How do you care for others without abandoning yourself? A conversation on boundaries with SJ McIntyre
In this episode, I’m joined by SJ McIntyre, postpartum doula, virtual assistant, project manager, and Holistic Time Practitioner, who shares what it’s like to support others in times of deep transition while learning to tend to their own needs and pace.
When SJ joined the Holistic Time Practitioner Certification, they were in Greece, struggling to disconnect from work.
They described feeling like “I need to respond to this message,” even while on vacation—stuck in a pattern of always being available, always being productive, even when they didn’t want to be.
Through the program, SJ began to notice the depth of that urgency and internalized pressure. What shifted wasn’t just mindset—it was embodiment. They started to feel that it was actually safe to slow down, to rest, to say no.
We talk about:
why it felt impossible to rest, even on vacation
the guilt and fear of not doing “enough”
learning to set boundaries with love, not shutdown
how SJ now coaches and teaches from a more regulated place
and why making spaciousness for yourself is possible
“I was so used to pushing through. Doing it anyway.”
“Now I understand how to show up without betraying myself.”
“It felt safe to soften.”
If you’ve ever wondered how to be in service without self-erasure, this conversation is a lived reflection of that process.
Connect with SJ
https://www.instagram.com/bigwidetable/
Want to support your clients without overextending yourself?
The Holistic Time Practitioner Certification is a 12-week live training for space holders, coaches, and care workers who are ready to shift from survival-time to spacious-time—for themselves and those they support.
You’ll learn trauma-aware, anti-capitalist time tools to help you and your clients navigate burnout, overgiving, and inner pressure—without replicating grind logic in your work.
