Finding Bliss after Burnout

Annette McAlpine is the founder of Thrive Nurse Coaching and a Paediatric Registered Nurse with experience across the U.K. and Australia, including emergency, trauma, general paediatrics and clinical education.

After experiencing burnout and depression in her own nursing career, Annette rebuilt her confidence and direction — and now helps other nurses do the same.

Through Thrive Nurse Coaching, she supports nurses who feel stuck, overlooked or uncertain about their next step to regain clarity, build confidence, and strategically progress their careers without losing themselves in the process.

Follow Annette: https://www.instagram.com/th...

In this episode Michelle talks about how to know when your nursing career no longer feels aligned.

Join Michelle's Career revival workshop

Michelle asks the big question: Are you actually living by your values? Because here's the truth—we don't just burn out from being overworked. We burn out because we abandon ourselves. And one of the quietest, most dangerous ways we do that is by slowly abandoning our core values.

The scary part? It happens so slowly you don't even realize it's happening.

Michelle deep dives into why nursing is one of the most nervous system-disrupting professions and how to finally regulate yourself instead of staying stuck in survival mode. If you've ever felt like you're preparing for battle before a shift, this episode explains exactly what's happening in your body—and what to do about it.

Check out the reset here: go.thehealthyhappynurse.com/nervous-system-reset

Michelle shares the exact things she stopped doing that were destroying her as a nurse and mum—and how you can stop too without quitting nursing. If you're sitting in your car needing a few minutes before you walk inside, or driving to work thinking "here we go again, Groundhog Day," this one's for you.

Michelle shares what happened when endoscopic sinus surgery, dark accommodation, and a literal cyclone reminded her exactly what survival mode feels like—and the three things that help shift us out of it. This one's raw, real, and deeply personal.

Michelle gets raw about self-care guilt and shares how one simple shift—giving herself just 15 minutes every morning—completely transformed her energy, clarity, and sense of self. If you're a nurse who pours everything into everyone else while running on empty, this episode reveals why that pattern is toxic and what to do about it.

Apply for coaching with Michelle: tinyurl.com/3hakt5fz

Sally Ockenden shares her journey from feeling stuck on a hamster wheel—overthinking, procrastinating, sleeping in, wasting time—to building a thriving coaching business in women's wellbeing, style, and confidence. This is a story about changing your internal dialogue, getting intentional, and discovering your purpose by doing the little things you love.

Michelle gets deeply honest about why 2025 felt so brutally hard—and why that's actually okay. If this year kicked your ass emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, or mentally, this episode is your warm hug and reminder that you're not alone. Plus, she walks you through exactly how to finish 2025 strong and set yourself up properly for 2026.

Join Michelle's 2026 Vision Board Workshop here.  This will be a powerful interactive 90 min workshop on zoom where she will take you through her vision board process and help you build out your vision board for 2026.

Samantha shares her raw journey from being a burnt-out, angry, job-hopping nurse who was ready to quit the profession to landing her dream role in diabetes education. This is a story about taking responsibility, slowing down when you want to speed up, and discovering who you are beyond the nurse title.

Michelle celebrates 100 episodes by getting deeply personal about her own burnout journey at age 41-42 and addresses the whisper every burnt-out nurse is afraid to say out loud: "I just don't know if I can keep doing this." This episode is for nurses in their 40s and 50s who love nursing but can't picture doing it for another 5-10 years.

Check out my website: www.thehealthyhappynurse.com

Follow me on Instagram: michellegordon_coach

Carrie-Ann shares her raw journey from being buried in debt, struggling with addiction, and facing homelessness to becoming the author of "Budget Right" and helping others transform their relationship with money. This conversation gets real about financial stress, shame, and how mental health and money are deeply connected.

Author of Budget Right - Eliminate Debt and Improve Your Financial and Mental Wellbeing

Check out her book on Amazon

Check her out on Instagram

Budget Right - Website

Michelle shares the framework that changed everything for her and hundreds of nurse clients—the Burnout Recovery Triangle. She gets real about her own rock bottom (drifting off mid-conversation, guilt with her kids, feeling numb after every shift) and breaks down the three corners that need to be rebuilt for true healing.

Check out the Health and Happiness Forumula

Melissa shares practical tools for navigating uncertainty and change, especially when you're burnt out and can't remember what brings you joy. She opens up about losing her father while managing a school through COVID mandates, and how she found her way back to herself through nature, breath, and movement.

Follow Melissa: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_t_official/

Visit her website: https://www.melissat.live/

I'm sharing the magical (and messy) moments from my 16-day European adventure with my family - a trip that started as a vision board dream three years ago and became reality. From Rome to the Amalfi Coast, Florence to Venice, and finally Paris, I'm opening up about the power of intentionality while also getting real about how travel stretched my nervous system.

In this episode, Michelle catches up with former client Kobi, who went from being a burnt-out nurse on the verge of suicide to running her own coaching business and living on a farm. They chat about fear, guilt, taking small steps, and what happens when you finally put yourself first.

Connect with Kobi:

Nursing feels like the biggest love-hate relationship - giving you deep purpose while simultaneously draining your energy. If you've ever wondered how something so fulfilling can also feel like it's destroying you, this episode is for you. I'm sharing my SHIFT Framework - the exact 5-step process that took me from stage 12 burnout to complete alignment in 12 months. Learn how to assess if your work aligns with your values, energy, and nervous system, and discover why being told to "be more resilient" isn't the answer. This isn't about quitting nursing - it's about reclaiming the YOU who used to...

"The Human Design Reading That Changed Everything"

In this episode, I share how discovering I'm a Manifester in Human Design completely transformed my understanding of myself and my nursing career. For years, I thought something was wrong with me - I couldn't keep up like my colleagues and craved solitude when others seemed energized. Learning about my non-sacral energy type finally gave me permission to honor my natural cycles of bursts and rest. I'll share the 5 ways I now honor my Manifester energy and how this knowledge helped me transition from emergency nursing to full-time...

In this episode, I'm opening up about the heavy three months I've been holding—losing my mother-in-law after 30 years and advocating for my own mum through a broken healthcare system. My daily rituals and nervous system tools have been my lifeline, but I've realised I can't keep going at this pace. I'm closing The Health and Happiness Formula until later this year and heading to Italy and Paris with my family—a trip that's been on my vision board for three years. I refuse to step on that plane feeling burnt out. What do you need to step back from...

Lie #1 - I just need a holiday and I'll feel better

Lie #2 - Maybe I just need another job

Lie #3 - I can afford to invest in myself right now

Lie #4 - I don't have time to slow down

Lie #5 - This is just the way nursing is, I should be able to handle it

Join the Love Your Life Challenge Here: https://go.thehealthyhappynurse.com/love-your-life-challenge-july-2025

In this episode I'm talking wth Georgia Ann. She is a health coach, solo mum and founder of GA Wellness, where she helps busy women build Small Steps for Lasting Change. Creator of the science-backed HNSF Method (Hydration, Nutrition, Self-Care, Fitness), Georgia brings an authentic approach to wellness which is grounded in real life, family values and sustainable habits. With over 20 years experience in the fitness industry, she blends lived experience, actionable tips and community-driven support to empower women to feel stronger, calmer and more like themselves.

Journal Prompts from this episode

Journal Prompts from this episode

#1: What are my top three values and am I living in alignment with them right now? 

#2: How does my energy feel lately drained expanded inspired or heavy?

#3: Where in my life or work do I feel out of alignment and what might need to shift?

In this episode Dani and I talk about how she reclaimed her life by trusting herself and living by her values.

In this episode we talk about why it feels so hard to slow down (especially as a nurse).

Also I highly reccomened you check out the book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk 

In this episode I'm chatting with Juliana about her very interesting life story and how she went from rock bottom to creating a life she's madly in love with.

Check out Juliana here: https://www.facebook.com/juliana.r.lindner

In this episode I talk all about the importance of investing in yourself. It's not just about money, it's about choosing to put yourself first.

Enjoy 

In this episode I'm talking to Dr Hayley D Quinn all about unmasking burnout. What are the signs and symptoms of burnout and what is the pathway to recovery. 

Enjoy!

Dr Hayley D Quinn  (She/Her)

The Anti-Burnout Business Coach

PhD (Clin Psych) BPsych (Hons)

Founder & Director of Welcome to Self® Pty Ltd

Welcome to Self® with Dr Hayley D Quinn Podcast Host

Resident Writer Creating the Muse Magazine

Past President Compassionate Mind Australia 2018-20
...

Inspired by my viral Instagram reel, here are the 5 hard truths I learned as a nurse who gave everything to her job.

In this episode we're chatting with Kerryanne Farrer about how to find joy in the everyday. 

Connect with Kerryanne:

Instagram

Facebook

Here is the link to join the Love Your Life Challenge:

Love Your Life Challenge

In this episode I'm talking to Vee Dixon about her entrepreneurial journey.

Connect with Vee:

Nursely | Nurses Compression Socks – NURSELY

Instagram

In this episodes we're talking about the 4 essentials to make 2025 your year!

Join my 2025 vision boarding masterclass here >> 2025 Vision Board Masterclass

In this episode we go over Cat Mason's steps to overcoming imposter syndrome.

Connect with Cat below:

Get more info on Cat's Elevator Pitch Workshop

Website
Linked In
Instagram

In this episode I go over what I did to raise my standard and start thriving.

In this episode I'm talking with Lorina Christine all about stepping into your soul’s purpose. We're talking all things creating alignment, manifestation, and living a radiant life

In this episode we're talking all about the best ways of visualising what you want, to make it come true. We even touch on a little of the science behind behind it too!

In this episode we're talking about how to not let the Nurse-life consume you. Here are the points we're going to cover:

1. Living by your core values
2. Forming healthy boundaries
3. Having an identity beyond nursing

Enjoy the episode

Follow me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/michellegordon_coach/

In this episode of the Finding Bliss After Burnout Podcast, we're talking all about self care. More specifically, about the several minutes you should be taking for yourself in the morning to set you up for the best day ahead. 

Enjoy this episode

In this episode I chat with Nurse coach and mentor, Brit Stoeckel.

You can find more about Brit here:
https://www.instagram.com/britstoeckel/

Follow me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/michellegordon_coach/