THE BURNOUT ROOM

We all have those songs that define our professional lives, whether they’re the high-energy anthems that get us through a Monday or the melancholy B-sides we hum when the fluorescent lights feel a little too bright. Listen as Courtney and Sarah warm up their walkman’s, quiz each other with their workplace anthems, and talk burnout through music. 

Sarah and Courtney end by offering their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week. 

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. Link to “The Inbox Submission” where we answer your workplace questions  https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

Steven Farr, HR Leader, reflects with Courtney and Sarah about his upcoming retirement after 40 years of nonprofit experience. Steven offers his wisdom on how leaders should be curious when helping staff navigate burnout, asking questions rather than coming with pre-determined solutions.

Sarah and Courtney end by offering their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

Link to “The Inbox Submission” where we answer your workplace questions  https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

Sarah and Courtney dive into why you can’t "self-care" your way out of a toxic workplace, using the classic metaphor of the canary in the coal mine. They discuss why the solution to burnout isn't making employees tougher, but rather fixing the "mine" through better workloads, fair pay, and truly supportive leadership.

Sarah and Courtney end by offering their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. Link to “The Inbox Submission” where we answer your workplace questions  https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

Show notes

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2022). The burnout challenge: Managing people’s relationships with their jobs. Harvard University Press.

Re: Coal Facts - Sarah is not an actual coal researcher, so please take any such facts as fun and not, in fact, factual.

Sarah and Courtney talk about how folks might be resistant to organizational change, but that leaders can navigate through the uncertainties of change through establishing buy-in, rewarding short-term wins, and including staff in the entire change process.  

Sarah and Courtney end by offering their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. Link to “The Inbox Submission” where we answer your workplace questions https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

Courtney and Sarah talk to Ryan Brooks, co-founder of Countbubble, a data management company. They discuss his journey from working in nonprofits to developing software specifically for nonprofits. Ryan offers his lessons on empathy in the workplace and building a new business with intention. Sarah and Courtney end by offering their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. Link to Inbox Submission:  https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

Show notes

https://www.countbubble.com/ 

Sarah and Courtney talk about psychological safety and ways leaders can cultivate cultures that create space for mistakes and learning, beneficial conflict, and meaningful communication. They discuss two stories—a workplace with psychological safety and one without—highlighting how different leadership styles influence the employee experience. 

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

Show notes

Amy Edmondson link to her 1999 article- https://www.academia.edu/download/89087179/Edmondson__20ASQ_201999.pdf 

Link to Amy Edmondson youtube video: https://youtu.be/GZgmoxOgfig?si=_GU5uCxGAv9a_lTG

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Sarah and Courtney talk with Eric Hawkins, a manager and consultant with a background in transportation, logistics, and nonprofit work. Eric shared what makes a good nonprofit leader, the importance of storytelling, and how nonprofit donors and grantors affect employee wellbeing.

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

Show Notes:

“Joy and Sorrow”, a poem by Kahlil Gibran https://poets.org/poem/joy-and-sorrow 

The Huberman Lab podcast: Dr. Alia Crum: Science of Mindsets for Health & Performance https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-alia-crum-science-of-mindsets-for-health-performance 

Sarah and Courtney discuss how leaders can help navigate the unexpected (flooding, plane crash), provide support during times of great change (maternity leave), and assess workers fairly (education v skills). At the end of the episode, Sarah and Courtney offer their "Ripples of Gratitude," where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

Link to Inbox Submission:  https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

Link to Nonprofit Wellness Initiative toolkit- https://www.kentuckypsychologicalfoundation.org/for 

Link to SNL Skit [Work Birth with Amy Poehler- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYphunIQIhg 

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

In this episode, Saran and Courtney talk about Glass Door’s top workplace trends for 2026. Courtney introduces psychology concepts, like psychological contracts and job insecurity, to make sense of these trends. Sarah discusses how these trends relate to nonprofits, and what her nonprofit organization is doing in 2026. At the end of the episode, Sarah and Courtney offer their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.

Link to Inbox Submission:  https://linktr.ee/theburnoutroompodcast 

The Burnout Room, sponsored by the Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF), is a podcast about burnout, effective leadership, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

In this episode, we talk to Cody VanBoxel, executive director and CFO of Disabled American Veterans. Cody told us how he strives to be a servant leader, why detachment and building routines are important to combat burnout, and how to develop a positive work culture through caring and connection. 

At the end of the episode, Sarah and Courtney offer their "Ripples of Gratitude", where they say who they are especially thankful for this week.