38. The Work Beneath the Work — with Dr. Merary Simeon

How burnout shows up when success is fueled by old woundsWhat if the hardest part of being “hard at work” isn’t your workload — it’s everything underneath it? In this episode, Dr. Merary Simeon joins Ellen Whitlock Baker to talk about the invisible drivers that fuel ambition: old messages, past pain, and the pressure to prove you’re “enough.” Merary shares the moment she realized her success was being powered by survival mode — and why burnout often shows up when your body finally refuses to keep carrying what your mind has normalized. Merary walks us through H.E.R.A.C.T., her framework for doing the work beneath the work: Healing, Elevating your mindset, Respect, Achieving confidence, and Transformation. Together, Ellen and Merary unpack why so many of us want to skip the healing step (because it’s personal, messy, and confronting) — and why it’s also the most freeing. They talk about grief, guilt, perfectionism, microaggressions, and the way “constant availability” gets confused with effectiveness… until it becomes burnout in disguise. They also zoom out to what needs to change inside workplaces — not just inside individuals — including the power of sponsorship, sharing power, and building real relationships across difference. If you’ve ever felt trapped by a job, haunted by what work has taken from you, or stuck in a loop of trying harder while feeling worse, this conversation offers a grounded path forward — and one unforgettable reframe: forgiveness is the hidden reset button.Tags: Dr. Merary Simeon, Hard at Work Podcast, The Work Beneath the Work, HER ACT Framework, Multicultural Women in Power, Executive Leadership, Inner Work, Burnout Recovery, Healing at Work, Leadership Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Career Transformation, Sponsorship vs Mentorship, Professional Growth, Overcoming Adversity, Work-Life Integration, Women of Color in Leadership, Code AM, Forgiveness as a Reset, Holistic Leadership, Ending Constant Availability, Sharing PowerChapters:00:00 – The Work Beneath the Work Dr. Merary introduces the concept of inner healing and doing the "invisible" work required to show up strong in the professional world.04:00 – Recognizing and Resetting from Burnout A candid discussion on how burnout manifests physically and the importance of being intentional about resetting over and over again.06:05 – The HER ACT Framework Breaking down the five pillars of Dr. Merary’s research-based framework: Healing, Elevating, Respect, Achieving confidence, and Transformation.08:10 – Why You Can’t Skip the Healing Step Exploring why healing is the most difficult but freeing stage, and how it provides the clarity needed to regain personal integrity.17:05 – Reclaiming Power and Prioritizing Family Dr. Merary shares her personal journey of choosing her family over the trap of "constant availability".22:11 – Building Multicultural Women in Leadership Strategies for closing the pay gap and moving more women of color into executive positions through the "Code AM" framework.29:30 – The Power of Connection and Community The importance of finding "truth-tellers," mentors, and good friends to ensure you don't isolate yourself during hard times.35:45 – Sponsorship: Sharing Your Power How leaders can proactively expand their networks and use their influence to create seats at the table for othersShow Notes: Book: H.E.R.A.C.T. by Dr. Merary Simeon.Podcast: What Rules!? (Co-hosted by Dr. Merary Simeon, Alisa Manjarrez, and Courtney Copelin).Website: Merarysimeon.com LinkedIn: Dr. Merary Simeon Instagram: @MerarySimeon