Licensed Therapist // Speaker // Creator of Nine to Kind
compassionate call outs about burnout & toxic productivity
Good intentions aren't enough.
Your best people are struggling with helper burnout, and traditional approaches aren't working. Let me show you what's really happening and the KIND approach that actually protects them and your culture.
We want solid mental wellness to be a qualifier for leadership. I offer tools to support team members at every level of your organization, ensuring everyone has a path to their Nine to Kind life.
Let me show you that giving a damn doesn't have to cost you everything
turns out purpose alone doesn’t prevent burnout
Hey there! I’m Lauren—I'm a licensed therapist who's spent over a decade supporting hard working helpers—the teachers, nurses, social workers, managers, caregivers, and leaders who make everything work but struggle to invest in their own lives.
Here's what I've learned: I've worked through the personal aftermath of toxic workplace cultures, and after taking further personal inventory of my own life, I realized my burnout was a lifestyle (starting at age 11). You're probably the same—the same traits that make you vulnerable to burnout also make you incredibly effective.
My approach: I don't sugarcoat the uncomfortable truths about what's happening in your organization.I tell you what's not working, why it's not working, and give you the KIND approach that actually does work—even when the truth stings a little. Think big-sister compassionate call out vibes.
Why I'm different: Most speakers avoid the hard conversations or overwhelm you with feel good fluff. It’s honest AND empowering. I tell you what you need to hear AND give you tools that work in the real world. Sometimes that means calling out systems that aren't serving anyone.
I created Nine to Kind because I was tired of watching the world's most caring people apologize for caring. Your empathy isn't a weakness—it's your secret weapon. Let's use the KIND approach to treat it like the asset it actually is—while helping organizations learn how to keep their carers caring without burning them out.
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Keynote Speaking & Workshops
I help organizations shift the relationship with their best people. Through reality check keynotes and hands on workshops, I show companies what's really driving “helper burnout” and give them the KIND approach that actually works. No toxic positivity, just tools that protect your investment in caring employees. Also, there’s a strong chance you’re a helper too so it’s a win win.
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The KIND Club & Burnout Coaching
The community for helpers who are tired of being told to "just set boundaries." We skip the wellness BS and focus on what actually works—supporting each other through the messy reality of caring too much while learning the KIND approach to sustainable helping. Real support without the sunshine. I also offer workshops and burnout coaching for business owners to burnout proof their business.
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The Nine to Kind Possibility Planner
Your planner shouldn’t make you feel like crap. This isn't another productivity planner that solely focuses on goals. It's a planner designed for people who care deeply and need a system that actually reminds them to take a break, have some self compassion, and tackle that avoided task with care. Finally, a planner that gets that life is complicated. Best part—they are undated for whatever happens!
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Mic Drop Club Community
Created by Mic Drop Workshop, Mic Drop Club is a hybrid (online + in person) community focused on building confidence in our presence. This women’s speaking club focuses on the tactical skills to command a room, whether that is a stage or your next team meeting. Interactive lessons, in the moment feedback, and more. Get immersed in a community of women ready to take up space!
Who let me have a microphone?
The 9 to 5 mentality?
It's basically productivity fodder for people who think suffering equals success.
Nine to Kind says: Not today. Let's try the KIND approach instead.
Here's what I know about your people (and maybe yourself too):
They became a helper because they are wired to make a difference (and damn good at it too)
They see problems others miss and solutions others overlook
They have an almost supernatural ability to read people and situations
They can hold space for others in ways that literally change lives
Burnout hasn’t decreased despite the increase of wellness budgets. And your best people are quietly planning their exits. I help organizations face the uncomfortable truth about helper burnout and implement the KIND approach that actually protects their investment in caring employees.
What if we reframed these toxic helper beliefs?
The teachers who stay late aren't "bad at boundaries"—they're invested in outcomes.
The nurses who work through lunch aren't "people pleasers"—they're committed to care.
The therapists who think about clients after hours aren't "codependent"—they're professionally dedicated.
The HR leaders who worry about company culture aren't "controlling"—they're visionary.
The caring itself isn't the problem. It’s how the caring is being done (and the burnout being rewarded accidentally).
The traditional advice telling you to "just set boundaries" isn't working because it ignores reality.
Organizations need to learn how to keep their carers caring—without burning them out. Self sacrifice shouldn't be the standard of being "good enough.” You need the KIND approach: a way to care sustainably while organizations learn to support helpers instead of exploiting them.
Signature Keynote:
nine to kind—
shifting from a culture of toxic productivity to sustainable engagement
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The world doesn't need more nine-to-fivers grinding themselves into dust. It needs more people who've figured out how to live their “Nine to Kind “ life without losing their minds.
This isn't another "Self Care Sunday" lecture where I suggest to light a candle and call it healing. This is about transforming how we think about productivity, success, and what it means to make a difference.
The Nine to Kind Framework:
9 to 5 Mindset: Productivity = output + proving your worth through self sacrifice
Nine to Kind mindset: Productivity = intentional impact + sustainable effort that doesn't destroy you
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Why your "high performance" culture is actually killing performance: How toxic productivity creates the opposite of what you want (and the data proves it)
The engagement trap: Why your best people are quietly checking out while still showing up (hint: it's not about money)
The KIND approach to sustainable engagement: How to build cultures where people actually want to work, not just survive until 5 PM
Expanding the change into the 5-9: Real strategies for burnout management in and out of the office
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Permission to redefine productivity on your own terms (without feeling guilty about it)
A clear framework for living a Nine to Kind Life
Tools that turn caring natures into fuel, not burnout
A sense of compassionate connection to their helper habits
nice words from awesome people
