High Achieving Women and Mental Health: The Hidden Cost of Holding It All Together - with Dr. Kelly Dries

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode creates space for a conversation that often goes unseen, especially among high achieving women. Leanna sits down with Dr. Kelly Dries, a strengths-based leadership coach, to explore the complex and often hidden relationship between ambition, success, and mental health. Together, they unpack what it really looks like to be high functioning on the outside while struggling internally. This conversation goes beyond surface-level discussions of burnout and productivity. It dives into the pressure to “hold it all together,” the identity of being the strong one, and the quiet belief that there isn’t room to not be okay. Dr. Dries shares her personal journey with depression, eating disorders, and recovery, and how those experiences shaped her work supporting high achieving women today. They also explore the importance of emotional awareness, self-trust, and creating space to reconnect with yourself in a world that rewards constant achievement. This episode is both honest and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt like you should be able to manage it all, or like there’s no room for your struggle, you are not alone. Content warning: this episode contains discussion around topics including suicide, self harm, death, cancer, and eating disorders. Please take care of yourself. If you need support, please reach out to someone you trust or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Connect with Kelly and learn more about her RISE Women’s Leadership Group at https://www.kellydries.com/. Connect with Leanna and sign up for a free Try Coaching session in May in observation of ICF’s International Coaching Week.