What happens when caregiving, motherhood, and high responsibility push the nervous system past its limits?
In todays episode of Cake for Dinner, internist and addiction medicine physician Dr. Karen Flannery shares her personal journey through severe burnout — not just emotional exhaustion, but real, physical breakdown caused by chronic nervous system overload.
From debilitating migraines, TMJ, gut issues, thyroid dysfunction, and anxiety to the realization that “I didn’t know I had a choice,” Dr. Flannery explains how living in constant fight-or-flight slowly destroys the body — and how learning to regulate the nervous system changed everything.
This episode is essential listening for:
-Mothers and caregivers feeling constantly “on”
-Women in healthcare or helping professions
-Anyone stuck in survival mode without realizing it
-People dealing with chronic symptoms with no clear cause
This is not about doing more — it’s about finally learning how to slow down, regulate the nervous system, and heal from the inside out.
Read more about Karen: https://www.palmbeachwellnessinstitute.com/our-team/karen-flannery-m-d/
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00:00 – Introduction
02:00 – A Doctor, Mother, CEO Wearing Too Many Hats
05:40 – Refusing to Practice “Walmart Medicine”
07:45 – Being There but Not Present at Home
09:40 – Caregiver Overwhelm & Motherhood Burnout
12:45 – Parenting a Child with Mental Health Struggles
16:00 – When Chronic Stress Turns Into Physical Illness
21:30 – Fight-or-Flight Isn’t the Problem — Recovery Is
22:50 – “I Didn’t Know I Had a Choice”
25:00 – Bottom-Up Processing & Survival Mode Explained
28:30 – Healing Without Medication or Procedures
29:45 – What Nervous System Regulation Really Means
33:30 – The Science of Caregiver Stress & Slower Healing
36:20 – Neurofeedback, Brain Mapping & Neuroplasticity
41:50 – One Simple Place to Start: Slow Down
44:30 – How to Connect with Dr. Karen Flannery
