Live your most authentic, courageous, and fulfilling life.
Coaching, Therapy, and Workshops to get you there.
Get regular courage-boosting tips in your inbox to help you bust through overwhelm and lead a joyful and peaceful life.
You’ll also be the first to know about upcoming virtual and in-person programs and workshops.
Whatever you’re wrestling with, I can help.
Toxic relationships at home or work
Anxiety, OCD, or compulsive behaviors
Stress, anger, and challenges at work
Burnout, depression, and feelings of failure
Perfectionism or feelings of guilt or shame
You’re looking for coping methods to help you move forward. While you eagerly try out new things, after a short time, they seem to stop working. You know it’s time to do something differently. Maybe you’re ready to have your breakthrough.
More people are turning to therapy to help them navigate life’s many stressors. And I mean, it’s not like the last few years have been easy. It’s taking a toll. Your work, family, and relationships are suffering, and you’re ready to finally heal.
If you’re struggling, a psychologist can support you.
You can feel joy.
You can experience satisfaction at home and at work.
You can lead a courageous life filled with love.
No matter where you are, you can learn courage. Courage skills are observable, measurable, and, most importantly — teachable.
Hi, I’m Kimberly Knull, an Edmonton, Alberta-based Registered Psychologist, motivational speaker, and Certified Dare to Lead™ and Daring Way™ facilitator.
I’ll teach you the courage-building skills you need to show up and bravely be seen in your life, family, and at work.
The support you need to live and work courageously.
Explore how we can work together
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Dare to Lead
A 4-day, in-person and virtual workshop to build more effective leadership skills at home and work. Early bird tickets available now!
Starts April 2026
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One-on-One Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
I receive a lot of questions about navigating overwhelm. Here are some answers.
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Overwhelm is a state where the demands on you exceed your capacity to cope — emotionally, mentally, physically, or all three. It’s not just “having a lot to do.” It’s the feeling of being stuck, scattered, or shut down because everything feels urgent, important, and impossible to manage at once.
At its core, overwhelm is your nervous system saying, “This is too much.”
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Overwhelm shows up differently for everyone, but common signs include:
Constant mental chatter or racing thoughts
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feeling irritable, tearful, or emotionally numb
Procrastination or avoidance
Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
Feeling resentful, trapped, or like you’re “failing”
Loss of joy in things you normally enjoy
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Overwhelm is rarely caused by one thing. It usually builds from a combination of:
Too many roles and responsibilities
Unrealistic expectations (often self-imposed)
People-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
Perfectionism and fear of disappointing others
Lack of rest, recovery, or support
Ongoing stress without relief
Overwhelm often affects capable, caring, high-functioning people — not because they’re weak, but because they’re doing too much for too long.
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Stress is often situational and can feel motivating in short bursts.
Overwhelm happens when stress piles up and you no longer feel able to respond effectively. It often includes mental paralysis and emotional flooding.
Burnout is the result of chronic, unresolved overwhelm — marked by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a loss of meaning.
Overwhelm is a warning sign. Burnout is what happens when it’s ignored.
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Mentally, overwhelm can feel like:
Your brain won’t shut off
Everything feels equally urgent
You can’t think clearly or prioritize
A constant sense of guilt or inadequacy
Physically, it may show up as:
Tight chest or shallow breathing
Headaches or muscle tension
Digestive issues
Sleep problems
A constant feeling of being “on edge”
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No — overwhelm itself is not a diagnosis. It’s a state, not a disorder.
That said, prolonged overwhelm can significantly impact mental health and should be taken seriously. It’s a signal that something in your life needs to change, not something you need to “push through.” -
Yes. When overwhelm goes unaddressed, it can increase the risk of anxiety and depression. Living in a constant state of “too much” can make your nervous system hyper-alert or emotionally shut down, both of which can contribute to mental health challenges over time.
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Overwhelm can be temporary — lasting days or weeks — or it can become chronic if the underlying patterns don’t change. It doesn’t resolve simply because things slow down; it resolves when capacity is restored and expectations are adjusted.
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It’s time to seek support if:
You would like to talk about it with someone other than friends and family
Overwhelm feels constant or unmanageable
It’s affecting your sleep, relationships, or work
You feel hopeless, numb, or emotionally detached
You’ve tried “doing less” but still feel stuck
You’re using coping strategies that aren’t serving you
You don’t need to be in crisis to ask for help.
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Therapy helps you move from surviving to living. It can:
Identify the patterns keeping you overwhelmed
Help you set boundaries without guilt
Address perfectionism and people-pleasing
Regulate your nervous system
Clarify values so your energy goes where it matters
Create sustainable change — not just temporary relief
Therapy isn’t about fixing you. It’s about helping you build a life that doesn’t require constant self-sacrifice.
