Many people think of trauma as something dramatic that happened in the past.

Yet trauma often leaves its mark not through a single event itself, or accumulation of experiences, but through the adaptations we make in order to survive it.

In this episode of the Burnout to Brilliance Podcast, Jayne Morris MCC is joined by Dr Susanna Petche to explore the often-overlooked relationship between trauma, nervous system regulation and burnout.

Together they unpack how unresolved experiences can quietly shape the way we move through life, influencing our capacity, relationships, decision-making and ability to rest. They explore how coping strategies that once protected us can become exhausting to sustain over time and why burnout is often far more complex than workload alone.

This is a compassionate and thought-provoking conversation that challenges simplistic views of burnout and invites a deeper understanding of what may be happening beneath the surface.

In this episode, we explore:

• The connection between trauma history and burnout
• Why trauma is not defined by the event itself but by its impact
• How the nervous system adapts in order to stay safe
• The hidden cost of long-term survival strategies
• Fight, flight, freeze, flop and fawn responses
• Why burnout often develops gradually over time
• The role of psychological safety in recovery
• The difference between coaching and therapy
• Why self-awareness alone is not always enough
• Creating pathways towards healing, support and sustainable recovery

About the guest

Dr Susanna Petche is the founder of Trauma Sense and creator of the C-Sense methodology. A former GP with over 25 years' experience, she holds an MSc in Psychological Trauma and specialises in helping people understand the lasting impact of trauma on health, wellbeing, relationships and performance.

Susanna was the Clinical Lead and Lead Programme Designer for ConnectionWorks, an NHS-funded 12-month programme supporting people living with complex PTSD, and is a former award-winning GP teacher and Clinical Facilitator at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

Her 2025 TEDx talk, Is Trauma Costing You Your Future?, further established her as a leading voice in trauma-informed practice in the UK.

Through her work with coaches, healthcare professionals and organisations, Susanna helps people make sense of how past experiences can shape present-day patterns, relationships and resilience, bringing a compassionate, practical and trauma-informed perspective to recovery and growth.

Listen & subscribe

🎧 Also available on:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Resources & links

🌐 Dr Susanna Petche on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-susanna-petche/

Website:

https://www.trauma-sense.com/

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

In this episode of the Burnout to Brilliance Podcast by Balanceology, I’m joined by psychotherapist Kathleen Saxton to explore a topic that often sits quietly beneath the surface of burnout, narcissistic relational dynamics. Together, we unpack how these patterns can shape our sense of self, our capacity, and our decision-making in ways that are not always immediately visible, yet can have a profound cumulative impact over time.

This conversation moves beyond the more visible aspects of burnout and into the relational environments that can subtly erode confidence, clarity and self-trust. We explore how individuals can find themselves working harder and harder within dynamics that never quite feel steady or secure, often without fully realising why it feels so difficult to sustain.

What emerges is a deeper understanding of how burnout is not always about workload alone, but about the ongoing internal effort required to navigate inconsistency, manage expectations, and make sense of shifting relational ground.

What we explore in this episode

In this conversation, we explore:

• how narcissistic relational dynamics can show up in both personal and professional contexts
• the “drip, drip, drip” impact of subtle inconsistency and shifting expectations
• why individuals may increase effort even when something doesn’t feel right
• how self-trust can become eroded over time
• the connection between relational dynamics and burnout development
• early signs that something may be unsustainable

Why this matters for burnout

Burnout often develops gradually, shaped by patterns that are difficult to name at first. When relational dynamics require ongoing vigilance, adaptation or over-effort, this can place sustained pressure on the nervous system.

Over time, what begins as coping can become significant depletion.

Bringing awareness to these patterns can open up new pathways for recovery, ones that are rooted not in pushing harder, but in understanding more deeply what our system has really been responding to.

About the guest

Kathleen Saxton is a psychotherapist, corporate mediator and media advisor, as well as a bestselling author and regular contributor to ITV’s This Morning and Stylist. She is the author of My Parent the Peacock, a compassionate and practical guide to understanding, recovering from and healing the impact of narcissistic parenting and early relational wounds.

Listen & subscribe

🎧 Also available on:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Resources & links

🌐 Kathleen Saxton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleensaxton/
📘 Kathleen’s Book: https://tinyurl.com/3xww949m

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

In this episode, the conversation explores the often‑overlooked relationship between quietness, stress and burnout, and why understanding what lies beneath behaviour is essential for healthy workplaces.

Our host, Jayne Morris MCC, the UK’s Leading Executive Burnout Coach, is joined by author and coach Pete Mosley, who works with quiet people and the leaders who support them. Drawing on insights from his books A Leader's Guide to Working with Quiet People and The Quiet Person's Guide, Pete shares his journey of understanding his own quietness and introduces his “iceberg” model, which helps explain what may be happening beneath the surface.

Together, they explore the difference between quietness and introversion, how early labelling shapes identity, and what leaders often miss when they focus only on outward behaviour. They discuss masking, deep processing and the stress response in fast‑paced cultures, why quiet withdrawal can signal burnout, and how resentment builds when needs go unspoken. They also look at how nervous system activation affects thinking, confidence and contribution.

Jayne and Pete offer practical ways leaders can create psychologically safe, inclusive meetings, including buddy systems, amplification strategies and reframing asking for help as courage and growth. They highlight the importance of nervous system regulation in high‑pressure environments and how small grounding techniques can support quieter team members.

This episode shows how burnout is rarely sudden. For many quieter professionals, it can be a gradual dimming - a slow withdrawal in response to environments that move too quickly, speak too loudly or overlook deeper processing styles. Jayne and Pete discuss the shared responsibility between individuals and organisations, and the role leaders can play in protecting reflective thinkers whose contributions may be quieter but no less valuable.

A central message: “It is alright to be quiet. The world needs quiet people.”
Themes:
Psychological safety • Inclusive leadership • Processing speed • Stress chemistry • Cultural norms • Meeting design • Burnout prevention
Practical approaches (non‑clinical):
Structured pauses • Buddy systems • Amplification • Breathing and grounding • Subtle regulation tools • Stress‑response education

Books:
A Leader's Guide to Working with Quiet People – Pete Mosley
The Quiet Person's Guide – Pete Mosley

LinkedIn:
Jayne Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynemorrismcc/
Balanceology: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1200854
Pete Mosley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petemosley/

Final note:
Quietness is not a weakness — it may be a strength to be understood.

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

This special edition, extended episode explores the complex relationship between mental health, burnout and suicidality, and why honest, compassionate conversations can be life-saving.

Our host, Jayne Morris MCC, the UK’s Leading Executive Burnout Coach, is joined by Laurence Davies, who brings both lived experience and extensive professional experience from senior leadership roles within the UK mental health charity sector.

Together, they explore:

• Mental health stigma and why it still prevents people seeking help
• Burnout as a risk amplifier for mental health distress
• Suicidal ideation as more common and more survivable than many people realise
• Why asking directly about suicide does not make things worse
• How individuals, leaders and organisations can create cultures of care
• The importance of prevention, early intervention and shared responsibility

Mental Health Stats: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/mental-health-facts-and-statistics/

Content note
This episode includes discussion of suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm and burnout. The conversation is held with care and hope, but please listen in a way that feels supportive for you. If you need immediate support, please consider the resources below.

Support & crisis resources
UK support:
Samaritans
24/7 emotional support for anyone experiencing distress or suicidal thoughts
Phone: 116 123
Website: https://www.samaritans.org

Mind
Information, advice and support on mental health problems and crisis services
Website: https://www.mind.org.uk

Rethink Mental Illness
Support, information and advocacy for people living with mental illness
Website: https://www.rethink.org

GP / Primary Care Doctor (UK)
Your GP can help with referrals, medication, talking therapies and local crisis services.

NHS Crisis Teams (UK)
Local mental health crisis services are available in many areas — often without a

GP referral.
More information: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/get-help/urgent-help/
International listeners

If you are outside the UK, you can find international helplines via: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Workplace approaches discussed: mental‑health‑informed leadership, core coaching skills (active listening and presence), external facilitation for cultural change, and blended coaching‑mentoring to support sustainable organisational wellbeing.

Personal practices referenced (non-clinical)

These were shared as personal supports, not prescriptions: Meditation, Yoga, Time in nature, Walking, Reducing or stopping alcohol during periods of recovery.

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

In this episode of the Burnout to Brilliance Podcast (formerly The Art of Balance), Jayne Morris MCC introduces a deeply insightful conversation with Dr Richard Duggins, consultant psychiatrist and author of Burnout-Free Working. Together, they explore what it truly means to work and live, in ways that prevent burnout rather than merely recover from it.

Richard reflects on his 20-year journey as “the doctor’s doctor,” supporting thousands of professionals through burnout, anxiety, and depression. This conversation examines the systemic causes of burnout, the importance of psychologically safe workplace cultures, and how leaders can reach in, rather than expecting individuals to toughen up or “be more resilient.”

Jayne and Richard also unpack the Exhaustion Funnel and Burnout Cliff models, offering clear and compassionate ways to recognise early warning signs, restore balance, and cultivate connection. Together, they invite listeners to rethink resilience, not as an individual trait, but as something built through relationships, care, and community.

A hopeful and practical start to the new series, this episode is for anyone who wants to thrive in demanding environments without losing themselves in the process.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Burnout to Brilliance Podcast

00:45 Welcoming Dr Richard Duggins

01:20 Rethinking Resilience: Beyond the Individual

04:00 The Exhaustion Funnel: How Balance Narrows Over Time

07:15 The Cost of Isolation and the Power of Connection

09:45 What Organisations Can Do to Prevent Burnout

12:30 The Burnout Cliff: Spotting the Signs Before Collapse

16:10 Finding Your People and Building Safety at Work

20:15 The Role of Leadership and Psychological Safety

25:00 From Burnout to Brilliance: Reigniting Hope

28:00 Reflections and Closing Thoughts

Dr Richard Duggins
Author of Burnout-Free Working
Burnout-Free Working on Amazon

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

In this episode of the Art of Balance Podcast, hosted by Jayne Morris, the UK’s Leading Executive Burnout Coach, we explore the truth about resilience and burnout with special guest Kai-Nneka Townsend. A Leadership Resilience & Burnout Consultant with over a decade of experience in the corporate world, Kai-Nneka shares her powerful story of reaching breaking point, and how it led her to redefine what true resilience looks like.

Together, Jayne and Kai-Nneka unpack the myths around resilience in leadership, explore how stress shows up differently for high achievers, and introduce a five-part model of real, sustainable resilience. They discuss why pushing through isn’t a strategy, how personal challenges intensify work-related stress, and why recovery starts with intentional pauses and support, not spa days or surface solutions.
Whether you're a leader, coach, or someone navigating stress, this episode offers compassionate insight, practical strategies, and a vital reminder that real resilience begins with looking after yourself.

Episode Timeline

00:00 Introduction to the Art of Balance Podcast

00:47 Meet Our Guest: Kai-Nneka Townsend

01:17 Kai-Nneka’s Personal Burnout Story

04:41 The Hidden Pressure of Leadership and Lack of Support

09:53 Why Holidays and Spa Days Aren’t Enough

14:17 Noticing the Silent Burnout of Other Leaders

16:55 What Real Resilience Looks Like: A 5-Part Model

21:57 Reframing Resilience and Letting Go of Overperformance

23:58 Planning Ahead for Stressful Seasons

28:09 The Power of Coaching and Safe Spaces

31:50 Overplayed Strengths and the Role of Reflection

35:34 Practical Ways to Pause on Purpose

37:01 Final Reflections: Alignment, Bravery & Sustainable Change

38:49 Closing Remarks and Gratitude

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

In this episode of the Art of Balance podcast, hosted by Jayne Morris, executive burnout coach, we delve into busyness and burnout with guest Philip Atkinson. Philip, a leadership team expert and founder of Hive Logic, shares insights from his book 'Bee Wise: Leadership Lessons from the Beehive.' We explore how bees, known for their industrious nature, also rest and how this can teach humans about effective leadership.

The conversation touches on creating a 'thinking environment,' balancing busyness with mindfulness, and the organic nature of organisational change. Additionally, the episode highlights the charity 'Bees for Development,' which all proceeds from Philip’s book support. Listen in for a nurturing and insightful discussion on the art of balancing work and life.

00:00 Introduction to the Art of Balance Podcast

00:47 Meet Our Special Guest: Philip Atkinson

01:17 The Wisdom of Bees: Rest and Leadership

02:25 Exploring Bee Metaphors in Leadership

05:01 Philip's Journey with Bees and Leadership

07:19 Creating Thinking Environments

15:10 The Importance of Physical Spaces in Workplaces

20:56 Embracing Organic Systems in Organisations

21:36 The Role of Coaching in Organisational Change

30:17 Final Thoughts and Reflections

31:53 Closing Remarks and Charity Highlight

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs

In this episode of the Art of Balance podcast, host Jayne Morris delves into the therapeutic benefits of singing as a tool to combat burnout and enhance well-being. She is joined by James Sills, a musician, TEDx speaker, and the founder of Sofa Singers. James shares insights on how group singing can improve social, mental, and physical health, making it an effective antidote to burnout. He emphasises the importance of approaching singing as a process rather than a performance, thus reducing pressure and fostering a supportive environment.

The discussion touches upon the benefits of singing in terms of oxytocin release, stress reduction, and the deepening of communal bonds. James also provides practical advice for those looking to reclaim their voices and integrate singing into their wellness practices.

00:00 Introduction to the Art of Balance Podcast

00:41 Exploring the Power of Singing with James Sills

02:17 The Therapeutic Benefits of Group Singing

05:52 Personal Stories and Experiences with Singing

07:15 The Science Behind Singing and Wellbeing

09:58 Building Trust and Connection Through Singing

21:16 Practical Tips for Starting Your Singing Journey

28:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Jayne Morris MCC
The UK’s leading executive burnout coach & author of Burnout to Brilliance

LinkedIn: @jaynemorrisMCC

Burnout to Brilliance on Amazon

Follow Balanceology
LinkedIn: @Balanceology
Website: www.balanceology.uk

About Balanceology
Balanceology is a leading coaching organisation dedicated to preventing workplace burnout and restoring sustainable success. Through talks, workshops, trainings, coaching and retreats, Balanceology supports individuals and organisations to work well, live fully, and thrive.

The Balanceology Certified Burnout Coach CPD Training is ICF accredited and carries 64 CCEUs