Psychotherapist and author Leah Marone joins Mark for a grounded conversation about why so many of us fall into the trap of overfunctioning for others. Leah, whose new book Serial Fixer explores this exact pattern, explains how emotional mirroring and urgency cycles show up in families, friendships, and clinical environments. She walks through the patterns she sees when people try to rescue or fix someone who is struggling and why that well intentioned approach often fuels more chaos rather than growth.

Leah introduces practical indicators that boundaries are slipping, including resentment and repetitive conversations where nothing changes. She breaks down what serial fixing looks like in real time, how quickly we jump into problem solving to relieve our own discomfort, and why validation is the missing skill that keeps ownership where it belongs.

She also explains her framework of support not solve, a mindset that helps clinicians, caregivers, and families shift away from codependency and toward healthier relational dynamics. Through relatable examples, Leah teaches how to use I statements, strengthen self trust, and approach hard conversations with clarity rather than guilt.

This episode gives listeners concrete tools to stop taking responsibility for what is not theirs, communicate boundaries with confidence, and build more sustainable, compassionate relationships in their personal lives and in healthcare.

Leah C Marone, LCSW Website : https://www.serial-fixer.com/

TedTalk : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVBjI4tNv3s

Episode Takeaways 

1. Self Care Is Not a Spa Day- Real self care is a series of small resets throughout the day that regulate your nervous system.
2. Fixing Others Creates More Chaos- Trying to solve someone’s problems for them often fuels dependency and resentment.
3. Resentment Signals a Boundary Problem- When irritation grows, it usually means you have taken on work that is not yours.
4. Validation Beats Problem Solving- People calm down when they feel understood, not when they receive rapid fire solutions.
5. I Statements Keep Conversations Safe- Replacing “you always” with “I feel” prevents defensiveness and keeps dialogue open.
6. Urgency Is Often Self Imposed- Feeling responsible for everyone’s comfort pushes you into overfunctioning and emotional burnout.
7. Self Trust Requires Reps- Boundaries get easier through practice, not perfection, and discomfort is part of the growth curve.
8. Micro Transitions Change Your Day- Short pauses between tasks help reset your focus and reduce the compounding stress that builds across a busy day.

Episode Timestamps

03:58 – Meeting the Inner Critic: Why We Judge Ourselves So Harshly
05:16 – Realizing People Are Not Thinking About You as Much as You Think
24:18 – Why Fixing Others Fails and How to Shift the Pattern
25:50 – Boundaries Require Reps: Getting Comfortable With Discomfort
28:28 – The Danger of “You” Statements and How They Trigger Defensiveness
32:19 – The Hidden Crisis in Medicine: Shell Culture and Silent Burnout
33:23 – What Self Care Really Means: Internal Conflict and Rigid Beliefs
35:40 – Micro Transitions: How Small Daily Moments Can Reset Your Nervous System

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 Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University.