High Achieving Women and Mental Health: The Hidden Cost of Holding It All Together - with Dr. Kelly Dries

About this episode

This episode discusses the hidden relationship between ambition, success, and mental health among high achieving women.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode creates space for a conversation that often goes unseen, especially among high achieving women. Leanna sits down with Dr. Kelly Dries, a strengths-based leadership coach, to explore the complex and often hidden relationship between ambition, success, and mental health. Together, they unpack what it really looks like to be high functioning on the outside while struggling internally. This conversation goes beyond surface-level discussions of burnout and productivity. It dives into the pressure to “hold it all together,” the identity of being the strong one, and the quiet belief that there isn’t room to not be okay. Dr. Dries shares her personal journey with depression, eating disorders, and recovery, and how those experiences shaped her work supporting high achieving women today. They also explore the importance of emotional awareness, self-trust, and creating space to reconnect with yourself in a world that rewards constant achievement. This episode is both honest and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt like you should be able to manage it all, or like there’s no room for your struggle, you are not alone. Content warning: this…

People in this episode

Host: Leanna

Guest: Dr. Kelly Dries

Topics covered

• mental health
• high achieving women
• ambition
• success
• burnout
• emotional awareness

Keywords

• mental health awareness
• high functioning
• depression
• eating disorders
• self-trust
• emotional awareness

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

More episodes of Leadership & Motherhood

• How Executive Moms Can Ditch the Pressure and Actually Enjoy Your Summer · June 11, 2026 · 20 min
• How to Advocate for Yourself at Work to Get the Promotion You Deserve as a High Achieving Woman - with Maya Sharfi · May 28, 2026 · 45 min
• Questioning the Narratives We’ve Inherited: Motherhood, Identity, and Why Women’s Stories Deserve to Be Told - with Anna Malaika Tubbs · May 21, 2026 · 1h 12m
• Creating More Balance in Motherhood: The Power of Values-Aligned Boundaries and Intentional Career Decisions - with Lauren Cannata · May 14, 2026 · 54 min
• What a Nail in My Tire Taught Me About Resilience, Gratitude, and Empowerment · May 2, 2026 · 11 min
• From Overwhelmed to Empowered: Why High Achieving Women Feel Stuck and How to Take Back Control · April 30, 2026 · 16 min