Break Free of the Stress & Burnout Cycle: Learning to Heal & Listen to Your Body with Deidre Gestrin

Rita Mercer Author

Discover how Deidre Gestrin overcame burnout, reclaimed wellness, and shares simple steps to help you heal and listen to your body.

In a recent episode on The Daring Well Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Deidre Gestrin, a licensed mental health counselor and wellness coach with 15 years of experience. Deidre shared her deeply personal journey through stress and burnout, offering valuable insights and strategies for healing. This blog post encapsulates her story and the key takeaways to help others recognize, address, and recover from burnout.

Deidre’s Journey Through Burnout

Deidre shares three significant episodes of burnout she experienced during her career, with the third being the most transformative and life changing. At the height of her stress, she found herself working nearly 24/7, juggling management duties, client sessions, and crisis team responsibilities. Despite recognizing her declining physical health, she continued until her doctor delivered a sobering ultimatum: “Your job is killing you.”

The physical toll was undeniable—sleep deprivation, joint pain, and pre-diabetic symptoms. Yet, Deidre’s breakthrough came when she accepted her body’s warning signs and took a much-needed break, supported by unemployment benefits after a facility closure. This pivotal moment allowed her to reset and refocus on her healing journey.

Listening to Your Body

Deidre’s story highlights the importance of paying attention to physical and emotional cues of burnout:

• Sleep disturbances: Shifting from 10 hours of restorative sleep to restless nights with only 4 hours of sleep.
• Unexplained physical pain: Developing arthritis in her 30s was a big warning sign and an indicator of chronic stress.
• Emotional detachment: Losing interest in activities she once loved, like cooking, and becoming indifferent to workplace interactions.

Her experience underscores the necessity of early intervention before burnout manifests in severe somatic, physical symptoms.

Steps Toward Healing from Burnout

Deidre’s recovery involved a combination of rest, self-awareness, and structured goals. Here are the strategies she employed:

1. Prioritize Rest and Recovery:
   • Allowing herself to rest without guilt.
   • Setting small, achievable goals like walking to the end of the driveway pain-free, gradually increasing her activity level to walking two miles.
2. Reframe Your Mindset:
   • Recognizing that it’s okay to leave work unfinished; “The work will still be there tomorrow.”
   • Learning to say no and delegating responsibilities.
3. Utilize Resources:
   • Taking advantage of unemployment benefits to focus on recovery without financial stress.
   • Returning home to her parents’ house to reduce living expenses and concentrate on her healing journey, while prioritizing being a caregiver for her parents.
4. Reconnect with Purpose:
   • Reflecting on attachment styles and personality traits, such as the Enneagram, to understand susceptibility to burnout.
   • Setting boundaries and finding balance by prioritizing personal and family time.

Key Takeaways for Listeners

Deidre’s advice for anyone facing stress or burnout is simple yet profound:

• Start Small: Focus on basic, manageable changes like deep, diaphragmatic breathing to lower stress responses.
• Simplify Your Approach: Choose one or two actionable shifts to implement consistently over two weeks.
• Acknowledge Your Limits: Understand that you don’t need to “do it all” today.
• Value Your Well-Being: Embrace the mindset that “you are worthy of rest.”

Connect with Deidre Gestrin

If you’re seeking guidance on overcoming burnout, Deidre offers coaching and counseling services through her website, Abundant Wellness Essentials. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook (@DGestrin).

Final Thoughts

Deidre’s journey is a powerful reminder that healing requires listening to your body, making intentional choices, and finding support. By sharing her vulnerability, she inspires others to take proactive steps toward wellness in mind, body, and spirit. Remember, life is about balance—let’s dare to live it well.

Are you looking for more inspiration for wellness tips & coping skills?

Check out The Daring Well Podcast:

• YouTube
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Categories: : Body, Burnout, Healing, Stress