Whether you are managing the intricate expectations of Utah’s unique family and community dynamic or the high-pressure professional landscape of the Silicon Slopes, burnout can feel like a slow fading of your true self.
At Liberated Mind, our practice—co-founded by spouses Julare and R.C. Morris—is rooted in the belief that mental health is a process of training the mind to move from automatic, “jerked around” responses to a state of equanimity and awareness. For many Utah women, burnout isn’t just about being tired; it’s an identity crisis.
Here are the top five reasons women in our community experience burnout and how you can begin the active process of reclaiming who you are.
1. The “If X Changes, Who Am I?” Dilemma
In Utah, women’s identities are often deeply intertwined with specific roles: mother, spouse, professional, or community member. When these roles shift—due to a career change, a transition in faith, or children leaving the home—it can trigger a “funk” that feels like a loss of purpose.
- How to Reclaim Your Identity: Start by considering your “identity spaces” beyond these external roles. Therapy can help you explore who you are at your core, independent of the labels society or tradition has placed on you.
2. The High Cost of “Problem-Solving” Everything
Burnout often stems from a mind that won’t shut off. Many women fall into the trap of overusing problem-solving or emotional suppression to manage their stress, which actually impoverishes their ability to focus on what brings meaning.
- How to Reclaim Your Identity: Practice Psychological Flexibility. This isn’t a passive state; it’s a commitment to “DOING” things differently between the “grind” of daily life. It means acknowledging sorrow or anger as part of the “package” of being alive so that you can also fully experience joy and connection.
3. Neglecting the Three Pillars (SDE)
It’s easy to focus on deep emotional work while ignoring the body. At Liberated Mind, we emphasize that without attention to Sleep, Diet, and Exercise (SDE), other therapeutic tools have limited efficacy.
- How to Reclaim Your Identity: Reconnect with your physical self. Before jumping into complex life overhauls, be honest about your relationship with your basic physical needs. This foundation is necessary for the “willpower and grit” needed for deeper change.
4. Bids for Connection Going Unanswered
Burnout is rarely a solo journey; it often reflects a breakdown in the “Sound Relationship House.” If you feel lonely even when surrounded by others, it may be because your “bids” for connection—simple attempts to engage or ask for help—are being missed or turned away.
- How to Reclaim Your Identity: Focus on Cultivating Supporting Relationships. We use the Gottman Method to help partners “Turn Towards” one another, rebuilding trust and supporting each other’s life dreams. If your relationship is a source of depletion rather than a sanctuary, it’s time to address the foundation.
5. Losing Your “Why” to Automatic Responses
The name “Liberated Mind” refers to the process of withdrawing the mind from automatic, habitual responses. When you are burnt out, you are often living on autopilot—meeting demands without knowing why you are doing them.
- How to Reclaim Your Identity: Connect with your “Why.” Use mindfulness and meditation as a way to return to the power of the present moment. If you’re a “fidgety skeptic” who thinks they can’t meditate, we challenge you to reframe that relationship with your thoughts—it’s not about clearing your mind, but about not being held hostage by it.
Meet the Founders of Liberated Mind
Julare Morris, LCSW
Co-Founder, COO & Clinical Director, Psychotherapist
Julare brings a deep focus on the “Sound Relationship House” and individual empowerment. With expertise in the Gottman Method, she works with couples and individuals to repair connection and establish the structural foundations required for long-term mental health.
She is accepting new clients. → Learn more about Julare.
R.C. Morris, LCSW, PhD
Co-Founder, CEO & Psychotherapist
R.C. is a therapist and educator with a PhD in Sociological Social Psychology. His work focuses on the intersection between identity and human values, including the tension our sense of self experiences as it navigates the broader social structures we live within. He specializes in helping clients move from feeling stuck, with a critical mind, to a state of being at one with life—finding equanimity through mindfulness, meditation, and psychological flexibility training.
He is accepting new clients. → Learn more about R.C.
Why We Believe The Care We Provide at Liberated Mind is Helpful
Addressing burnout for a woman in Utah requires more than just “self-care” tips; it requires a dual-lens approach that both Julare and R.C. provide together.
- The Foundational & Relational: Julare’s focus on the physical pillars (SDE), self-compassion, and relational health ensures that you aren’t just doing “thought work” in a vacuum, but are building a lifestyle and a support system that sustains your new identity.
- The Internal & External: R.C.’s background in sociological social psychology allows him to help you navigate the unique “Utah-specific” cultural pressures and religious transitions that often trigger identity crises.
Together, they offer a pathway that moves beyond survival mode and into a life where your mind is truly your own.
Start Your Journey Forward
Reclaiming your identity isn’t about working harder; it’s about working differently. Whether through individual work to confront barriers or couples sessions to strengthen your bond, you don’t have to carry these painful questions alone.
Ready to move from being “held hostage” by your thoughts to having a liberated mind?
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This post does not constitute therapeutic counseling or advice; the contents of this post are provided as a learning resource. We share the contents hoping that if you are in need of mental health support you will reach out to us directly or to a mental health professional in your area.
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