“You just need to ask for help!” Sure, sounds easy—until you actually try to do it. This week, we’re tackling the real reasons setting boundaries is hard and why the mental load still falls disproportionately on women. My guest, Dr. Kat Kaeni, is a perinatal mental health-certified psychologist and host of the podcast Mom & Mind. She’s here to break down how our conditioning keeps us stuck in burnout mode and what we can do to shift out of it.

We talk about the mental weight of keeping everything running and why self-compassion and boundaries aren’t just fluffy concepts—they’re essential for protecting your peace and wellbeing. 

What you’ll hear:

• The truth about boundaries and why they’re so hard to keep (5:55)
• How shame and self-compassion affect mental health (20:38)
• Strategies to help you improve your overall mental well-being, today (30:25)
• Why the mental load tends to fall on women and what to do about it (33:08)

Resources:
Sign up for my email list
Dr. Kat Kaeni’s website

Book recommendations: You know how I love a good personal development book, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!

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Katayune Kaeni, Psy.D. PMH-C, aka, Dr. Kat is a perinatal mental health certified psychologist, author of The Pregnancy Workbook: Manage Anxiety and Worry with CBT and Mindfulness Techniques, and host of the Mom & Mind Podcast, the longest-running perinatal mental health podcast since 2016, covering perinatal mental health personal stories and expert interviews. She volunteers her time, serving on the board of Postpartum Support International (PSI) as a board member and as the immediate past chair. Dr. Kat began specializing in perinatal mental health after her own experience with postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD over 14 years ago. Dr. Kat continues to offer psychotherapy virtually to clients across California. www.wellmindperinatal.com

Her work serves as a guiding light, reminding us all of the power of the medicine that lies within. Asha lives on her ancestral territories, with her husband and two boys – the ones who remind her that she is made of stardust.