From the outside, you look fine. Maybe you’re the SLP who’s always polished, always on time, always hitting deadlines. Or maybe you’re the one quietly behind — reports late, notes piled up, emails unanswered — but still working hard to appear as if you’ve got it together.
Either way? It’s exhausting. And it’s what we call masking.
In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the hidden burnout so many SLPs are carrying — whether you’re overachieving to keep up appearances or working overtime just to look like you’re keeping up.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Two of the most common faces of masking for SLPs (and why both are unsustainable)
- Why masking feels safer in the moment, but silently drains your energy and confidence
- The overlap between ADHD, executive dysfunction, and masking in professional life
- How to recognize the gap between what people see and what you’re actually experiencing
- Practical ways to loosen the mask and reclaim authenticity — without shame and without burning everything down
If you’ve ever thought things like, “They think I’m doing great… but if they only knew...” or "How is it that everyone else can keep up and I'm over here drowning..." this episode is for you. You are not alone, and you don’t have to keep pushing through silently.
📌 Resources & Links:
- 💬 Book a free 1:1 consult → If you’re tired of keeping up appearances while struggling behind the scenes, I can help. Let’s talk about how coaching can support you.
- 🎧 Related Episodes:
- 👥 Join the free FB group → Time Management for the Busy SLP
Keywords: SLP burnout, ADHD masking, productivity for speech pathologists, executive dysfunction, work-life balance for SLPs, overwhelmed SLPs
To find out how I can help you improve your work-life balance, click here.
Come join the SLP Support Group on Facebook for more tips and tricks!
Follow me on Instagram! @theresamharp
Learn more about Theresa Harp Coaching here.
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com