What if the way we work for the planet is actually working against us? In this episode, ex-ecologist turned wellbeing coach Kath Allen challenges the culture of toxic productivity that so many eco-conscious people find themselves trapped in. Drawing on her own journey through science, burnout, and renewal, she invites us to see rest not as laziness but as a radical, restorative act — one that mirrors the cycles of nature itself.

Kath shares powerful reflections on balancing eco-grief with hope, navigating overwhelm, and finding resilience in a world facing ecological crisis. This is not about ignoring despair or pretending everything is fine, but about creating space for honest emotion while discovering sustainable ways to stay engaged. If you’ve ever felt the weight of the world on your shoulders, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on why caring for nature must start with caring for ourselves.

Bio

Kath Allen is an ex-ecologist turned wellbeing and leadership coach for eco-professionals and climate-conscious people. With a quietly rebellious streak, Kath encourages people to rest as a form of rebellion and fights against the toxic-productivity that is pushed onto people by society – it is not a sustainable practice for any ecosystem. With a focus on reducing burnout in eco-conscious people and helping people maintain hope and practice it in sustainable ways. Reminding people that to care for nature, you have to care for yourself, too. Kath is also neurodivergent with ADHD.

Links

Find out more about Kath here.

Sustainable Hope resource https://kathallen.co.uk/hope/

Book a free 45 minute strategy call with Kath “A simple path to impact without sacrifice” https://calendly.com/kathallencoaching/simplepath

Takeaways

* Change begins with self-care, not sacrifice.

* Burnout is common among passionate changemakers.

* Recognizing burnout symptoms is crucial for sustainability.

* Treating ourselves as part of nature helps prevent burnout.

* Community support is essential for changemakers.

* Living seasonally can enhance productivity and well-being.

* Communication about self-care in rigid environments is necessary.

* Science and spirituality can coexist in environmental work.

* Eco-conscious leaders should prioritize future generations.

* Hope is vital for sustaining environmental efforts.

Keywords

self-care, burnout, changemaking, community, seasonal living, eco-conscious leadership, hope, environmental work, science, spirituality

Chapters

00:00 The Necessity of Self-Care in Change-Making

02:44 Recognizing Burnout and Its Impact

05:47 Shifting Mindsets: Treating Ourselves as Part of Nature

08:47 The Importance of Community in Sustainable Change

11:39 Living Seasonally: Aligning with Natural Cycles

14:40 Challenging Cultural Paradigms in Work

17:38 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality

20:29 Imagining a New System for Work and Life

31:50 Navigating the Pit of Despair

35:43 The Importance of Emotional Connection

39:19 The Journey from Academia to Coaching

50:22 Burnout and Its Impact on Environmental Work

54:24 The Need for Eco-Conscious Leadership

Thank you to our headline sponsors for this season

✹The Unmasked Woman✹ (Hannah) is a writer and coach for late-discovered neurodivergent women. She writes candidly about living unmasked in a neurotypical, patriarchal, capitalist world.

✹Business Unmasked✹ is her newsletter for self-employed neurodivergent women who want to experience more peace & profit. Hannah struggled with CFS/ME and autistic burnout for four years. Now recovered and thriving, she’s keen to share what she knows about building a business that’s kind on the nervous system while bringing the financial rewards we all hope for.

Neurodivergent women shouldn’t waste our extraordinary brains on bog-standard neurotypical business strategies as they’re not compatible with our neurological wiring.

Burnout is disabling. Overwhelm is stressful. Financial insecurity plays havoc on the nervous system.

Unlock Peace & Profit in your Business by using Hannah’s Free gift; 4 (Surprisingly Simple!) Strategies For Neurodivergent Women.

* Escape the paralysis of overwhelm and feel excited about your next steps.

* Tap into your unique gifts and watch your bank account flourish—reflecting the actual value you bring to the world.

* Rise from burnout, rejuvenated, and feel empowered to move forward sustainably.

You can download this resourcehere.

Sarah Teresa Cook is a trauma-informed creative mentor who works 1:1 with sensitive and neurodivergent writers—or with anyone craving a softer, more sustainable way in. She also writes the Substack newsletter, For the Birds.

If burnout has dulled your creative spark—or made it hard to begin—”Creative Vitality” is a free, gentle guide to help you reconnect with your voice, your pace, and your aliveness.

The result? You’ll develop practices that honour your nervous system and help you:

* Build sustainable habits, so you can avoid burnout and work in rhythm with yourself.

* Cultivate artistic self-trust, so you can follow your instincts and take creative risks.

* Rediscover your capacity for enchantment, so you can create with joy and curiosity again.

Join Sarah in cultivating momentum alongside safety—get “Creative Vitality”here.

Mariah Friend is a poet, former ICU nurse, and creator of Heartbeats —a nurturing community where creative caregivers find their rhythm and permission to honour all of life’s seasons as sacred. Drawing from her experiences with grief, motherhood, and professional burnout, she accompanies others through life’s natural cycles with compassion and intuitive wisdom as a peer, never an expert.

In her work as a community builder, tarot reader, and podcast host, Mariah creates spaces where the “both/and” of the human experience is honoured: joy intertwined with grief, rest alongside growth, solitude beside belonging. Like nature, she believes our lives ebb and flow in cycles with opportunities to embrace their distinct wisdom and champions stories of others embodying a unique path. Mariah invites you to join Heartbeats and discover your resonance with the pulse of life. You can learn more about her seasonal journal and how to purchase it here.

Nicola Washington is not your typical Instagram strategist and educator. Her approach is the antidote to influencer-culture and bro-marketing tactics that have sucked the connection and creativity out of using Instagram, and that ignore the needs of writers and authors. She’ll say with her whole chest that she doesn’t care about your follower count and, while your Instagram audience will grow when you work with her, and you will find more readers for your work, she’ll also make sure you’re not living in service to the algorithms, or wasting time on tactics that won’t work for you.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, anxious or plain old confused about how best to harness Instagram to find more readers for your work, Nicola offers a range of support – including a monthly membership and 121 services – to writers and authors at all stages in their writing and publication journey. Get in touch with her on Instagram @toomuch_social or visit her website, toomuchsocial.com to find out more about her services. She’d love to hear from you!

You can find her podcast episode here.

Marisa Guthrie is a business coach and entrepreneur who helps solopreneurs move out of shame, claim their value, and grow profitably without compromising their ethics. She supports solopreneurs in creating business models that have social justice baked into them, ensuring their work aligns with both their values and their financial goals. With nearly 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, Marisa brings deep expertise in building ethical, sustainable businesses that thrive. She also writes The Reluctant Capitalist™ on Substack.

If you’d like tailored support to build a business that honours your values, energy, and goals, you can apply for a 60-minute strategy session with Marisa here: https://marisaguthriecoaching.co.uk/apply-now-form.

Marisa was on Season 1 of the podcast and you can listen to her episode on to grow your business with integrity here.

With gratitude to Caroline Harris from Reconnect to Redirect. Website: Direction Aligned.

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