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February 11, 2026
Listen in now as our guest, Dr. Julie Merriman, shares her insights on how to Treat Yourself to a "Good Girl Detox" This Valentine's Day, and how to get out of your head and into your body to reclaim your Soul Joy. Dr. Julie will also talk about In Pursuit of Soul Joy: A 12-Week Guide for Overcoming Burnout and Compassion Fatigue.
Most women have been conditioned to be the caregivers of the world, "good girls" who put others' needs before their own. But as mental health clinician, professor, and author Dr. Julie Merriman points out, "You can't pour from an empty cup."
"We struggle with being too responsible, too helpful, and too competent," says Dr. Julie. "We are the ones who anticipate needs, over-function, and carry the emotional labor for everyone around us. And we've been rewarded for it our entire lives. But here is the hard truth: Being "good" has given us chronic exhaustion, resentment, and compassion fatigue, what I call Identity Burnout."
The "Good Girl" syndrome is embedded in our nervous system. Detoxing from its conditioning involves taking micro-steps that don't jolt the nervous system too severely, reconnecting with our bodies, and allowing ourselves a few guilt-free, unapologetic moments of pleasure.
Dr. Julie Merriman is a licensed mental health clinician, counselor educator, burnout researcher, author and speaker. As founder of the Soul Joy™ brand, she serves as a premier authority for women over 50 navigating the intersection of professional burnout and personal intimacy. With over 30 years of clinical experience and academic leadership—including tenures as a professor, department head, and associate dean—Dr. Julie has dedicated her career to the science of human helping. Her work is deeply rooted in polyvagal theory and somatic neurobiology, providing a bridge between academic rigor and soul-led transformation.
Her personal journey through profound burnout and a subsequent breast cancer diagnosis informs her "scorched earth" approach to healing—proving that rebirth is possible at any age. In addition to In Pursuit of Soul Joy, she is also the author of Are We Gonna Have Sex or What? Visit JulieMerrimanPhD.com.
