What if the exhaustion, perfectionism, people-pleasing, burnout, and imposter syndrome you have spent years trying to fix are not actually the problem?

What if they are symptoms of something deeper?

In this deeply moving conversation, Coach Keren sits down with coach, speaker, and author Annalie Howling to explore the hidden force that drives so many high achievers: shame.

Annalie shares her extraordinary personal journey from a violent childhood, chronic self-doubt, and self-harm to becoming one of the leading voices on shame, trauma, and healing. Together, they unpack why achievement can never heal unworthiness, why burnout is often a wake-up call rather than a failure, and how self-compassion becomes the antidote to the belief that we are somehow not enough.

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is not about becoming someone else. It is about finally coming home to yourself.

In This Episode

• Why high achievement often becomes a strategy for outrunning shame
• The critical difference between guilt and shame
• How childhood experiences shape adult identity and self-worth
• Burnout as a symptom of living out of alignment
• Why perfectionism and people-pleasing are survival mechanisms
• Understanding imposter syndrome through the lens of shame
• How Annalie transformed her relationship with her inner critic
• The role of EMDR and trauma healing in lasting transformation
• Why receiving compliments feels uncomfortable for so many people
• The connection between self-compassion and true freedom
• How to begin healing shame one small act of self-kindness at a time

Memorable Quotes

"I wasn't intolerant to gluten. I was intolerant to my life."

"Shame is always an 'I am' statement."

"The imposter's job is to police our shame from ever being discovered."

"There is a cure for shame, and it is self-compassion."

"Start by learning about yourself. Then liking yourself. Then loving yourself."

Connect with Annalie

📖 Book: Unapologetic: Unshackle Your Shame, Reclaim Your Power

🌐 Website: Annalie Howling

📸 Instagram: @annaliehowling

Listener Invitation

If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs it. You never know who may be carrying shame in silence.