In this episode of the ProSocial Podcast, social worker and well-being advocate Zander Keig introduces the Third Space Well-Being Model, a framework designed to help helping professionals cultivate sustainable self-care, emotional resilience, and personal integrity. Drawing on decades of experience in mental health, healthcare, and caregiving settings, Keig challenges traditional approaches to wellness that focus solely on stress reduction and adaptation.

The discussion explores how chronic over-adaptation, people-pleasing, and conformity pressures can lead to emotional exhaustion, burnout, and a loss of connection with one’s authentic self. Through the model’s four core domains (self-trust, psychological flexibility, dignity preservation, and sustainable authenticity), listeners are invited to examine how they can remain true to their values while navigating the demands of work, family, and society.

The conversation also addresses the hidden costs of burnout, the difference between self-care and self-soothing, the role of boundaries, and the importance of balancing personal well-being with service to others. Grounded in the NASW Code of Ethics, the episode offers a thoughtful approach to flourishing that emphasizes authenticity, resilience, and psychological sustainability rather than mere survival.

Whether you are a social worker, caregiver, healthcare professional, or anyone seeking greater well-being, this episode provides practical insights for building a life that is both meaningful and sustainable.

* “We shouldn’t have to erase who we are to belong.”

* “Self-trust is central to sustainable mental health.”

* “Living in alignment with your values fosters well-being.”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the ProSocial Podcast

01:47 Introducing the Third Space Well-Being Model

03:04 Understanding Well-Being and Exhaustion

06:17 Exploring Psychological Sustainability

11:10 The Core Principles of the Third Space Model

13:49 The Impact of Overadaptation

20:41 The Four Domains of Well-Being

24:39 Self-Trust as a Protective Factor

29:20 Psychological Flexibility in Complex Situations

32:01 Dignity Preservation and Authenticity

39:25 Burnout and Moral Injury in Social Work

45:32 Clinical Applications of the Third Space Model

47:35 Understanding Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare Professionals

50:09 Shifting from Performance to Presence

52:24 The Importance of Self-Care for Helping Professionals

54:52 Practices for Sustainable Well-Being

56:30 The Role of Authenticity and Self-Trust

01:00:23 Defining the True Self

01:05:01 The Disconnect in Social Work Self-Care

01:10:00 Self-Care vs. Self-Soothing

01:13:27 Balancing Individual Needs with Systemic Change

01:20:15 Navigating the Tensions in Professional Relationships

ProSocial Workers is a subsidiary of the Institute for Liberal Values, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting pluralistic, free, and democratic societies. The Institute for Liberal Values is ProSocial Workers’ fiscal sponsor.

Social workers and others seeking continuing education credit may learn more by going to ProSocialWorkers.com

ProSocial Workers, provider #2002, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: May 6, 2026 – May 6, 2029. Social workers completing this course receive 1 ethics continuing education credits.

* Credits:

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Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

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