From Burnout to Balance: Healing and Reinventing Your STEM Career

When I look back on my journey through science, government, and medical device regulation, I can see a clear thread. It is the tension between structure and creativity, burnout and renewal, pressure and presence.

On Beyond the Thesis with Papa PhD, I shared how burnout reshaped my path and how creative wellness now helps me support other women in STEM. The conversation ranged from my early fascination with plant biotechnology to the unexpected lessons of burnout and the practices I use today to help women rebuild their energy and confidence.

Climbing the Academic Ladder

My story began with plant molecular biology. I completed a master’s, then a PhD, and even became a co-inventor on a patent. The application of science excited me. But with every experiment came setbacks. Sterile cultures were contaminated. Plants grew too slowly. Experiments had to be repeated again and again.

I began to question whether life in the lab was sustainable. A postdoc gave me time to reflect, and soon I was exploring other options: intellectual property law, teaching, even an MBA. What followed was a series of pivots that led me into government, where I supported research partnerships, and eventually into the medical device field.

Burnout in the Middle of Urgency

At StarFish Medical, I joined the quality assurance and regulatory affairs team. It was work that drew on my skills in technical writing and detail, and I loved supporting projects that ranged from napkin sketches to devices bound for clinical use.

Then the pandemic hit. We were contracted to develop emergency ventilators. Overnight, the boundaries between work and home disappeared. I was reviewing critical documents at all hours while juggling school-aged children at home. My creativity dried up completely.

That was my first real encounter with burnout. Not just stress, but emptiness. Sleep that did not restore. A disconnection from myself.

Rediscovering Creativity

Out of desperation, I turned to art therapy. Not with the goal of creating polished pieces, but as a way to play again. Scribbles, quick colours, small shapes. The shift was profound. These activities released tension without pressure. They gave me small, consistent wins.

Later, as life sped up again, I recognized the early signs of burnout returning. This time I leaned on the creative tools I had discovered. They became part of my self-care. Eventually, after layoffs reshaped my professional path, I stepped fully into creative wellness coaching. What began as a personal survival strategy became the foundation of my new work.

Watch the Full Interview

To hear the entire conversation about burnout, balance, and the role of creativity in STEM careers, you can watch my interview on Beyond the Thesis with Papa PhD:

Creativity as Recharge

One thing I emphasize is that creativity does not need to be artistic. My husband, a biochemist, recharges by woodworking. A friend in research swears by pottery. Another finds joy in quilting or cooking. These practices are not hobbies on the sidelines. They are lifelines.

Neuroscience supports this. Creative activities activate flow states, quiet the anxious mind, and engage brain regions similar to those strengthened by meditation. The act itself, whether drawing, drumming, or writing, can replenish depleted emotional batteries.

The “Battery” Exercise

In my programs, one of the most popular tools is the Battery Exercise.

1. Draw three to five rectangles to represent batteries.
2. Label each one with an area of your life: work, family, personal growth, or something else.
3. Shade in how full or empty each battery feels right now.
4. Add notes or drawings of what might recharge them.

It is a simple visual snapshot of your current energy. Clients often realize for the first time how depleted certain areas are and how much joy others bring. This clarity helps them choose where to focus.

The Invisible Load Women Carry

In the interview, I also spoke about the hidden barriers women face in STEM.

• Colleagues who are overlooked until a male counterpart repeats their idea.
• Being expected to join committees or take on invisible tasks without being asked.
• Managers who still make comments about appearance as a marker of professionalism.
• The persistent pay gap and the confidence gap when applying for jobs

These moments add up. They erode confidence and contribute to burnout. Even in 2025, the playing field is not level.

Finding Your Voice

I shared a story about literally pulling up a chair for a colleague who had placed herself in the corner of a meeting room. She was brilliant, yet hesitant to take her place at the table. Later, she told me that simple gesture changed how she saw herself.

That is what creativity offers too. It is not about the finished product. It is about building confidence to take space, use your voice, and see your perspective as valuable.

A Gentle Next Step

If you are feeling depleted, start small.

• Try the Battery Exercise.
• Give yourself permission to say no when your plate is already full.
• Sign up for a free creative prompt or a five-minute activity.

The well does not refill all at once. But with each small act, you restore a little more balance.

For more support, you can:

• Subscribe to The Creative Shift, my weekly newsletter with creative wellness practices.
• Join the 5-Day Creative Reset Challenge, a free series of prompts delivered to your inbox.

Because burnout is not the end of the story. With the right tools, it can be the beginning of something new.