Hi, I'm Avery!
I’m on a mission to help non-profits combat and prevent burnout so they can continue to serve their communities with passion and resilience.
My journey began as a Registered Nurse working in ICU’s across Canada. It didn’t take long for me to notice that the top reasons why adults found themselves in critical care were often linked to chronic stress. This realization led me to pivot from the reactive side of medicine in 2015 and dedicate my career to helping highly sensitive high achievers prevent and reverse the negative health effects of stress.
However, in 2018, my life changed overnight when I experienced a significant episode of burnout, resulting in multiple chronic illnesses and a disability. Despite feeling like I was doing “everything right,” I still burnt out. As a self-proclaimed super nerd, I dove back into the research and discovered a game-changing insight: burnout is not a stress management issue but an energy management issue.
With this new understanding, I continued to grow my business and soon realized that I wanted to expand into corporate speaking. Non-profits immediately came to mind due to their unique challenges and increased risk of burnout. Having worked in a non-profit as a Registered Nurse, I know firsthand how easy it is to keep adding new roles to your existing staff to better serve your clientele while working within budget constraints.
A pivotal moment happened when I was moving on from my non-profit role and was involved in hiring my replacement. After the first interview, my manager looked at me shocked and said, “I had no idea you did all of that! We’re likely going to need to hire two or three people to replace you.”
It struck me then how common it is for employees in non-profits to take on multiple roles gradually, to the point where you're essentially doing the work of two or three people but only getting paid for one.
The truth was that I didn’t mind taking on these extra responsibilities because I knew that it was a way I could help support the community this non-profit served. I see this so often in non-profits, when their high achieving staff are so connected to the mission of the organization, they will happily take on more and more responsibilities because they are so invested in having a positive impact on the community.
“Avery’s workshop was a turning point for our team. The insights and strategies we gained have been invaluable in helping us recognize and address burnout before it becomes overwhelming.”
My Core Values
- Compassion: I approach every interaction with empathy, understanding the unique pressures faced by non-profit teams.
- Efficiency: My workshops are packed with actionable information, free from filler fluff, and supported by a follow-up program to ensure lasting impact.
- Objectivity: I maintain a clear, unbiased perspective, fostering an environment where we can openly discuss challenges and solutions.
- Persistence: I believe in an iterative process. If a strategy doesn’t work, we analyze and adapt, always moving forward.
My credentials and why they matter to you:
- Bachelors of Nursing (BN): Provides a solid foundation in health and wellness, crucial for understanding stress and burnout.
- Advanced Critical Care Nursing Certification: Gave me a deeper understanding of how acute and chronic stress affect our body, mental capacity, emotional regulation and motivation.
- Patient Safety Educator/Trainer: Learned the most effective ways to teach adults, how to examine system and human factors in complex situations, and to create data-informed action plans to mitigate the impact of the systems and human factors that contribute to the issue.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT): Equip me with strategies to help individuals reframe negative thinking patterns and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Assists in fostering resilience by helping individuals accept their experiences and commit to positive changes.
- Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and Erikson Hypnosis Practitioner (EHP): Facilitate deeper behavioral change and stress management techniques.
- Art Therapy Certificate and 500hr YTT (Yoga Teacher Training): Offer creative and physical outlets for managing stress and enhancing well-being.
- Somatic Therapy Certification and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Integrate body awareness and mindfulness practices into my programs, promoting holistic healing.
“The follow-up support Avery offers is unparalleled. The ongoing emails and check-ins kept us on track and made sure we were implementing what we learned.”
“Avery’s compassionate and no-nonsense approach made a huge difference for us. We’ve seen a noticeable improvement in staff morale and overall productivity.”
Ready to get started?
If you’re ready to tackle burnout in your organization and create a thriving, resilient workplace, let’s talk. Together, we can ensure your team remains energized and passionate about the incredible work they do.
Reach out to me at avery@thetruthaboutburnout.com or use my contact form below and let’s start the burnout recovery process for your non-profit!