41. Stress, Burnout, and Your Nervous System with Dr. Jen Bourgeois

What if stress isn’t just “in your head,” but a nervous system response your body is desperately trying to manage? 

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jen Bourgeois, a Doctor of Pharmacy, Integrative Health Practitioner, and Fellow of the American Institute of Stress. After over a decade in community pharmacy and experiencing personal burnout, she shifted her approach to focus on the root cause of stress, dysregulation, and what she calls “dis-ease.” 

We explore how stress truly works in the body, what triggers are and why they’re subjective, the nervous system’s green/yellow/red ladder, and how to bring more “glimmers” into your day for regulation and healing. Jen explains how alcohol creates a false sense of relief while actually increasing anxiety and keeping people stuck in dysregulation. She also shares steps for mapping your own stress patterns and choosing healthier coping strategies. 

Key Moments:
 00:22 – Jen’s background and burnout story
 06:15 – Alcohol, stress, and nervous system physiology
 07:53 – Mapping: stress switches, triggers, and coping
 09:25 – What triggers are and how the body remembers
 13:30 – Green (regulated), Yellow (fight/flight), Red (shutdown/burnout)
 18:02 – Regulation vs. dysregulation
 20:11 – “Glimmers” and how to return to calm
 22:52 – Boundaries, tolerance, and personal agency
 25:44 – Benefits of reducing alcohol on the nervous system
 30:21 – Mommy-wine culture and stress normalization
 33:13 – Setting boundaries without increasing stress 

Connect with Dr. Jen:

• Website: https://www.drjenbourgeois.com/
• Instagram: @drjenbourgeois
• LinkedIn: Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois 

Connect with us at:

• afsuperpowers.com
• @afsuperpowers

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