It took me nine months (and at least six or seven deleted versions) to record Episode 2.

Somewhere in all of those attempts, I kept getting stuck on the same question: What does it actually mean to be “professional” when you’re also a human dealing with burnout, anger, ADHD, grief, business stress, and your own shit?

In this episode, I’m processing the difference between being professional and being ethical, and whether we’ve started treating those things like they mean the same thing. I talk about therapist burnout, social media and the pressure to perform professionalism, autonomy, self-as-context in ACT, and what it has looked like to keep showing up while questioning whether I was showing up the “right” way.

I don’t think I beat burnout. I’m not sure that’s even how burnout works. But I am learning to think less about fixing it and more about building a life and business that are actually sustainable... even when things are still messy.

👋 Find Becca

Want to learn more about Becca, explore resources, work together, or see what else she's making?

✨ Authenticity with Becca → Everything Becca
🏢 The Therapy Office → Therapy + The Therapy Office
🧠 Free Make It Make Sense Guide → Get the Guide
🛍️ The Shop → Browse Resources

🧠 A Quick Therapist-y Disclaimer

Becca Ferguson is a Licensed Professional Counselor, but Professionally Messy is not therapy, and listening to this podcast does not create a therapist-client relationship. This podcast is for educational and informational purposes and includes Becca's personal experiences, opinions, and general professional knowledge. If something here makes you think, “Well shit, maybe I should talk to someone about that,” that's probably a conversation worth having with your own qualified healthcare or mental health professional.