Between a Hot Mess & a Therapist

This week, I’m bringing you a replay of my conversation with Karen and Jazmin from the Therapy Tea Podcast, and it’s a juicy one. We pulled back the curtain on what it really means to step into this profession, the myths people still hold about therapists, and how I’ve carved out a path that actually aligns with my energy instead of burning me out.

In this conversation, I share my very unconventional journey into becoming a counselor, why direct client work wasn’t my forever lane (yes, I said it), and how Human Design and alternative wellness practices reshaped not only how I work—but how I live.

We talk about:

✨ The messy, nonlinear path into the mental health field

✨ How to stop forcing yourself into work that drains you—even if it looks “successful” on paper

✨ Blending traditional training with alternative practices like Human Design for deeper alignment

✨ Why authenticity matters more than fitting the mold in this profession

This is one of those raw, real talks where I name the things most people won’t say out loud about the mental health world. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to build a career and a life that actually fit you, this conversation will spark something.

Resources mentioned: 

 • Balance is B.S.: How to Have a Work. Life. Blend. by Tamara Loehr

 • Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun

 • The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking

 • Tina Vitolo (unconventional therapist in Atlanta): https://www.facebook.com/groups/blacksheepguide

 • Understanding Human Design: The New Science of Astrology by Karen Curry

 • Watch the Marvel movies in cinematic timeline order: https://www.marvel.com/articles/movies/mcu-timeline-order-disney-plus

Got a Question? SUBMIT IT HERE

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WORK WITH ME

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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.

Rest for therapists, healers, educators, and first responders isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our nervous systems are wired differently, and the kind of “rest” the world tells us to take doesn’t always touch the real exhaustion we carry. In this episode, I’m unpacking the hidden burnout cycle of helpers, why traditional rest often fails us, and how Human Design + nervous system awareness can help us stop ghosting ourselves and reclaim sustainable energy.

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.

What if Human Design isn’t the next life hack, but actually the antidote to hustle culture? In this episode, I’m calling out the performative way so many of us use our charts—like a to-do list—and how that just feeds burnout. I’ll share the story of how I tried to “apply” my design like a formula and fell flat on my face, why our nervous systems rebel against this approach, and what it looks like to reframe Human Design as a practice of deconditioning and soul-rooted living.

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.

Midlife burnout isn’t just about aging; it’s about identity, hormones, and the nervous system colliding. In this episode, I unpack the messy truth behind the so-called “midlife crisis’ — and why women’s experiences get dismissed while men’s get glamorized. I share my own journey of leaning into Human Design to get clear on what was burnout, what was biology, and what was bullshit. If you’ve ever wondered why life feels messy, urgent, exhausted, questioning everything, or just trying to figure out who you are now, and unsustainable in your 40s (or why your nervous system feels like it’s short-circuiting), this conversation 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.

The kids are back in school. The routines are settling. And suddenly, you realize the way you’ve been doing life isn’t working anymore. In this episode, I sit with the messy, quiet, still moments that come before a shift, explore the subtle resistance to change, and tease a bold pivot in my own life — one I haven’t spoken out loud yet. This one’s for anyone trying to decide for themselves, not because someone else told them to, and who wants to avoid burnout while stepping into something new.

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.

You thought you were emotionally resilient, but what if you were just emotionally invisible? In this episode, we rip the mask off childhood conditioning, explore how your relationship with your mother reflects the patterns you couldn’t see growing up, and what it takes to finally break the spell. This one’s for the ones who are tired of pretending to be fine, even as therapists, healers, or the ones who know better.

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.

What happens when the very path that was supposed to set you free starts to feel like a cage? In this raw, honest episode, I break down the real reason I quit being a therapist — not because I stopped caring, but because I started waking up. We talk about the unspoken grief, the body-based betrayal, and what it means to feel regulated and resentful at the same time. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it me, or is the system broken?” — this one's for you.

I’m naming the quiet parts out loud, walking you through the messy middle, and sharing what it looked like to trust a frequency shift even when nothing made sense on paper. This is about quitting the performance, not the purpose.

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.

We’ve been sold a lie—that a “regulated woman” is always calm, always composed, always in control. In this episode, I’m breaking down the performance of regulation, what it actually means to live in a body that’s healing, and why your nervous system doesn’t need more discipline—it needs more truth. We’ll explore the messy middle, the shadow side no one wants to name, and the real path back to your body. This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about reclaiming your rhythm. 

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.

Burnout gets all the airtime. But boredom? That’s the one we don’t say out loud.

What if your exhaustion isn’t from doing too much, but from doing what no longer lights you up?

What if the problem isn’t your capacity, but the cage you built trying to be a “good” therapist or healer?

In this episode, we’re talking about the soul-level boredom that masquerades as burnout. The dead air inside success. The moment you look around at the life you built and wonder, “Is this all there is?” If you’re craving more—but don’t even know what that “more” looks like yet—this one’s 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.

What if the things you were praised for—your professionalism, your emotional labor, your commitment, your consistency—are the exact things draining you?

This isn’t another burnout pep talk.

It’s a full-body reckoning.

We’re going deep into the identity collapse, the invisible labor, the mask of professionalism, and what it costs to keep being “the strong one” in a system that doesn’t make room for your humanity.

This is about healing work that doesn’t devour your nervous system.

This is about staying in your calling without disappearing into it.

And this is your reminder: You’re not broken. You’re just outgrowing the performance.

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.