In this episode, I talk with Rachel Murdock, a burnout prevention specialist, group practice owner, and former FBI employee who bravely walked away from a "golden handcuffs" career to reclaim her well-being and design a life on her own terms. Her story is an empowering reminder that sometimes betting on yourself is the best investment you can make.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

1. Burnout isn’t just about workload—culture matters. Toxic organizational structures, lack of boundaries, and constant demand can erode even the most passionate professionals. Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t the job itself, but the noise of the system you're in.
2. Permission to pause can change everything. Rachel emphasizes that we’re at our best when we step back, take breaks, and intentionally reset. Small, regular pauses (even just 15 minutes!) help rejuvenate your nervous system and protect your long-term health.
3. Your impact is meaningful, but your well-being matters more. Organizations will survive when you move on. Choosing yourself isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. There’s power in letting go of the idea that you have to sacrifice your own needs for the mission.

If you’re feeling stuck, burnt out, or scared to make a change, Rachel’s journey proves you can honor your passion, set boundaries, and thrive beyond traditional structures.

More about Rachel:

Rachel Murdock, MS, LPC, LCPC, is the owner/clinician providing mental health counseling in private practice with Beyond the Storm Behavioral Health, LLC. She is a licensed counselor in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa, and supervises clinicians obtaining licensure in Missouri and Kansas. Her practice specializes in mental health counseling for first responders and individuals experiencing anxiety, mood disorders, or post-traumatic stress, and survivors of abuse.

Rachel does wellness checks for various first responder agencies to promote psychological resilience, psychoeducation about trauma and coping skills, and provide resources and referrals as part of a statutory mandate in Missouri (590.192), requiring all sworn peace officers and dispatch personnel to meet with a program service provider every three to five years. 

Prior to January 2023, Rachel was a Supervisory Child/Adolescent Forensic Interviewer (SCAFI) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Victim Services Division, Child Victim Services Unit, and held this position for seven months prior to her resignation, which led to her reopening her private practice. From November 4, 2012, to July 3, 2022, she was a Child/Adolescent Forensic Interviewer (CAFI) in the same unit. Prior to joining the FBI, Rachel was a forensic interviewer at The Child Advocacy Center, Inc., in Springfield, Missouri.  

During her career as a forensic interviewer, Rachel conducted almost 3,000 forensic interviews of alleged victims of/or witnesses to an incident. Rachel has studied forensic interviewing, children’s memory and suggestibility, process of disclosure, and trauma responses of victims for over 20 years.

Rachel has published on topics such as definitions of child abuse and neglect, the disclosure process in child abuse victims/witnesses, forensic child psychology, dynamics of compliant victimization, internet exploitation, suggestibility, and trauma. Her manuscripts all appear in peer-reviewed journals or book chapters, and Rachel has presented locally, nationally, and internationally about these topics since 2006.

Rachel has testified in state and federal hearings and trials during her career as a fact and/or expert witness.

Rachel is a faculty member with Avila University’s Graduate Counseling Psychology program and an adjunct faculty member Missouri State University’s Department of Psychology, where she created a course, Psychology of Child Abuse and Exploitation, and co-authored a textbook regarding issues of compliant victimization, dynamics of child abuse, process of disclosure, and other topics related to child abuse. Rachel has taught this course for almost twenty years. Additionally, she taught other courses related to child and adolescent development during her tenure as a faculty member with the department.

Social Media:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachelnmurdock
• Facebook: facebook.com/share/1AyqzVimcT
• Instagram: instagram.com/beyondthestormkc

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Thanks to Our Sponsors: The Receptionist for iPad, Alma, & All Things Private Practice — 2025 & 2026 Retreats!

✨ The Receptionist for iPad

Thanks to The Receptionist for iPad for sponsoring this episode.

The Receptionist offers an iPad list check-in option where clients can scan a QR code to check in, which negates the need for you to buy an iPad and stand. Go to thereceptionist.com/privatepractice and sign up for a free 14-day trial. When you do, you'll get your first month free. And don't forget to ask about our iPad list check-in option.

✨ Alma

Thanks to Alma for sponsoring this episode.

Building and managing the practice you want can be challenging. That’s why Alma offers tools and resources to help you build not just any practice, but your private practice. They’ll help you navigate insurance, access referrals who are the right fit for you, and efficiently manage administrative tasks — so you can spend less time on the details and more time delivering great care. You support your clients. Alma supports you. Visit helloalma.com/ATPP to learn more.

✨ All Things Private Practice — 2025 & 2026 Retreats

All Things Private Practice has some amazing retreat experiences coming up in 2025 and 2026.

Join us in Edinburgh, Scotland, for the second Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway Summit from July 14th to 17th, 2025! We have an incredible lineup of 12 speakers and offer 12 MBCCEs. If you're a leader or aspiring to start a group practice, join our Leadership Retreat in Chania, Crete, from September 6th to 11th. In 2026, we have two retreats in Queenstown, New Zealand. The first is for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs from March 1st to 8th, and the second retreat, Beyond Private Practice, focuses on moving beyond one-on-one therapy and creating alternative income streams from March 15th to 22nd.

Spaces are limited, so check the links to sign up today. Doubt yourself, do it anyway!

• Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway Summit in Scotland: empoweredescapes.com/scotland-july-2025-summit
• Leadership Retreat in Chania, Crete: empoweredescapes.com/greece-retreat-2025
• Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs in Queenstown, New Zealand: allthingspractice.com/new-zealand-neurodivergent
• Beyond Private Practice in Queenstown, New Zealand: allthingspractice.com/new-zealand-income-streams

Mentioned in this episode:

The Receptionist for iPad

I want to thank The Receptionist for iPad for sponsoring this episode.

From new patients faced with an empty lobby and no idea where to find their therapist to clinicians with a session running over time and the doorbell ringing, some of the most anxiety-ridden moments of a therapy appointment happen before a session even starts. The Receptionist for iPad, helps you tackle some of that pre-appointment apprehension and anxiety. The Receptionist for iPad is an easy-to-use digital client check-in system that helps your visitors check in securely to their appointments and notify their practitioners of their arrival via SMS, email, or your preferred channel. No more confusion, and less lobby checking or having clients sign in on paper logbooks. It can even help you upgrade and update your demographic information for your clients as well and even validate parking.

Start a 14-day free trial of the Receptionist for iPad by going to thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link and you'll also get your first month free if you decide to sign up.

All Things Private Practice — 2025 & 2026 Retreats

All Things Private Practice has some amazing retreat experiences coming up in 2025 and 2026. Join us in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway Summit from July 14th to 17th, 2025! We have an incredible lineup of 12 speakers and offer 12 MBCCEs. If you're a leader or aspiring to start a group practice, join our Leadership Retreat in Chania, Crete, from September 6th to 11th. In 2026, we have two retreats in Queenstown, New Zealand. The first is for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs from March 1st to 8th, and the second retreat, Beyond Private Practice, focuses on moving beyond one-on-one therapy and creating alternative income streams from March 15th to 22nd. Spaces are limited, so check the links to sign up today. Doubt yourself, do it anyway!

Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway Summit in Scotland: https://www.empoweredescapes.com/scotland-july-2025-summit

Leadership Retreat in Chania, Crete: https://www.empoweredescapes.com/greece-retreat-2025

Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs in Queenstown, New Zealand: https://www.allthingspractice.com/new-zealand-neurodivergent

Beyond Private Practice in Queenstown, New Zealand: https://www.allthingspractice.com/new-zealand-income-streams

Alma

I want to thank Alma for sponsoring this episode.

Building and managing the practice you want can be challenging. That’s why Alma offers tools and resources to help you build not just any practice, but your private practice. They’ll help you navigate insurance, access referrals who are the right fit for you, and efficiently manage administrative tasks — so you can spend less time on the details, and more time delivering great care. You support your clients. Alma supports you. Visit helloalma.com/ATPP to learn more.