People-Pleasing, Perfectionism & Parental Burnout: How to Feel Present Again | Mackenzie Kinmond

Parenting can feel surprisingly hard, even when you love your kids deeply. In this episode of Pulling Threads, we talk about parental burnout, old conditioning, and the internal patterns that can quietly run in the background and drain your energy. I’m joined by Mackenzie Kinmond, a parenthood transformation coach and therapist who helps overwhelmed parents step out of survival mode and reconnect with daily joy. Together, we explore why your nervous system can react before your thinking brain has a chance to catch up, why certain ages and stages can activate old wounds, and how burnout is often less about “trying harder” and more about shifting what you’re carrying. We also talk about the “Four Horsemen” that show up in everyday parenting: people pleasing, perfectionism, over functioning, and self sacrifice. If you’ve been feeling exhausted, reactive, or disconnected from the parent you want to be, this conversation offers a compassionate path forward, with practical ways to start making small, doable changes that create real relief over time. In this episode, we cover: Why parenting can activate trauma at specific ages and stages Nervous system regulation and embodiment in real life parenting moments Blocked care, burnout, and why shame fuels dysregulation Repair after conflict and why it strengthens secure attachment Micro shifts, boundaries, and creating structure that lowers stress How to move from survival mode toward presence, clarity, and authenticity You can also listen to Pulling Threads on my podcast and watch on YouTube. I trained in the official MBSR lineage at Brown University, continuing the work of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the original MBSR program at UMass Medical Center. And now I’m bringing this transformative framework to women navigating divorce, separation, heartbreak, and reinvention. 🧡 JOIN THE UPCOMING MBSR GROUP Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Women Navigating Separation, Divorce & Breakups Where neuroscience meets self-compassion to help you regulate, rebuild, and rise. 📅 Starts late January 🌐 Virtual (Florida-based, open to all women) #ParentalBurnout #MindfulParenting #NervousSystemRegulation #EmotionalRegulation #ConsciousParenting