"We are the experts in our well-being and our own bodies, and it's important for us to advocate for ourselves. We're not defined by our past. Our past is gone. It's in the past, and the beliefs we formed about ourselves based on what we've been told by other people or experienced in the past aren't necessarily true." —Ann Diment

Some seasons of life push us past our limits, and the body keeps score long before we understand why. Many of us try to outwork the chaos, yet the real shift begins when we finally question the version of resilience we were taught to admire. There is a quieter kind of strength that lets us breathe again and rebuild without losing ourselves.

Anne Diment learned this after years in science, health and safety, caregiving, chronic burnout, and a late ADHD diagnosis that reframed her entire story. Her work now blends coaching, EFT tapping, and creative practices to help people unlearn survival mode and create space for healing that feels humane and sustainable.

Press play for a grounded conversation that meets our whole humanity, not just our symptoms.

In this episode, we explore:

• burnout that hides in plain sight

• late diagnosis and the emotional impact of reframing a lifetime

• ADHD, menopause, and the biology that shapes daily capacity

• creative practices that regulate the nervous system

• EFT tapping for stress, hypervigilance, and chronic pain

• safety, acceptance, and the beliefs that keep us stuck

• the pressure of productivity and the truth about energy budgeting

• purpose, identity, and the healing power of creative community

Connect with Donna:

Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedonnapiper

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper

Episode Highlights:

03:08 Meet Ann: An Unexpected Career Pivot

09:19 Ne Burnout, Inequities in Healthcare, and the ADHD Discovery

14:57 How EFT Tapping Works

23:43 Medical Gaslighting and Weight-Centric Bias in Healthcare

31:00 How Stress Quietly Destroys Health- Global Research Insights

37:35 Energy Budgeting and the Invisible Load of Neurodivergent Households

47:45 Purpose, Identity, and Chronic Illness

55:49 Turning the Tables on Burnout

Resources:

• Get Ann's bestselling book 'Turning the Tables on Burnout": https://worksafeandwell.co.uk/turning-the-tables-on-burnout-book/

• Redefine resilience, create calm, and beat burnout: https://www.resilience-rebel.com/

• Want to talk about how Ann can support you? Book a Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/3wrxrRJIh7CAVnPq7Tc3

• All of Ann's Creative links: https://linktr.ee/anndimentartist

• Buy Art Card and Prints: https://lovefromtheartist.com/Artists/glastonbury/ann-diment

• Listen to the Creating Resilience Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ann-diment-changemaker

• Podcast guests can apply at: https://forms.gle/Ec72aQ7wKFs8LWac6

X:

Burnout isn't a personal failure—it's your body asking for a softer way forward. Listen in as Donna and Turning the Tables on Burnout author, Ann Diment, unpack safety, acceptance, menopause, ADHD, and the healing power of creativity.

#DearBodyImListening #MCAS #Lymphedema #Lipedema #ChronicIllness #ResilienceReDefined #EFTTapping #MentalHealthMatters #BurnoutRecovery #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaInformedLiving #NeurodivergentWomen #HealingJourney #ADHDWomen #MenopauseSupport

Quotes:

05:53 "I thought, I'm done— I'm done with the hustle, done with the traveling, the stress." —Ann Diment

06:45 "I could see the benefits of expressing yourself through the creative arts—music, arts, poetry, dance—all these things that help people regulate themselves and express themselves in a safe way." —Ann Diment

11:30 "Our sense of safety can fool us, because you might feel safe, but that could be codependency, and that isn't really healthy." —Ann Diment

12:00 "The damage caused by adverse childhood experiences, trauma can reduce your life expectancy by about 20 years because of this toxic stress that manifests in your body." —Ann Diment

12:37 "I didn't realize that I was in that hyper-vigilant state from a very young age. So to keep myself safe, before I was aware all this, there'd be people pleasing, there'd be avoidance of conflict, there'd be putting your own needs last— that is a tick box for a burnout." —Ann Diment

18:39 "I do come from a prevalence that everything my body does, even though it has all these things I don't always want, is doing everything to protect me. We create safety to survive." —Donna Piper

26:08 "There is no medical research on specifically women and girls until 2017— that's eight years ago, so all the DSM diagnostic criteria are based on men and boys." —Ann Diment

32:16 "Stress kills around three-quarters of a million people globally, which means that lost years of quality living are due to chronic illness caused by stress. And it's entirely preventable." —Ann Diment

36:27 "Acceptance is the key to keeping your beautifully creative, problem-solving brain online instead of going into survival mode." —Ann Diment

42:13 "It's not our personality. It's our biology." —Ann Diment

43:08 "Whether you're a mom or a worker or a wife or all these things, or how much you actually want to do, or did do, or have done, like all of those things kind of come down to accepting the moment that you're in with what is presenting in front of you. With your biology, you need something different that's maybe not normative." —Donna Piper

47:08 "One of the symptoms of ADHD is you can't rest. You're constantly doing something. When I'm being creative, you can be hyper focused on something because you're just in the flow." —Ann Diment

50:09 "Lots of adults feel they're not creative, but I say, Well, you are creative. You just don't accept that. How do you style your hair? How do you dress? How do you put the food on your plate? It's all making creative decisions. There are lots of ways that you're being creative." —Ann Diment

57:41 "We are the experts in our well-being and our own bodies, and it's important for us to advocate for ourselves. We're not defined by our past. Our past is gone. It's in the past, and the beliefs we formed about ourselves based on what we've been told by other people or experienced in the past aren't necessarily true." —Ann Diment

Connect with Ann:

Ann Diment is the bestselling author of "Turning the Tables on Burnout," with over 20 years of experience in the Health, Safety, and Wellbeing sector, and is in the top 1% of IOSH members, holding Fellowship status for over 10 years.

Drawing from her personal journey with cPTSD and other mental health challenges, Ann has pioneered a creative and mindful approach to stress and resilience training through her socially engaged art practice.

Recently diagnosed with ADHD, Ann has added a CPD-certified ADHD support practitioner certification to her wide-ranging skill set to provide specialised support for neurodivergent clients.

As an ambassador for ADHD UK and the Institute of Personalised Care, Ann advocates for personalised care and neurodiversity awareness. She also trains NHS health coaches, judges international safety awards, and mentors global safety leaders.

Beyond her professional endeavours, Ann is a multifaceted artist, poet, and musician, infusing her work with creativity and passion. Her vibrant approach and dedication to wellbeing make her a dynamic force in the field.

Website: https://www.resilience-rebel.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-diment-changemaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resiliencerebel/