*Please note, today’s guest will remain anonymous to protect her privacy.

“We’re supposed to be constant caregivers. And we’re supposed to do that even when it makes our lives really difficult...this constant caregiving as what a good person, a good nurse, a good doctor, a good woman, a good mother would do is setting expectations that are just not attainable in modern life.”

Alongside the upcoming release of her book, Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations, on January 27, 2026, Dr. Reid is creating a space for authentic discussions and stories about the experience of guilt across the various roles women inhabit:

* As mothers balancing family needs with personal aspirations

* As daughters navigating complex family dynamics

* As friends trying to show up meaningfully in others’ lives

* As partners working to maintain healthy relationships

* In careers while striving for work-life harmony

In this episode, she sits down with an ICU nurse who’s been through it all: night shifts, day shifts, burnout, and everything in between. She opens up about what it really feels like when you realize, “oh my gosh, I’m burnt out”—and more importantly, the guilt that comes with it.

The Comparison Trap

“All day, I would be like, so-and-so is handling this so much better than I do,” she shares. “Or how is it that so-and-so not only has time to get her work done, but to help everybody else and is so generous with that help when I am constantly so overwhelmed by my own work?”

Sound familiar? We dig into why comparison becomes such a crushing weight and introduce a key framework from the book Guilt Free: guilt is the mismatch between our expectations of ourselves and how well we believe we’re meeting them.

Find Dr. Reid on Instagram: @jenreidmd, LinkedIn, and YouTube

You can also preorder Dr. Reid’s book, Guilt Free! (If you are in the UK, you can order here and here.)

Also check out Dr. Reid’s regular contributions to Psychology Today: Think Like a Shrink.

Seeking a mental health provider? Try Psychology TodayNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255Dial 988 for mental health crisis supportSAMHSA’s National Helpline - 1-800-662-HELP (4357)-a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

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