Burnout-Free Me

High-achieving women often love their work, but love alone doesn’t protect them from feeling drained, exhausted, or burned out.

In this episode of Burnout-Free Me, I sit down with Crystal Stokes, founder of Full Circle Lab, therapist, and leadership coach, to explore how ambitious professionals can thrive without sacrificing their well-being.

You’ll hear Crystal’s journey from working in veterinary medicine to supporting the people within the profession, and what inspired her to focus on purpose, resilience, and values-driven leadership. We also discuss the balance between personal responsibility (how to show up, set boundaries, and protect yourself from burnout) and the role of organizational support (what systems and cultures look like when they truly optimize performance, leadership, and well-being).

If you’re a driven professional who wants to succeed in your career while protecting your energy and joy, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and inspiring perspectives on leading yourself and your teams in a sustainable, fulfilling way.

Meet Our Guest:

Crystal Stokes, is the founder and managing director of Full Circle Lab. With a background in veterinary medicine, psychotherapy, leadership development and coaching, and business operations, she leads with a blend of emotional intelligence, strategy, and heart. Her work is deeply rooted in evidence-based practices and high-performance coaching, and she's passionate about helping veterinary professionals rediscover purpose, build resilience, and lead from a grounded, values-driven perspective.

Crystal has walked in many shoes—starting as a GP and then overnight ER veterinary technician, then becoming a licensed therapist, and now a director of operations, certified professional coach, and leadership consultant. Crystal understands the unique challenges of veterinary medicine and high-stress careers, not just clinically, but emotionally and culturally. That’s what drives her to build stronger, healthier teams.

She’s also the host of the Vet Med Wellness & Leadership Podcast, where she dives into the heart of veterinary culture, burnout, and what it really means to thrive in this field.

Contact Crystal:

https://www.fullcirclelab.com/

https://www.fullcirclelab.com/vet-med-podcast

https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalstokes/ 

Work With Amy:

✨ Ready to break free from exhaustion and stop running on empty, so you can create real balance, reclaim your energy, and finally feel like yourself again? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today!

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and ways we can work together. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements here.

JOIN the Burnout-Free Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being.

A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

She also hosts the Burnout-Free Me Podcast (previously Daring DVM Podcast), a free resource for high-achievers and career professionals who want to live with less stress and create a life of balance, fulfillment, and joy.

Outside of work, Amy and her partner enjoy travel and all things outdoors. You’ll most likely find them on top of a mountain, in the middle of a desert, somewhere underwater, or 100 miles into a ride on their tandem mountain bicycle.

Emotions are temporary nervous system responses, not life sentences. They’re invitations to pause, listen, and understand yourself more deeply.

In this episode, I’m sharing the art and science of emotional processing and how understanding your nervous system can transform the way you experience stress.

You’ll learn why your brain tricks you into thinking feelings are permanent, how the 90-second emotional wave works, and why naming your emotions is like turning on your internal GPS. We’ll cover practical strategies to move through tough feelings, uncover their deeper messages, and regulate your nervous system so you can respond instead of react.

Whether it’s that sharp email right before you leave work or the quiet frustration simmering at home, this episode gives you the tools to handle emotions with clarity and compassion.

What You’ll Learn:

If you’re ready to stop being swept away by your emotions and start working with them, this one’s for you.

Visit www.daring dvm.com to explore ways to work together and join the Burnout-Free Community.

Work With Amy:

✨ Ready to break free from exhaustion and stop running on empty, so you can create real balance, reclaim your energy, and finally feel like yourself again? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today!

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and ways we can work together. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements here.

JOIN the Burnout-Free Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being.

A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

She also hosts the Burnout-Free Me Podcast (previously Daring DVM Podcast), a free resource for high-achievers and career professionals who want to live with less stress and create a life of balance, fulfillment, and joy.

Outside of work, Amy and her partner enjoy travel and all things outdoors. You’ll most likely find them on top of a mountain, in the middle of a desert, somewhere underwater, or 100 miles into a ride on their tandem mountain bicycle.

Big changes are happening! And I’m sharing all the details in this episode.

From leaving small animal practice to coaching veterinarians, and now expanding to help ambitious women from any field who are done running on empty, my work has been on a journey —and so has my life.

In just a few short years, everything has evolved: my energy, my focus, my community, and my business. It’s time for a fresh identity and a new vision.

Join me this week to learn about the new direction I’m taking, what’s coming next, and how you can be part of this exciting shift, creating a generation of successful, energized, and fulfilled women who are finally living life on their own terms. 💜🙌

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Here's to going from burnout to break through, together!

Work With Amy:

✨ Ready to break free from exhaustion and stop running on empty, so you can create real balance, reclaim your energy, and finally feel like yourself again? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today!

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and ways we can work together. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements here.

JOIN the Burnout-Free Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being.

A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

She also hosts the Burnout-Free Me Podcast (previously Daring DVM Podcast), a free resource for high-achievers and career professionals who want to live with less stress and create a life of balance, fulfillment, and joy.

Outside of work, Amy and her partner enjoy travel and all things outdoors. You’ll most likely find them on top of a mountain, in the middle of a desert, somewhere underwater, or 100 miles into a ride on their tandem mountain bicycle.

Let’s talk about how to stay grounded, sane, and effective while standing up for what you believe in.

In this episode of Burnout-Free Me (previously Daring DVM), I share why connection and curiosity are more powerful than judgment, how willful ignorance keeps people stuck in survival mode, and why your anger about injustice isn’t something to numb—it’s fuel for meaningful action.

We’ll also discuss powerful examples of using presence and compassion to shift perspectives, even in the most entrenched situations.

If you want tools to navigate conflict, protect your well-being, and become a more effective ally in the world, this episode is for you.

Tune in and learn how to heal, stand firm in your values, and sustain your activism without sacrificing yourself and without burning out.

Work With Amy:

✨ Ready to break free from exhaustion and stop running on empty, so you can create real balance, reclaim your energy, and finally feel like yourself again? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today!

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and ways we can work together. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements here.

JOIN the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being.

A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

She also hosts the Burnout-Free Me Podcast (previously Daring DVM Podcast), a free resource for high-achievers and career professionals who want to live with less stress and create a life of balance, fulfillment, and joy.

Outside of work, Amy and her partner enjoy travel and all things outdoors. You’ll most likely find them on top of a mountain, in the middle of a desert, somewhere underwater, or 100 miles into a ride on their tandem mountain bicycle.

The world feels a little… 🦇💩 crazy right now.

Between the news cycles, social media chaos, and the constant division, it’s easy to feel anxious, angry, or just plain exhausted. If you’ve been wondering how to keep your head and your heart intact amid all this, you’re not alone.

In this episode of Daring DVM, I’m sharing science-backed, soul-deep strategies for staying sane in a world gone mad. Think of it as your sanity survival guide: real talk, practical strategies, and a little bit of sass to remind you that you can show up with courage and kindness even amidst the mess.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

💜 We need courage, kindness, grace, resilience and grit now more than ever.💜

Burnout Free Me

If you’re ready to stop running on empty and start living a burnout-free life, join the brand-new Burnout Free Me Coaching Intensive—a transformative small-group program designed to help you build sustainable rest and balance for your high-achieving life.

Join the waitlist now for first dibs on enrollment and access to exclusive founding member pricing. Spots are limited!

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist at www.daringdvm.com.

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being.

A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

She also hosts the Daring DVM Podcast, a free resource for high-achievers and career professionals who want to live with less stress and create a life of balance, fulfillment, and joy.

Outside of work, Amy and her partner enjoy travel and all things outdoors. You’ll most likely find them on top of a mountain, in the middle of a desert, somewhere underwater, or 100 miles into a ride on their tandem mountain bicycle.

Work With Amy:

✨ Ready to break free from exhaustion and stop running on empty, so you can create real balance, reclaim your energy, and finally feel like yourself again? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today!

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and working with me. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements.

JOIN the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Ever heard the saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”? 🤔

We’ve been told that too much free time is the problem. Leisure makes us lazy, distracted, and overindulgent. Even Dr. Anna Lembke argues this in Dopamine Nation – too much free time leads to dopamine over-consumption and addiction. 

But here’s my hot take: 

The real issue is that we’ve been conditioned to believe our worth = our productivity. So when downtime shows up, our nervous systems panic. Stillness feels unsafe. Rest feels like failure. And we end up filling our “free time” with things that exhaust us (overthinking, stressing, scrolling, distracting ourselves) instead of nourishing us.

In this "hot take" episode, I’m breaking down why more free time isn’t the problem (it’s actually the opportunity) and what you need to relearn NOW, before the future gives us even more hours back (🤞fingers crossed!).

If you’re tired of running on fumes and ready to finally feel safe doing less, this one’s for you. 💜💯

Burnout Free Me

If you’re ready to stop running on empty and start living a burnout-free life, join the brand-new Burnout Free Me Coaching Intensive—a transformative small-group program designed to help you build sustainable rest and balance for your high-achieving life.

Join the waitlist now for first dibs on enrollment and access to exclusive founding member pricing. Spots are limited!

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist at www.daringdvm.com.

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being. A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

✨ Ready to create your burnout-free life? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today.

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and working with me. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements. And you can join the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

This week’s episode is a little different—it wasn’t planned, but that’s the point.

When my fiancé’s back injury sent us to the ER, my carefully mapped-out week unraveled. Old me would have spiraled—frustrated, resentful, guilty, and overwhelmed. But this time, I leaned on the tools I teach: nervous system regulation, mindset shifts, and self-trust.

In this short, behind-the-scenes episode, I share how I navigated a week that went completely off the rails and why these tools matter most when life doesn’t go according to plan.

You’ll walk away with practical reflections you can use to meet your own curveballs with more resilience, clarity, and calm.

Plus, if you’re ready to go deeper, I share how you can join my Burnout Free Me group coaching program to put these tools into practice with guidance and support.

Burnout Free Me

If you’re ready to stop running on empty and start living a burnout-free life, join the brand-new Burnout Free Me Coaching Intensive—a transformative small-group program designed to help you build sustainable rest and balance for your high-achieving life.

Join the waitlist now for first dibs on enrollment and access to exclusive founding member pricing. Spots are limited!

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist at www.daringdvm.com.

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being. A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

✨ Ready to create your burnout-free life? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today.

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and working with me. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements. And you can join the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Burnout in veterinary medicine is real, and it’s costing many vets their energy, purpose, and joy. In this episode of Daring DVM, I tackle the most common questions I hear from veterinarians about burnout: how to tell if you’re burned out, what to do when you’ve lost your passion for vet med, and how recover. If you’ve been running on empty and wondering if there’s a better way, this episode will help you take the first step back toward balance.

Burnout Free Me

If you’re ready to stop running on empty and start living a burnout-free life, join the brand-new Burnout Free Me Coaching Intensive—a transformative small-group program designed to help you build sustainable rest and balance for your high-achieving life.

Join the waitlist now for first dibs on enrollment and access to exclusive founding member pricing. Spots are limited!

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist at www.daringdvm.com.

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being. A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

✨ Ready to create your burnout-free life? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today.

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and working with me. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements. And you can join the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Struggling with burnout, exhaustion, or constant stress?

Discover how dopamine addiction disguised as achievement fuels burnout and why traditional self-care isn’t enough to escape the trap. I’ll show you how your nervous system responds to rewards and stress, and provide you with practical strategies to retrain your brain, restore energy, and finally break free from burnout.

Episode Information:

Fellow high-achievers! Are you running on fumes, chasing the next “win,” or feeling like rest just isn’t enough? You’re not alone!

In this episode of Daring DVM, Dr. Amy Grimm breaks down the science of dopamine, the brain chemical that rules our motivation, reward, and yes, even our burnout.

What you'll learn:

From practicing boredom and delaying gratification to prioritizing real self-care and leaning into meaning, you’ll learn how to break free from the cycle of constant chasing and create lasting balance in your life.

If you’re ready to stop running on autopilot, calm your nervous system, and finally feel like yourself again, this episode is for you.

Burnout Free Me

If you’re ready to stop running on empty and start living a burnout-free life, join the brand-new Burnout Free Me Coaching Intensive—a transformative small-group program designed to help you build sustainable rest and balance for your high-achieving life.

Join the waitlist now for first dibs on enrollment and access to exclusive founding member pricing. Spots are limited!

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist at www.daringdvm.com.

Meet Amy:

Dr. Amy Grimm is a success and well-being coach, speaker, and veterinarian who helps high-performing professionals lead with clarity, energy, and purpose without sacrificing their well-being. A former medical director who experienced burnout firsthand, Amy now coaches leaders across industries to recognize the hidden costs of hustle culture and create sustainable success through strategic prioritization and people-first leadership.

✨ Ready to create your burnout-free life? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today.

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and working with me. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements. And you can join the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Veterinarians and other high achievers are no strangers to long hours, high standards, and pushing past their limits. But what happens when that constant drive starts to take a toll on the body?

Chronic stress doesn’t just drain your energy; it can disrupt your gut, your hormones, and even your mood. In this episode of Daring DVM, Dr. Amy Grimm discusses with Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Restore and Blossom podcast host Krisie Stanley, how stress affects gut health, why symptoms like brain fog and fatigue may be connected, and simple daily habits busy women can use to restore balance and feel their best.

Burnout Free Me

If you’re ready to stop running on empty and start living a burnout-free life, join the brand-new Burnout Free Me Coaching Intensive—a transformative small-group program designed to help you build sustainable rest and balance for your high-achieving life.

Join the waitlist now for first dibs on enrollment and access to exclusive founding member pricing. Spots are limited!

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist at www.daringdvm.com.

✨ Ready to create your burnout-free life? Book your free Burnout-Free Me consultation today.

🌐Visit www.daringdvm.com to learn more about coaching and working with me. You can also find out about team trainings and speaking engagements. And you can join the Daring DVM Community for weekly inspiration, coaching tools, special offers, and more!

📩Let's connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Connect with Krisie Stanley:

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restoreandblossom/

Free 30-minute consultation: https://bit.ly/Krisierestoreandblossom

Krisie Stanley is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist who specializes in gut health, hormone balance, and root-cause healing. Krisie has a deep passion for helping others restore their health naturally, and helps clients uncover and address the underlying gut imbalances contributing to fatigue, digestive issues, hormonal challenges, and more.

She is the founder of Restore and Blossom, a virtual holistic nutrition practice where she supports people in achieving vibrant health and lasting transformation through personalized nutrition and lifestyle strategies. She also hosts the Restore and Blossom Podcast, where she helps listeners break up with diet culture, build a healthier relationship with food, understand how nutrition works for them.

In addition, she provides services at Complete Care and Wellness Counselling, helping individuals navigate illness and recovery, and collaborates with a local gym to guide clients toward strength, energy, and sustainable body confidence through balanced, personalized approaches.

Krisie’s mission is to empower others with the knowledge, tools, and encouragement they need to eliminate gut symptoms, reclaim their health, and experience the fullness of life—spirit, soul, and body.