In this raw and resonant conversation, transformation coach Heather Vickery joins Becky to talk about burnout, invisible labor, and why choosing yourself is a radical act of resistance. They unpack the emotional and physical toll of carrying the weight of the world—especially for women and non-binary folks socialized to perform and produce. Heather shares how retreats (from solo hotel stays to facilitated group gatherings) can serve as powerful tools for reconnection, rest, and radical reclamation.

She breaks down the science behind healing modalities like NLP and Human Design, and why well-resourced women are dangerous to the systems that aim to keep us small. If you've ever struggled to give yourself permission to rest, this episode will remind you why your liberation matters—and how rest isn’t just self-care, it’s strategy.

Heather Vickery’s website: vickeryandco.com
Costa Rica Retreat (Jan 21–26, 2026): https://vickeryandco.com/costa-rica

📝 Discussed in this Episode

• Why invisible labor leads to burnout—and why that’s by design
• The myth of the “good girl” and how it traps women in unsustainable patterns
• Heather’s journey from conformity to radical self-trust
• How retreats help disrupt autopilot and create space for healing
• The power of NLP, Human Design, and somatic tools for personal transformation
• Why resourced women are a threat to patriarchal, capitalist systems
• The difference between a vacation and a retreat
• Tips for deciding what kind of retreat you need based on your season of life
• The importance of investing in yourself without guilt
• How retreating helps you return more whole, grounded, and effective

💪 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCAST COLLECTIVE: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

In this powerful solo episode of Feminist Founders, Faith Clarke shares a deeply personal reflection on what it means to carry invisible labor as a woman, especially as a solo parent, a nonprofit consultant, and a woman of color navigating systemic inequity. From her lived experience of parenting through hypervigilance to her professional insights into underfunded organizations and the cost of over-functioning, Faith names what so often goes unnamed—and offers a call to reimagine leadership and community care.

She examines the praise women receive for being the ones who “carry it all” and challenges us to question why we accept that role in the first place. She doesn’t just talk about asking for help—she explores what it would take to build systems of collective leadership and shared responsibility.

This is an unfiltered, heart-led exploration of burnout, vigilance, scarcity, and liberation. If you’ve ever felt like Atlas with the world on your shoulders, this episode is your permission slip to set it down.

Discussed in this episode:

• The hidden costs of hypervigilance, especially in parenting and solo caregiving
• How race, gender, and nonprofit hierarchies intersect to under-resource women
• The emotional toll of being the go-to person (the “Luisa” of your world)
• Why naming invisible labor is a radical act
• How we begin moving from lone heroism to collective leadership

💪 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCAST COLLECTIVE: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

In this candid conversation, burnout coach Nicole Havelka joins Becky Mollenkamp to explore the systemic roots of burnout, especially for women, mothers, and caregivers. They discuss why rest is more than sleep, how women’s invisible labor adds up, and why the “just get a new job” advice is bullshit in a culture designed to drain us dry. Nicole brings a trauma-informed, embodied approach to healing burnout—one that doesn’t start with productivity hacks but with reclaiming your nervous system, your spaciousness, and your humanity. This episode is part of our special Feminist Founders summer series focused on women’s labor.

Nicole Havelka's Website | Newsletter

💬 Discussed in This Episode

• What burnout really is (and why it’s more than just being tired)
• How gendered expectations and invisible labor feed chronic overwhelm
• The critical role of embodiment and nervous system work in healing
• Why capitalist and white supremacist systems depend on our burnout
• The illusion of spaciousness and what it means to actually rest
• How meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting still and saying "om"
• The power of giving yourself permission to not volunteer at the damn PTO
• How to plan your schedule to not be a human version of a doctor's waiting room
• Why moms get guilted and dads don’t—and what that says about our systems

📚 Resources Mentioned

• "Burnout" by Emily & Amelia Nagoski
• "Fair Play" by Eve Rodsky
• "Sacred Rest" by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
• "Essentialism" by Greg McKeown
• "Rest is Resistance" by Tricia Hersey
• The Nap Ministry on Instagram

🎧 This show is part of the Feminist Podcast Collective, a community of progressive creators reclaiming media through storytelling and solidarity.