, helping leaders and entrepreneurs eliminate self-sabotage at the root by re-authoring the internal stories shaping their decisions, identity, and results. Holly has: Worked with approximately 4,000 people to re-narrate and transform their stories Coached over 3,000 entrepreneurs to start and scale their online businesses Founder of the non-profit TRUE Stories Ministries Multi-6-figure earner in 3 different niches Through immersive workshops, coaching, and interactive talks, Holly helps transform the stories that have been holding us back into our most strategic assets. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Dr. Janet's exploration of spirituality and psychology began when she experienced a profound near-death experience at eight years old. Hovering above her limp body near the ceiling of the family's bathroom, Janet watched as her mother's frantic attempts to resuscitate her failed. How has your near-death experience impacted your chosen career path? What have you been most amazed by when working to heal clients as a nature and hypnotherapist? Your book, ReGenesis: From Chaos to Conscious Co-Creation, highlights the 7 themes of ReGenesis that grew out of your doctoral research. Can you share a few of these themes with our audience that you feel are the most salient given our current struggles in the world. You met mythologist Dr. Joseph Campbell (Hero with a Thousand Faces) back in 1982. Tell us how your book helps guide a person's origin story toward healing? You created The Genesis Triad; three paintings – tell us about these paintings and how they are central to your healing work. Dr. Janet Curcio Wilson Dr. Janet's exploration of spirituality and psychology began when she experienced a profound near-death experience at eight years old. Hovering above her limp body near the ceiling of the family's bathroom, Janet watched as her mother's frantic attempts to resuscitate her failed. This profound experience laid the foundation for her life's work by providing her with firsthand knowledge of the fact that the spirit transcends the body. This led to her studies in spirituality, depth and ecopsychology, education, and art therapy. As the founder of "The Infinite Mind," her unique approach to coaching combines art and nature therapy with psychology to help clients define and direct their life's purpose. Her unique psychospiritual approach anchors quantum healing with practical tools for personal transformation by teaching the power of intention. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Ken Patterson is a dynamic speaker, leadership coach, and business growth strategist known for helping individuals and organizations unlock their highest level of performance through intentional leadership, mindset, and action. What is the biggest mistake leaders and sales professionals make when trying to grow their business or team? How do you help people move from feeling stuck to creating measurable momentum? What does intentional leadership actually look like in real life? In your experience, what separates high performers from those who stay average? If someone listening today wants to create breakthrough results, what is the first step they should take? Ken Patterson Ken Patterson is a dynamic speaker, leadership coach, and business growth strategist known for helping individuals and organizations unlock their highest level of performance through intentional leadership, mindset, and action. With over a decade of experience in coaching, training, and leading high-performing professionals, Ken brings a rare blend of real-world business expertise and deeply human connection to every stage he steps onto. As a certified John Maxwell speaker, coach, and trainer, as well as a certified DISC personality consultant, he equips audiences with practical frameworks that drive measurable results in leadership, sales, culture, and personal growth. A respected leader in the real estate industry and founder of Growth Intention, Ken has helped entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and teams increase performance, build scalable systems, and lead with greater purpose. His message is rooted in one core belief: kindness and accountability are not opposites…they are the foundation of sustainable success. Whether speaking to corporate teams, entrepreneurs, associations, or growth-minded professionals, Ken's presentations are known for being high-energy, deeply relatable, and immediately actionable. Audiences leave inspired, challenged, and equipped with clear strategies they can implement right away. Ken's mission is simple: to help people lead with intention, grow with purpose, and create lasting impact. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Danny M. Goldberg is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the leadership book "A Little Bit Asshole." He is the founder of multiple ventures, including GoldSRD, Crowne Cloth, DCL Cards, LikeMe App, and GoldTM. How can being "a little bit of an asshole" actually make you a better leader, entrepreneur, and communicator? What are the biggest communication mistakes professionals make when trying to be liked instead of respected? You've built businesses across training, consulting, collectibles, and other industries — what core principles have translated across every venture? In today's world of AI and automation, why do people-centric skills still separate top performers from everyone else? What's one hard truth about success that most people know deep down but are afraid to admit publicly? Danny Goldberg Danny M. Goldberg is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the leadership book "A Little Bit Asshole." He is the founder of multiple ventures including GoldSRD (staffing, executive recruiting, and professional development), Crowne Cloth (a luxury lifestyle brand), DCL Cards (sports collectibles), LikeMe App (dating application), and GoldTM (ATM and vending services). Danny's work focuses on leadership, assertiveness, entrepreneurship, and the balance between empathy and decisiveness in business. His philosophy challenges the idea that success requires being ruthless—arguing instead that the most effective leaders learn how to be just assertive enough to get results while still earning respect. Through his speaking, consulting, and podcast appearances, Danny shares practical lessons from building businesses, navigating leadership challenges, and developing the confidence needed to succeed in modern workplaces. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Cameron Barbarick is a communication strategist, professional speaker, public speaking trainer, and creator of the A.R.K. Model for relational communication and the Charisma Speaking System. His passion is to help leaders discover the full potential of their voice. Why do traditional communication trainings fail when stakes are high-and what's missing? What is "response-able communication," and how does it differ from reactive communication? How does your A.R.K. Model (Awareness, Relatedness, Kenosis) transform workplace communication and leadership? What is the link between emotional intelligence, communication, and business performance? How can leaders build the internal capacity to communicate effectively under pressure-not just when it's easy? Cameron Barbarick Cameron Barbarick is a communication strategist, professional speaker, public speaking trainer, and creator of the A.R.K. Model for relational communication and the Charisma Speaking System. His passion is to help leaders discover the full potential of their voice. His work is built on a powerful idea: communication breakdowns are not a technique problem - they're an internal capacity problem. Cameron helps leaders and teams move from reactive communication to response-able communication by developing the internal awareness, relational intelligence, and presence required to communicate effectively under pressure. Cameron equips executives, business leaders, and teams to communicate with clarity, confidence, and connection - improving performance, strengthening relationships, and driving measurable business results. At the core of his mission is a simple belief: every person has a powerful voice, and when they learn to use it with presence and intention, they become the kind of communicator others naturally trust, follow, and connect with. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Alexandra (Alex) Adams, MD, PhD, is a physician–scientist, storyteller, and speaker whose current work explores the powerful connection between belonging and health. For more than 27 years, she has partnered with Native American communities to support family and community wellness by blending scientific rigor with Indigenous knowledge and community wisdom. Most people think health is mostly about individual choices—diet, exercise, and medical care. But your work suggests that belonging may be just as important. Can you explain that? Your work centers on belonging as a powerful force for healing. How do you define belonging? You often talk about the connection between adverse childhood experiences and adult health. What does the research show, and what gives you hope about healing? You've spent more than 27 years working in partnership with Indigenous communities. What have those partnerships taught you about health and wellness? If listeners are feeling disconnected—from community, from nature, or even from themselves—what is one small practice that could help them begin rebuilding a sense of belonging? Alexandra Adams Alexandra (Alex) Adams, MD, PhD, is a physician–scientist, storyteller, and speaker whose current work explores the powerful connection between belonging and health. For more than 27 years, she has partnered with Native American communities to support family and community wellness by blending scientific rigor with Indigenous knowledge and community wisdom. She directs the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Excellence at Montana State University, where she builds community-led research partnerships and mentors the next generation of researchers. Land-based learning exchanges with Māori and Native American communities in the U.S. and New Zealand have deepened her understanding of how connection to people, place, culture, and the natural world shapes healing and well-being. She also uses storytelling and film to share these lessons and inspire healthier, more connected communities. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.