Feeling Like You’re Always Helping? Signs of Emotional Burnout in Relationships

In this episode of the Self Development Collective, we’re diving deep into a type of emotional burnout we don’t talk about enough—the kind that happens when we’re supporting others.

This isn’t about work stress or parenting exhaustion. This is about those of us who take on the role of the helper. The fixer. The person who tries to hold everything—and everyone—together. And the emotional tiredness that comes with that.

I share a recent moment in therapy that completely shifted how I understood my emotional exhaustion. This episode talks about the signs of emotional burnout when the challenges we're supporting aren't our own but those of others.

So if you’re asking yourself, “Why do I feel so tired when nothing’s really happening to me?”—this episode is for you.

We’ll explore:

• What emotional burnout can look like when we’re constantly helping others

• Why being the “emotional support person” can be draining

• How emotional tiredness often shows up as anger, resentment, or numbness

• Why childhood roles may wire us into over-helping

• What it actually means to set boundaries as a helper

Whether you’re the go-to in your family, your friendships, or just always feel responsible for others—this is a gentle, honest reflection on the emotional exhaustion that can come with that role.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Feeling burnt out but not sure why?

03:10 – The invisible weight of emotional support

06:45 – What “emotional tiredness” can look like

09:20 – Childhood roles and how they shape us

12:05 – Practicing boundaries (even when it’s hard)

15:00 – Reflections + how to reconnect with yourself

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Making Decisions In Life (How Invisible Family Rules Shape Our Life Decisions)

Have you ever found yourself stuck, unsure why you're making the decisions you're making — or why it feels so hard to make any at all?

In this episode, I’m sharing a personal story about one of those moments. A time when I was deep in the decision-making process and realised I was pushing myself down a path that didn’t actually feel like mine. Through conversations in therapy and reflecting on my experience, I started to uncover something deeper — the invisible rules and generational expectations that had quietly shaped how I made decisions my whole life.

We talk about:

• The invisible family rules that shape our decision making

• How legacy burdens can show up in our personal growth journey

• The emotional toll of trying to live up to inherited expectations

• How to begin making decisions that reflect who you are now — not who others expected you to be

This episode is for anyone who’s ever asked themselves, “Why does this feel so hard?” or “Is this really my choice?”

It’s not just about how to make decisions — it’s about how to make them with clarity, compassion, and connection to yourself. Whether you're exploring personal development, mental health, or just learning how to stop overthinking every life choice — this one's for you.

As always, take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and be kind to yourself in the process.

Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & personal story 03:00 – The emotional cycle of decision fatigue 10:45 – What are invisible family rules? 14:30 – Legacy burdens & how they show up 20:00 – Making choices that reflect your life now 29:00 – Final thoughts and gentle reminders

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Leaving a Narcissistic Parent // How to Emotionally Distance from a Narcissistic Parent

This episode came from a YouTube listener’s question on how to leave a narcissistic relationship — and for me, that brought up one of the hardest experiences I’ve worked through: leaving a narcissistic parent.

In this episode, I share my personal story of growing up with a narcissistic parent and what the emotional process of leaving really looked like — because it wasn’t clean, it wasn’t quick, and it definitely didn’t happen all at once.

These relationships aren’t just painful — they’re confusing. A narcissistic parent relationship can blur your sense of self so much that you don’t even realise how far you’ve lost your voice until you start to get it back.

Here’s what I share in this episode:

• Why leaving a narcissistic parent feels emotionally impossible

• A personal story from one of the most painful moments of my life — and how my dad’s reaction made everything painfully clear

• How shame, guilt, and emotional manipulation kept me stuck for years

• Why therapy became the turning point — and what it felt like to hear a professional say, “It’s not you.”

• What rebuilding self-trust actually looked like (and why I couldn’t do it alone)

If you’re in a relationship with a narcissistic parent where everything is always about them, where your feelings are minimized, and you constantly question yourself — please know: You are not too sensitive. You’re not broken. And you are not alone.

This isn’t about blame. It’s about choosing your mental health. It’s about honoring your truth — even when that means walking away from someone who was supposed to love you.

Recommendations from this episode //

📚 Earth To Moon by Moon Unit Zappa 👉 https://www.amazon.com.au/Earth-Moon-Memoir-Unit-Zappa/dp/0063113341

📚 I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 👉 https://amzn.asia/d/gfSBzJt

🧠 Havening Therapy 👉 https://www.havening.org/directory/grid/practitioners-list-grid

🧠 EMDR Therapy 👉 https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/

Join the email community // Get reflections, insights, and practical tools to support your personal development journey—delivered straight to your inbox. 👉 https://selfdevelopmentcollective.com/email-sign-up/

Say hi // TikTok → https://tiktok.com/@selfdevelopmentcollect Instagram → https://instagram.com/selfdevelopmentcollective/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/selfdevelopmentcollective/