Pausing With Purpose: Trauma, Rest, and Learning to Pivot

About this episode

This episode features a conversation about the importance of rest and its relationship with trauma, particularly for high-achieving women.

In this episode of Mental Health Unscripted , I'm joined by Dr. Lawrencia Jenkins, licensed clinician, educator, and one of our upcoming Women in Wellness Summit speakers,for an honest and grounding conversation about rest, trauma, and what it really means to slow down in a world that rewards constant motion. We talk about why rest can feel uncomfortable for high-achieving women, how stillness can bring up anxiety rather than relief, and why pausing does not mean you're falling behind. Dr. Jenkins shares powerful insights on how our bodies hold stress, how hustle culture intersects with trauma, and what it looks like to create space for rest in ways that feel realistic, human, and sustainable. This conversation is an invitation to rethink the idea that rest must be earned, and to consider how slowing down can actually support healing, clarity, and long-term wellness. Dr. Lawrencia will be expanding on these themes during her session, "Rest & Pivot: The Power of Stillness for High-Achieving Women," at the Women in Wellness Summit, and this episode offers a meaningful preview of what participants can expect. If you've been feeling stretched thin, constantly "on," or unsure how to…

People in this episode

Host: Iyana Anderson

Guest: Dr. Lawrencia Jenkins

Topics covered

• trauma
• rest
• high-achieving women
• hustle culture
• wellness
• mental health

Keywords

• rest
• trauma
• high-achieving women
• hustle culture
• mental health
• wellness
• anxiety
• stillness

More episodes of Mental Health Unscripted

• Feeling Off? A Grounded Conversation About Energy Healing, Balance, and Coming Back to Yourself · February 8, 2026 · 22 min
• From Coping to Transformation: Dr. Olivia Yearns on Values, Alignment & Relationships · January 22, 2026 · 23 min
• You Belong in This Room: A Look Into the Women in Wellness Summit · January 15, 2026 · 14 min
• Beginning Again, Gently · January 8, 2026 · 7 min
• Still Abundant: Reframing Scarcity, Success, and Purpose · December 29, 2025 · 18 min
• Culture, Rest, and the First-Gen Journey with Sarah Diaz · December 18, 2025 · 33 min