What The Shift

Women leaders aren’t burning out because they “can’t handle it.” They’re burning out because the workplace still rewards overfunctioning, perfectionism, and nonstop availability — especially for high-achieving women in midlife.
In this episode of What the Shift, empowerment strategist Gia speaks with Johanna Danaher, founder of Anchor to Aspire™ Coaching and former Pfizer global talent leader, about the real reasons women leaders feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and stuck in the do-it-all trap.
Johanna shares her personal reinvention after a 25-year corporate career and breaks down the hidden patterns that derail women’s leadership growth, including:
The root causes of burnout in women leaders
How perfectionism, control, and people-pleasing fuel overfunctioning
Why imposter syndrome spikes during career transitions and midlife
The impact of menopause on energy, confidence, and leadership capacity
The difference between effective leadership and chronic overdelivery
How to set boundaries at work without guilt
Why pausing is a critical leadership strategy—not a luxury
How to build clarity, energy, and purpose during life and career transitions
This episode is designed for high-achieving women navigating career pivots, midlife identity shifts, burnout recovery, or leadership advancement. If you’re tired of doing it all, holding it all, and proving it all — this conversation will show you how to lead with more clarity, confidence, and capacity.
Listen now to learn how to stop performing success—and start leading with intention, energy, and power.
Learn more about Johanna: anchortoaspire.com

We’ve glamorized burnout. Bragged about it. Normalized it. But here’s the truth: burnout isn’t tired — it’s a nervous system crash.
In this eye-opening conversation, Gia sits down with Garrett Wood, clinical hypnotherapist, executive functioning specialist, and founder of Gnosis Therapy, to dismantle everything we think we know about burnout.
They unpack the biology behind burnout — how chronic stress rewires your brain, why your coping mechanisms become biochemical addictions, and how early conditioning hardwires the “never enough” cycle into your nervous system.
This isn’t about sleep hacks or bubble baths. It’s about reclaiming your body from survival mode.Because sustainable success is built through your well-being — not at its expense.
Tune in to learn:
Why burnout isn’t mental weakness — it’s a physiological shutdown
How trauma, identity, and overachievement intersect to fuel exhaustion
The hidden link between childhood attachment and adult burnout
What “high-masking” looks like — and how it silently drains your energy
How to regulate, relate, and reason your way back to sustainable performance
If you’ve ever said “I’m just tired,” but you know it’s deeper than that—this episode will change how you see yourself, your success, and your nervous system.
Learn more about Garrett: https://www.gnosistherapy.com/

You’ve read the books. You’ve done the mindset work. So why are you still running on empty?
Because burnout isn’t just in your head—it’s in your body.
In this powerful conversation, Gia sits down with Kathryn Spears, a NeuroSomatic Intelligence Practitioner and Fractional CMO who helps high-achieving women move beyond survival mode and lead from true physiological capacity.
They unpack the hidden link between your nervous system and your leadership, how dysregulation shows up as overfunctioning and perfectionism, and why real change doesn’t start with your thoughts—it starts with your body.
If you’ve ever felt like your drive is outpacing your energy, this episode will help you stop leading from depletion and start leading from alignment.
In this episode:
The neuroscience behind burnout and why mindset work alone can’t fix it
How to identify when your body is stressed—even when you “feel fine”
Why your nervous system determines your clarity, presence, and capacity
Practical tools to rewire your stress response and reclaim sustainable success
Listen now—and learn what it really takes to lead at full capacity.
Learn more about Kathryn: beyondyourmindset.com

Some conversations are heavy—because they matter.
In this deeply moving episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with women’s rights attorney Alreen Haeggquist, whose story embodies what it means to turn trauma into truth and pain into purpose.
After surviving years of abuse and silence, Alreen made it her life’s mission to fight for those who’ve been silenced by power, fear, and shame. As founder of Haeggquist & Eck, she’s spent more than two decades taking on institutions that believed they were untouchable—proving that no one is above accountability.
Together, Gia and Alreen explore the courage it takes to say the hard thing, the emotional cost of silence, and the freedom that comes when you finally reclaim your voice. This episode is not just about survival—it’s about transformation, advocacy, and the ripple effect of truth.
Learn more about Alreen: www.alreen.com
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse, harassment, attempted suicide, and trauma. Please listen with care, and if you are a survivor, seek professional or trusted support. You are not alone.

What happens when the life you’ve built begins to unravel—and no amount of achievement can fix it?
In this raw and deeply moving episode, Brenda Zane—former Fortune 500 executive turned family advocate—shares the story of nearly losing her son to addiction, the guilt and isolation high-achieving parents quietly carry, and the moment she realized she could no longer live a double life.
You’ll hear:
The unspoken truth about parenting through crisis
Why overfunctioning feels powerful—but keeps you stuck
The shift from fixing to surrendering—and how it saved her family
How a mother’s deepest heartbreak became her life’s mission
This is more than a comeback story. It’s a wake-up call for any woman who’s trying to hold it all together while falling apart inside.
Because sometimes what you think might break you…is what actually makes you.
Learn more hopestreamcommunity.org

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build—by doing the thing you think you can’t.
In this powerful episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Kelsey Lensman—sports medicine specialist, founder of Mission48, and creator of the national movement Xpand Your Limits—to unpack the truth behind real, earned confidence.
From completing 48 fitness events in 48 states in 48 days to walking away from the safe path to pursue purpose, Kelsey shares how discomfort, faith, and resistance became the tools that shaped her into the woman she is today.
You’ll hear:
How to stop dismissing the “crazy idea” that keeps nudging you
The difference between perceived confidence and earned confidence
What strength really means—and why sometimes slowing down is the bravest move of all
Why discomfort isn’t something to avoid—it’s the doorway to becoming who you’re meant to be
This episode will challenge your limits, reframe your fear, and reignite your fire.It’s not about being ready. It’s about being willing.
Learn more about Kelsey: xpandyourlimit.com

What if the only thing standing between you and your next level… is you?
In this powerful episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Nada Lena Nasserdeen, founder and CEO of Rise Up For You, bestselling author, and two-time TEDx speaker, to talk about the confidence gap no one’s addressing—and the nine hidden “confidence crushers” silently holding high-achieving women back.
From rebuilding her life after losing everything to building a global leadership movement, Nada shares what it really takes to stop performing success and start embodying it.
We talk about:
The difference between self-confidence and skill-confidence (and why most women get it wrong)
Why people pleasing, perfectionism, and overachievement are not personality traits—they're protective strategies
What’s really keeping you from making the ask, setting the boundary, or saying the hard thing
How to rise—even when it feels like you’ve hit rock bottom
This isn’t about learning to seem confident. It’s about becoming unshakable from the inside out.
Learn more about Nada: riseupforyou.com

What if the first step to healing wasn’t more effort—but more honesty?
In this raw and redemptive episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with award-winning TV host, author, and mental health advocate Marci Hopkins to uncover the truth behind the high-functioning mask.
Now 10 years sober, Marci shares the moment that shattered her façade—and the hard truth that saved her life. From growing up in chaos and surviving childhood trauma to navigating perfectionism, people-pleasing, and addiction as a high-achieving woman, Marci reveals the painful patterns that kept her stuck… and the daily practices that set her free.
Together, Gia and Marci unpack: The hidden cost of “having it all together” Why high-functioning doesn’t mean healthy The subconscious programming that drives our self-abandonment How to rewire your worth and reclaim your peace If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t do this anymore”—this episode is your lifeline.
You are not broken. You are not alone. And it is never too late to choose a different story.
Learn more at wakeupwithmarci.com

You’ve reinvented your career. You’ve survived life’s pivots. But have you reprogrammed the internal wiring that keeps you stuck?
In this bold and illuminating episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with 3x bestselling author and peak performance coach Hilary DeCesare—named one of Success Magazine’s Top 10 Coaches of 2025—for a conversation that redefines what it really takes to relaunch your life from the inside out.
Hilary shares how her signature 3HQ™ framework—aligning your Head, Heart, and Highest Self—helps high-achieving women ditch survival mode and unlock the next level of fulfillment, power, and impact.
Inside, you’ll learn:
Why getting “stuck” isn’t a dead-end—it’s outdated programming
The real reason success doesn’t feel satisfying anymore
How to shift your emotional state in under 2 minutes (yes, really)
Why your beliefs are shaping your reality—and how to break free
The one question to ask before your next big move
Plus: Hilary walks Gia through her signature “Tune-In” method live on air.
If you’re ready to upgrade your identity, not just your goals, this is the relaunch you didn’t know you needed.

What if your greatest power isn’t in adding more—but in undoing what was never you to begin with?
In this episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with powerhouse speaker, CEO, and relationship strategist Barb Betts, whose journey from hiding to healing is nothing short of transformational.
From childhood disconnection and hair loss to reclaiming her voice and confidence, Barb shares how the very parts of herself she once tried to hide became the foundation of her impact and success.
Together, they dive into:
Why most people misunderstand authenticity—and what it actually means
The hidden cost of “fitting in” at work and in life
The four permissions every woman needs to stop hiding
Why your relationship with yourself is the most important one you’ll ever build
How real connection—not performance—creates trust and long-term growth
This conversation will challenge everything you think you need to do to be seen, heard, and successful. It’s not about becoming more—it’s about becoming you.
Learn more about Barb: www.barbbetts.com