Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Take Out Therapy: End Overthinking & Overwhelm for Empathic High Achievers

Host: Rebecca Hunter, MSW
Episode: Year End Reflection Session To Reduce Overwhelm And Create Intention; Therapy Based Skills for Empathic High Achievers
Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

Rebecca Hunter, MSW, offers a succinct, grounding reflection exercise specially designed for empathic high achievers facing year-end overwhelm. Rather than pushing for resolutions and major goal-setting, she invites listeners to use a single, gentle question to guide their intentions and reduce stress as the new year begins. The mini-session blends therapeutic wisdom with practical, actionable advice—delivered in a warm, conversational tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Challenging the Year-End Overwhelm Narrative

• Rebecca acknowledges how many people "come into the holidays pretty much on fire and then just burn out somewhere along the way" (01:37).
• She wants listeners to feel grounded rather than exhausted as January arrives:

  “I want you, my friend, not to skid into January exhausted.” (01:45)

2. The One-Question Reflection Exercise

• Instead of making resolutions, Rebecca champions a single inquiry:

  “What do I want this year to feel like?” (02:11)

• She emphasizes that this is not about setting achievement-oriented goals or improvement projects; rather, it’s about tuning into emotional tone and personal direction:

  "This is just about you and feeling and direction." (02:19)
  “There’s not an improvement project at the end of this question.” (02:16)

3. The Science & Practice Behind the Approach

• Doing self-inquiry reduces internal pressure and helps align the nervous system:

  "It helps your nervous system to understand that you’re working together, not against each other, right? It helps your nervous system choose a tone." (02:39)

• The practice brings clarity and calms the mind rather than overwhelming it with self-imposed to-dos:

  "By doing this exercise, you’re actually helping your body and your mind understand and create clarity. You’re reducing the pressure that’s currently building." (02:48)

4. Practical Application

• Rebecca recommends writing the answer down or speaking it aloud—doing this repeatedly over several weeks:

  "Say it out loud and not just one time, but maybe for a few weeks." (03:08)

• She normalizes having more than one answer, highlighting ongoing self-discovery:

  "Sometimes you’re gonna come up with a different answer because you have more than one answer to this question. And that, my friend, is what doing personal growth work is all about." (03:23)

• The process is about leading yourself back to your own needs and feelings:

  "All you’re doing is leading you back to yourself." (03:33)

5. Encouragement & Support

• Rebecca reassures listeners they don’t need resolutions to create growth:

  "You don’t need to make a bunch of New Year’s resolutions to grow yourself. Just doing a little bit of reflection can create so much clarity for you." (04:01)

• She offers her expertise if listeners want further help:

  "Come chat with me, have a session for 75 minutes, and I guarantee you, you will know what direction you’re headed this year, my friend, and it will be productive, constructive, and focused entirely on what you want to feel this year." (03:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "What do I want this year to feel like?" (Rebecca Hunter, 02:11)
  The central, grounding reflection question replacing traditional goal-setting.
• “All you’re doing is leading you back to yourself.” (Rebecca Hunter, 03:33)
  A reminder that personal growth is a process of self-reconnection, not an endless to-do list.
• "You don’t need to make a bunch of New Year’s resolutions to grow yourself." (Rebecca Hunter, 04:01)
  Encouragement to move away from pressure-filled traditions and toward self-compassion.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:37 – The reality of year-end burnout and why traditional resolutions add pressure
• 02:11 – Introduction of the core reflection question: “What do I want this year to feel like?”
• 02:39 – The neurological and emotional benefits of this approach
• 03:08 – Repetition and evolving answers as a personal growth practice
• 03:38 – Invitation to seek further help through a 75-minute session
• 04:01 – Final encouragement: reflection over resolutions

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Rebecca’s tone is conversational, empathetic, and practical—balancing professional insight with the warmth of a supportive friend. She validates the listener’s experience of overwhelm and offers a gentle, actionable alternative to the usual pressure of New Year’s resolutions.

In essence:
Instead of filling your plate with more goals, begin your new year by gently, repeatedly asking:
“What do I want this year to feel like?”
Write it, say it, reflect on it—let this guide you toward a calmer, more intentional path.

For more resources or to connect with Rebecca, visit takeouttherapy.com.