Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist

By Shawna Lovin, MA, LPCS

Welcome to Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist. This isn't your typical self-help podcast. This is where seasoned therapist Shawna Lovin, LPC-S tells the truth about burnout, helper life, and buildin... more

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FAQs about Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist:

How many episodes does Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist have?

The podcast currently has 84 episodes available.

Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist episodes:

June 14, 2026 83. Your Body Hates the Job You’re Good At (Your Human Design Might Explain It)
Ever feel like your job isn’t just stressful—it feels fundamentally wrong for how you’re built? In this episode, I’m talking about the clash between your work life and your actual energy style, pacing, and decision-making. Using Human Design as a grounded lens—not a personality gimmick—we’re getting into what happens when your body keeps trying to do a job that fights your natural rhythm, and why that friction can leave helpers exhausted, flat, and questioning everything.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

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WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
21min
June 07, 2026 82. I Thought It Was Just Burnout Again, Until This Happened at Work
Another person is leaving. Management refused a simple shift swap that would have supported the people who’ve actually been holding the work together, then later admitted they made the decision based on what would be easier to fill—not what was fair. In this episode, I’m talking about what bad leadership does to trust, morale, and the nervous system, especially when you already feel watched, undervalued, or quietly singled out. This is for anyone who has ever looked around at constant turnover and thought, maybe the problem isn’t just the job. Maybe it’s who’s running it.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
19min
May 31, 2026 81. The Anti-Helper Era: Why Helpers Secretly Hate the Field
What happens when you’re still licensed, still skilled, still good at the work… but the field itself starts feeling too small for who you’ve become? In this episode, I’m talking about the quiet rebellion of mid-career therapists and helpers who are no longer interested in shrinking themselves to fit stale systems, weak supervision, or professional boxes that never taught them how to build a real life. This is about evolving without abandoning yourself, keeping your credentials without worshipping the container, and learning to trust your own depth when the field can’t fully name it yet.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
22min
May 24, 2026 80. Silent Quitting Your Life: When the Old You Doesn’t Fit Anymore
This episode is for the high-functioning people who look “fine” on the outside but know, deep down, that whole parts of their life no longer fit. Not just jobs—roles, expectations, identities, and ways of living that your body is tired of performing. I’m talking about the quiet inner ending that happens before the outer change, why midlife can bring your real compass back online, and what your nervous system may be telling you before you have the next plan figured out.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
23min
May 17, 2026 79. You Don’t Work a Job. You Rent Your Life.
That moment when you’re sitting in the car after work, too drained to even walk into your own house? Yeah. That’s not laziness. That’s what happens when your life has been built around being useful, available, and endlessly “good at handling things.” In this episode, I’m talking about the real cost of overfunctioning, helper conditioning, and what it does to your nervous system when your days stop belonging to you. If you look functional on the outside but feel cooked on the inside, this one will hit home.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
20min
May 10, 2026 78. When Your Birthday Lands Next to Mother’s Day
Every year, my birthday lands right up against Mother’s Day, and every year it stirs up more than people think. This episode is for anyone who feels complicated around being celebrated, being needed, being mothered, or being the one who keeps holding it all together. We’re talking about tenderness, resentment, caretaking, identity, and what it means when your own life keeps arriving right beside everyone else’s expectations. And yes, we’re doing it honestly.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
24min
May 03, 202677. Good Girl Contract: How the Mother Wound Fuels Helper Burnout
A lot of helper burnout is not about workload. It is about childhood conditioning finally breaking down.
In this episode, we unpack how the mother wound can shape emotional patterns like over-functioning, self-abandonment, perfectionism, and chronic guilt. You learn to be emotionally convenient, and then clinical culture rewards that same pattern and calls it professionalism.
So if you have been praised for how much you can carry, feel guilty when you rest, and keep performing while quietly falling apart, this one is for you.
We cover:
why “resilience” can sometimes be emotional invisibility
how the good girl contract gets wired into your nervous system
mother wound patterns that drive people-pleasing, over-functioning, and burnout
why guilt is not guidance
how to choose energy integrity over performance
You are not lazy. You are not weak. You may just be running on survival patterns that were never meant to become a lifestyle.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
18min
April 26, 202676. When You’re the Regulator: The Family Role That Burns Helpers Out
Some of you were not raised. You were recruited.
If you grew up in an enmeshed or unpredictable home, you may have become the regulator early. The peacekeeper. The one who could feel the room before anyone spoke. The one who stayed alert, adapted fast, and kept everything from tipping over.
Now you are a helper who is great in crisis, but your nervous system never fully stands down.
In this episode, we talk about how family roles shape burnout, especially when your body has learned that safety depends on reading moods, managing tension, and staying one step ahead.
We cover:
enmeshment: when love feels like access and separation feels like betrayal
unpredictability: eggshells, hypervigilance, and chronic bracing
why your “intuition” may actually be nervous-system scanning
how this role turns into over-functioning and burnout
what boundaries look like when your body thinks distance is danger
If you look calm on the outside but live internally on standby, this episode is for you.
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
13min
April 19, 202675. Stop Fixin’ Grown A** Folks: When Boundaries Make You the Problem
When you set boundaries, somebody always calls you the villain or the problem.
Especially if you’ve been the family’s emotional manager for years.

In this episode, I’m talking about the messy middle of family rupture—when a message looks like love but lands like a summons… and you realize you can’t “repair” with people who are more committed to protecting their self-image than protecting your kids.
I’m paraphrasing personal details on purpose. This isn’t a drag session. It’s a pattern.

We talk about:
How “sweet” texts can still be pressure
Why your body braces before your mind catches up
Relief + guilt (and why that combo is a sign you’re changing something real)
What it means to “break up with the mother wound”
How to stop being the family’s emotional janitor
If you’re a helper who looks fine but feels cooked… welcome.

👉🏾 Everything you need is on my website: www.shawnalovinlpcs.com
➡️ Texas LPC Associates Supervision that keeps you ethical and human
➡️ Messy Middle Blueprint: Your personalized energetic blueprint for burnout recovery
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
17min
April 12, 202674. You’re Not ’FINE’: Why Gen X Helpers Don’t Ask for Help
Gen X helpers don’t always burn out loud. They burn out quietly because many of you were raised to function through feelings, not ask for support.
This episode is about the psychology and nervous-system conditioning behind “I’m fine,” and why asking for help can feel unsafe, shameful, or pointless—even when you’re exhausted.

We talk about:
the “don’t bother anyone” training
independence vs isolation
why rest can feel like weakness
why you wait until you’re breaking
what recovery looks like when you’ve been the strong one forever
If you’re Gen X and tired of being the capable one… welcome.

👉🏾 Everything you need is on my website: www.shawnalovinlpcs.com
➡️ Texas LPC Associates Supervision that keeps you ethical and human
➡️ Messy Middle Blueprint: Your personalized energetic blueprint for burnout recovery
Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

——————————————————————————
WORK WITH ME
——————————————————————————

Practice by Design (for fully licensed clinicians, $497): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/work-with-me
LPC Supervision (Texas Associates only, $400/mo): https://shawnalovinlpcs.com/lpc-associate-supervision
Ten Twenty QM (custom tees): www.tentwentyqm.com

FREE Still Human audio series: https://healingrootswab.myflodesk.com/reset

——————————————————————————
FIND ME
——————————————————————————

YouTube: youtube.com/@heyyallitsshawna
Website: shawnalovinlpcs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyallitsshawna

Disclaimer: Although Shawna is a licensed counselor in the State of Texas, this podcast is not therapy and should not be used as a therapeutic intervention. Many of the practices and products mentioned are for educational and informational purposes only. Should you need support, please seek appropriate, qualified, and licensed professionals.
...more
22min

FAQs about Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist:

How many episodes does Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist have?

The podcast currently has 84 episodes available.