What a Ballerina Taught Me About Healing from Burnout (guest Sara Mearns)

Ballet, burnout, and the mental health battles of a top performer. In this powerful conversation, Sara Mearns — principal ballerina at New York City Ballet — opens up about her journey through a breakdown, therapy, and rediscovering joy in dance.

Hear her unfiltered story about pressure, resilience, and the healing power of vulnerability.

Ask Kati Anything ep. 279 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

Timestamps
00:00 – Meet Sara Mearns
01:05 – Why ballet feels new every day
03:40 – The pressure of never feeling “good enough”
04:42 – Mental Health Coalition & Covid struggles
07:12 – The breaking point: burnout and depression
12:14 – Rediscovering balance through therapy
17:14 – The role of storytelling and books like The Midnight Library https://amzn.to/3HRAhsM
22:12 – The intimacy of dance partnerships
30:47 – When the audience goes silent: the ultimate performance high
35:17 – Deciding to become a professional ballerina at 12
39:01 – Why therapy should be part of training for all athletes
45:20 – The small shifts therapy creates over time
50:07 – How going public with her burnout helped others
53:58 – The future of ballet and mental health advocacy

Follow along with Sara
  / saramearns  
https://www.nycballet.com/

My new book is available for pre-order!
Why Do I Keep Doing This? → https://geni.us/XoyLSQ
If you’ve ever felt stuck, this book is for you. I’d be so grateful for your support.

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
https://www.oneskin.co -- use the code KATI for 15% OFF
https://www.betterhelp.com/katipod (enjoy 10% off your first month)

MAIN YOUTUBE CHANNEL    / @katimorton  
#podcast #psychology #katimorton

MY BOOKS
Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY

CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP
   / @katimorton  

PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | [email protected]