Podcast Summary: EEC 420 – Sustainable Clinical Practice: How Clinicians Thrive Without Burning Out

Podcast: Excellent Executive Coaching: Growing Your Business and Enhancing Your Craft
Host: Dr. Katrina Burrus PhD, MCC
Guest: Helen Malinowski
Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores the critical issue of burnout among clinicians and outlines sustainable practices that enable professionals to thrive in demanding roles without sacrificing their well-being. Dr. Katrina Burrus hosts Helen Malinowski, a licensed clinical social worker and expert in trauma, who shares practical strategies for recognizing, preventing, and recovering from burnout. The discussion draws parallels between the clinical and executive coaching professions, emphasizing the necessity of self-awareness, community, and boundary-setting.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Clinicians vs. Executive Coaches

[01:45–03:10]

• Distinction:
  • Clinicians work under professional licenses (e.g., social workers, psychologists) and address mental health struggles.
  • Executive coaches focus on professional growth, leadership, and workplace dynamics, though personal history may be relevant.
• Helen Malinowski:

  "The focus [in coaching] is not on the mental health of the leader...it's how they show up in their job." — Helen [01:59]

2. Sources of Burnout in Clinical Practice

[03:30–04:52]

• Clinicians repeatedly listen to traumatic, heavy stories, leading to an accumulation of stress and emotional fatigue.
• Secondary trauma/vicarious traumatization is common, similar to what ER professionals and first responders experience.

  "Those stories build up in our own nervous systems and in our own psyche, and they become harder to let go of at the end of the day..." — Helen [03:52]

3. Recognizing Burnout: Symptoms & Personal Stories

[04:52–06:40]

• Symptoms: Irritability, tiredness, poor sleep, disconnection, loss of passion for the field.
• Often clinicians do not recognize their burnout until someone points it out.

  "I didn't notice that I even had burnout until it was called out to me by another professional." — Helen [05:10]

  • Burnout can make even passionate professionals question their career choices.

4. Prevention and Recovery from Burnout

[06:45–10:00]

• Preventive micro-habits:
  • Incorporating micro-breaks between sessions (standing up, moving, going outside).
  • Institutionalizing habits to regularly decompress.
• Community:
  • Social connection serves as a powerful buffer against stress and burnout.
  • Peer support and sharing with others who truly understand the profession are vital.

  "That hour and a half of sometimes talking a little bit about work, but not entirely...carried me throughout the rest of my entire day." — Helen [08:51]

5. Somatic Practices and Social Engagement Theory

[10:00–13:08]

• Somatic Practices:
  • Focus on the body’s sensations (interoception) to acknowledge stress and bodily reactions.
  • Being aware of physical cues (e.g., racing heart, clenched stomach) helps professionals intervene early.
• Social Engagement System:
  • Draws from Polyvagal Theory: Social interaction is evolutionarily protective against stress.
  • Encourages clinicians/coaches to lean into supportive relationships.

Practical Techniques

• Grounding: Press feet into the floor, notice chair support, focus on safe environmental features.

• Short, intentional pauses to reset after challenging sessions.

  "It's to say I'm aware that my body is having a reaction...and I can lean into the supports that I have, even if it's just my chair." — Helen [14:47]

6. Balancing Empathy and Professional Boundaries

[18:36–21:45]

• Too much empathy can lead to over-involvement and reduced effectiveness; not enough can hinder connection.

  "We don't want to merge with them. We don't want to get to a place where we're taking on their experience or they're taking on our experience." — Helen [20:05]

• Objectivity (meta position) and intentional boundaries are essential, distinguishing friendship from professional roles.

7. The Critical Role of Community in Sustaining Practice

[21:45–24:26]

• Burnout often leads to withdrawal, which can compound isolation and mental health challenges.
• Proactive community-building (e.g., running groups) provides sustainable support systems.

  "Our entire nervous system is designed to be in relation with other human beings. So that is a very protective factor." — Helen [24:10]

8. Addressing Depression and Isolation

[24:26–26:40]

• When experiencing depression, even small steps toward social connection are significant; self-compassion is key.
• Encouragement to seek therapy as a foundation for recovery.

9. Trauma, Addiction, and Capacity Building

[26:40–28:15]

• Many dealing with addiction are also processing trauma; behaviors often function as self-medication.
• Capacity-building involves helping clients sit with discomfort, integrate difficult experiences, and reduce their lasting impact.

10. Building Collaborative Support Structures in Practice

[28:20–30:45]

• Helen describes founding a group practice rooted in community and collaboration—direct outgrowth of her recovery from burnout.
• Supervisions and regular group discussions are foundational elements for sustaining clinicians’ wellbeing.

Memorable Quotes

• "Those stories build up in our own nervous systems...They become harder to let go of at the end of the day, harder to shed from our experience." — Helen [03:52]
• "I didn't notice that I even had burnout until it was called out to me by another professional." — Helen [05:10]
• "Having that cup of coffee...carried me throughout the rest of my entire day." — Helen [08:51]
• "You have to leave people time to face something that's very difficult. Sometimes, you know, it takes time." — Katrina [18:27]
• "We don't want to merge with them. ...There's this boundary that I think we're always navigating, both as clinicians and as coaches." — Helen [20:05]
• "Our entire nervous system is designed to be in relation with other human beings. So that is a very protective factor." — Helen [24:10]

Notable moments & Timestamps

• Difference between clinicians and coaches: [01:45–03:10]
• Symptoms and experience of burnout: [04:52–06:40]
• Prevention with micro-breaks and community: [06:45–10:00]
• Somatic awareness and practical strategies: [10:00–14:47]
• Objectivity vs. empathy in coaching: [18:36–21:45]
• Impact of community and creating group support structures: [28:20–30:45]

Additional Resources

• Helen Malinowski’s Website: somaticintegrationinstitute.org
• Energy Audit Tool — “Get Your 5 Hours Back”:
  A free resource at Get-Your-5-Hours-Back to evaluate energy use and reclaim time for well-being.

This episode offers practical, compassionate insights for clinicians, coaches, and anyone supporting others in high-stress environments—demonstrating that personal sustainability is both possible and essential for effective, long-term practice.