Episode 6: Boundaries, Burnout & Bravery - Finding Your Voice and Balance as a Bodyworker with Annette Montgomery - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Ever catch yourself re-reading a text to a client for the millionth time, convinced that one wrong sentence will unleash chaos—or at least a passive-aggressive Google review? This episode is a gentle gut check for every bodyworker who’s ever lost sleep over boundaries, pricing, or just saying what you actually mean (without becoming an emotionless robot). Gretchen sits down with Annette Montgomery for a seriously honest, down-to-earth chat about that old tug-of-war between “wanting to help everyone” and “not wanting to collapse in a heap.” They both share what it’s really like to learn boundaries the messy way—not through perfectly crafted scripts, but by reaching a point where burnout makes niceness physically impossible.   Get your FREE Mindset Shift hypnotherapy session with Gretchen HERE!   Here’s the shift: You’re not broken if enforcing policies or raising your rates gives you hives. It’s your nervous system talking, and there are ways to make hard conversations feel less terrifying—starting with honest scripts, permission to add a little joy (yes, even on your balance sheet), and finding your own “gooey middle” between people-pleasing and rigid business rules. If you’re tired of business advice that skips over why saying no is so loaded for healers, or if you just want to feel less alone in the awkwardness of growth, this one’s for you.   Affiliate Links:  We’re careful about what we share here. Everything in this section is something we personally use and come back to again and again — tools that support our own bodies, nervous systems, and day-to-day work. Bon Charge: Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off! Swanwick Glasses: Use code GRETCHENPOPP for 10% off! InHarmony Meditation Mats: Use code NEURO5 for 5% off! Global Cupping: Use code NEURO for 20% off your first order!   Click HERE for your FREE Mindset Shift hypnotherapy session with Gretchen!   If you’ve got a story, skill, or insight you think would help other bodyworkers, we’d love to hear from you — click here to apply to be a guest on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast. The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole.