Functioning vs. Well-Being with Justine Asante, LMFT

What if hitting every deadline, solving every problem, and staying highly productive is actually masking a deep state of emotional exhaustion? In this episode for Week 2 (Understand) of Self Care September, host Carole Jean Whittington sits down with Justine Asante to unpack why high functioning is not the same as genuine well-being.  Together, they break down how performance quietly becomes identity, how high-achieving women get caught in the "legitimacy trap," and what it really means to lead without sacrificing your health or presence. 🌿 Join Self Care September! Be sure to join us every Monday in September to kick off that week's coordinate point on our reflection map and orient yourself on your own journey.Join Today + Download your Reflection Guide PLUS access exclusive events:https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1173206  Guest Info:Guest: Justine AsanteBook: The Quiet Erosion of PowerProgram: The Authority Reset (6-Week Experience) Glamorous Goddess Coachinghttps://www.glamorousgoddesscoaching.com/  Connect: Find Justine on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-asante/  Facebook, Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/glamorousgoddesscoaching/ and TikTok

When we slow down enough to observe our lives, the next question naturally surfaces: what is this trying to show me? In Week 2 of Self Care September, Carole Jean Whittington guides leaders carrying significant responsibility through the practice of understanding. Learn how to swap self-criticism for compassionate curiosity, navigate the 5 common reflection detours, and connect your experiences to your body's wisdom for your Optimum Steady State™.🌿 Join Self Care September! Be sure to join us every Monday in September to kick off that week's coordinate point on our reflection map and orient yourself on your own journey.Join Today + Download your Reflection Guide PLUS access exclusive events:https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1173206 

How do you rebuild your life when a major transition leaves you feeling completely lost down in the mud? In this episode of our Navigating Uncertainty series, host Carole Jean sits down with guest Claudia Wyatt for an intimate conversation on navigating the deep uncertainty of a second divorce. Claudia shares her personal journey of hiding behind the mask of being "fine," breaking free from toxic patterns and people-pleasing, and reclaiming her self-trust by enforcing boundaries. 🌿 Join Self Care September! Be sure to join us every Monday in September to kick off that week's coordinate point on our reflection map and orient yourself on your own journey.Join Today + Download your Reflection Guide PLUS access exclusive events:https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1173206 —------------------- Connect with Claudia WyattWebsite - https://claudiawyatt.com/ Free Resource - https://go.claudiawyatt.com/wol The Walkabout Method - https://go.claudiawyatt.com/wm 

What if self-care this month isn't about fixing, optimizing, or adding a single item to your overflowing to-do list? In this kickoff episode for Self Care September, host Carole Jean Whittington introduces The Reflection Invitation Coordinate Point for Week One: Notice. If you're navigating a major life transition or carrying an invisible mental load, your brain is likely locked in hyper-vigilance, constantly anticipating and intercepting the next fire.  Learn how to pause, set aside judgment, and practice compassionate curiosity using three simple micro-practices designed to help you observe where you are without trying to solve a thing. 🌿 Join Self Care September! Be sure to join us every Monday in September to kick off that week's coordinate point on our reflection map and orient yourself on your own journey.Join Today + Download your Reflection Guide PLUS access exclusive events:https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1173206 

 Discover how anger, frustration, and rage act as sacred boundary protectors. Learn the nuances of the anger family and rebuild your self-trust.Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I’ve had it up to here!" For generations, women have been conditioned to soften their anger, swallow their boundaries, and make their pain palatable for everyone else. But swallowing your truth has never cured chronic burnout. In this episode of Beyond Chronic Burnout, Carole Jean Whittington sits down for an intimate heart-to-heart on the hidden nuances of the anger family, from quiet resentment and cold bitterness to sacred, righteous rage.  Drawing from Dr. Brené Brown’s research, Human Design, and restorative justice principles, Carole Jean breaks down why your anger isn't a character flaw, it’s a somatic compass designed to protect your sovereignty. In this episode, you’ll explore:The distinct differences between frustration, core anger, resentment, bitterness, and hostility.Why restorative justice views rage as a sacred boundary protector rather than a malfunction.How unexpressed boundaries trigger chronic burnout and erode self-trust.Details on our upcoming 5th Annual Self Care September and our live public roundtable on August 30th!👉 Participate in our Menti Word Cloud: Share your favorite anger idioms here: https://www.menti.com/alr41c1xrrqb👉 Register for the Aug 30 Live Roundtable & Self Care September: https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1197215Self Care September, Download the Reflection Guide:https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/self-care-september 

In this episode of Beyond Chronic Burnout, we sit down with David Minot, the Executive Director of Mental Health News Education, to explore the vital intersection of lived experience and evidence-based mental health resources.David shares his personal journey navigating ADHD, anxiety, and depression, and how he uses "power naps" and organized systems to manage his adaptive capacity. We also discuss the legacy of his father, Ira Minot, and the evolution of Autism Spectrum News and Behavioral Health News—publications dedicated to providing a voice for the neurodivergent community and combatting "snake oil" treatments with hard science.Key highlights include:The Energy Tank: Why high-intensity focus activities deplete neurodivergent professionals faster and how to "refill" effectively.The 97% Statistic: Addressing the recent, dramatic rise in burnout within the neurodivergent community.Lived Experience vs. Clinical Expertise: Why the best resources combine both to support high-performing entrepreneurs and professionals.Future Transitions: What’s next for Mental Health News Education as they expand into digital education and video content.Links for this episode:The Whittington InstituteAutism Spectrum News: autismspectrumnews.orgBehavioral Health News: behavioralhealthnews.orgGuest Bio: David Minot is the Executive Director of Mental Health News Education (MHNE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Since joining MHNE in 2007, David has dedicated his career to enhancing the lives of individuals affected by autism and mental illness. In 2008, he founded Autism Spectrum News, which has grown into a premier resource for evidence-based information, serving over half a million readers. David was recognized in 2022 as a recipient of The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Leader in Adult Autism Award.

In the final episode of our Self Care September: Exploration of Stillness series, host Carole Jean Whittington is joined by Sheetal Story, Spiritual Grief Support Counsellor and Cosmic Alignment Strategist, for a deeply insightful conversation on the connection between stillness, intuition, and burnout recovery.Together, they explore: ✨ How overcommitment, people-pleasing, and lack of internal safety feed burnout ✨ Why creating and protecting quiet space is essential for healing and clarity ✨ The difference between ego-driven thoughts and true intuition ✨ Practical tools like breathwork, meditative walks, and automatic writing to reconnect with yourself ✨ Why women—especially in leadership and helping roles—must prioritize boundaries and self-trustSheetal also shares her personal journey of navigating transitions with intuition and purpose, offering guidance for anyone ready to reclaim inner calm and align with their authentic self.🔗 Connect with Sheetal Story → www.SheetalStory.com 👉 Ready to discover where you are on your burnout recovery path? Take the free Spicy Pepper Burnout Screening and unlock your first custom audio guide with tools designed specifically for your burnout level. Don’t guess—assess. Take the screening now → https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1155744

In Episode 220 of Beyond Chronic Burnout, host Carole Jean Whittington sits down with Lee-Anne Reuber, founder of Sekond Skin Society, to uncover how traditional fitness culture often intensifies burnout rather than preventing it—especially for autistic, ADHD, and otherwise neurodivergent women.Together, Carole Jean and Lee-Anne explore: 💪 How exercise can push you deeper into burnout if you ignore your body’s signals 💪 The damaging societal message that body image = self-worth 💪 Why “move more, do more” is not the path to health or energy 💪 The importance of listening to your body and rejecting all-or-nothing fitness culture 💪 How inclusive and accessible approaches to movement foster real joy, well-being, and sustainabilityLee-Anne also shares her journey from obsessive exercise and exhaustion to creating the Sekond Skin Society fitness app, a supportive space that empowers individuals to embrace movement that adapts to their unique needs and energy levels.🔗 Learn more about Sekond Skin Society → Download the app here https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/sekond-skin-society/id6738430213  To save on the membership, Use Code- BeyondChronicBurnout

In this episode of Beyond Chronic Burnout, host Carole Jean Whittington sits down with Dr. Adam “Dutch” Hazlett, professor, disability inclusion expert, and Fulbright Specialist in Education, to explore his PB&J framework—Predictability, Balance, and Joy—a practical guide to supporting neurodivergent individuals in moving beyond survival into true thriving.Together, they discuss: 🌱 How Predictability, Balance & Joy create the foundation for burnout recovery 🌱 Why compassionate curiosity is the key to authentic self-discovery 🌱 The impact of late identification and learning to embrace your neurodivergence 🌱 How micro-accommodations and inclusive design foster healthier communities 🌱 The role of nourishment—internal & external—in sustainable energyDr. Hazlett also shares details about the upcoming Neurodivergent Empowerment Conference in Dearborn, Michigan, a space for innovation, connection, and building inclusive communities.✨ About the Guest: Dr. Hazlett is a renowned neurodiversity and inclusion expert, a tenured humanities professor at Henry Ford College, and the host of NACHOS (Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach and Support). He is also the founder of Humanities 101, an autistic-led charitable organization dedicated to redefining “normal” and empowering neurodivergent communities. Learn more about his work: 🔗 Article – The Importance of Resources and Interventions for Mid-Career Autistic Professionals → Read here https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/dvr2.70016 👉 Don’t just guess where you are in burnout—diagnose it. Take the free Spicy Pepper Burnout Quiz and unlock your first custom audio guide with strategies personalized to your burnout stage. Take the quiz now → https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/115574

In this Self Care September: Exploration of Stillness episode of Beyond Chronic Burnout, host Carole Jean Whittington welcomes Tanya Roberts, AuDHD artist, meditation teacher, and founder of Mindfulness Done Differently. Tanya’s journey through panic disorder, undiagnosed ADHD and autism, and years of feeling like a “meditation failure” led her to a powerful realization: mindfulness doesn’t have to mean “sit still and breathe.” Instead, she created Mindfulness Done Differently—a playful, sensory-friendly approach that integrates movement, fidgeting, art, sound, and self-expression.Together, Carole Jean and Tanya explore: 🌱 Why conventional meditation often fails autistic & ADHD women 🌱 How sensory play and movement can transform mindfulness into something sustainable 🌱 The role of community, co-regulation, and advocacy in burnout recovery 🌱 Practical tools to build individualized mindfulness practices rooted in self-acceptanceTanya’s story is a reminder that stillness doesn’t always look quiet—and that accessible, customized approaches can help autistic and ADHD women reclaim peace, presence, and energy.👉 Take the Spicy Pepper Burnout Quiz (free) and discover your burnout level—from Poblano Pepper Level 1 (a little heat) to Ghost Pepper Level 5 (you’re so hot, you’re not). Unlock your custom audio guide to begin your recovery journey with tools tailored to your burnout type. Take the quiz now → https://energize.whittingtonwellbeing.com/products/courses/view/1155744✨ Connect with Tanya: 🌐 Mindfulness Done Differently → www.mindfullydifferent.ca 💡 First month free with code: BEYONDBURNOUT