Acting : When Stepping Away Is the Boldest Move: Courtney Henggeler on Burnout and Boundaries by Alexandra Stevens

Hi, Alexandra Stevens. I get a "Page not found" message when I click the link. I recognize burnout by the physical drain feeling. I'm still working on setting personal boundaries. I stay energized by resting (I need to do it more), and I'm making the best of the harsh industry right now by using the time to get better at screenwriting and learn more about other areas of the industry.

Maurice Vaughan Oops, thanks for pointing that out. I"ve just reposted it and the link should work now. Yes, resting is so important I agree with you and like you, I need to do it more. Sounds like a wise move to get informed about other areas of the industry.. Hope you're enjoying the process?

You're welcome, Alexandra Stevens. I'm enjoying learning more about other areas of the industry. It helps me as a screenwriter. Like acting for example. I study performances and learn things about acting. Those things help me when I write scripts, like acting out scenes as I outline, write, and rewrite them.

Maurice Vaughan it's fascinating learning more about your writing process. I wonder, what is the top thing you learned about acting that has informed your writing?

I think the top thing -- or at least one of them -- I learned about acting that's informed my writing is actors taking pauses, Alexandra Stevens. It's a simple thing, but a pause can have a big impact in a script, movie, show, etc.

Alexandra, thank you for sharing this: I hadn’t seen the article yet, and it really resonated with me too. Courtney’s decision is such a powerful reminder that stepping away doesn’t mean giving up: it can be one of the most intentional, courageous choices we make for our well-being.

Burnout in this industry can sneak up fast, especially when we’re conditioned to always say yes, push harder, and stay visible. For me, recognizing burnout usually shows up as physical exhaustion and brain fog. I get so worn out that I become really emotionally raw and struggle to sleep, no matter how tired I am.

Maurice Vaughan sounds like a learning that can have a powerful impact on your scripts, allowing pauses for actors. And this poetically links back to the article and what you Ashley Renee Smith smith said about the importance of pausing in our creative work when necessary to refuel

Yes—this resonates deeply with so many of the creatives I talk to.

Courtney’s words about not wanting to be “a cog in the wheel” echo what I hear all the time from actors, musicians, writers, and so many other creative professionals who spend years pouring their heart and soul into a system that rarely pauses to ask what they want in return.

Recognising burnout when you're a creative isn’t always so dramatic (no pun intended)... most of the time it shows up quietly. Whether procrastinating on work you used to love, feeling resentful after every gig, or struggling to muster the energy for your own creative projects, it can be lurking and gaining strength without you knowing.

This conversation is so needed. Thank you for starting it.

Craig Estrella thanks for your thoughtful reply. It was interesting to read what you said about burnout not necessarily being dramatic. I just checked out your profile. You have a lot of strings to your bow! How, if at all, does it impact you?

Thank you for sharing this Alexandra Stevens We all need a good work/life balance. Some of us need to learn to say, "no" for our own mental health. Actors tend to be people pleasers but this is good for everyone in general.

Alexandra Stevens recently I decided that I was going to focus less on pure creativity and more on coaching mid-career creatives on developing sustainable processes to reduce the causes of this very problem.

Don't get me wrong... I'm driven by and still love being creative. But after learning a lot of process development skills I had never been exposed to in music or film school (while recovering from a burnout myself), I felt at this point in my life I'd make more of a positive impact with my "creative family" teaching those skills.

Craig Estrella this is interesting, especially as I am someone who also coaches creatives as well as considering myself a creative. I think it is possible to be and do both. What are some of the process development skills you've learned?

Alexandra Stevens when I had my burnout, I took a brief turn into business and tech project management. As something of a multipotentialite, I kind of dove all in to learn as much as I could. And the more I learned about the different ways projects can be managed, the more it opened my eyes to what I should have been doing all along in my creative work.

So, I've been developing my own creative-centric coaching business focused on teaching the kinds of organizational methodologies that create massive efficiencies for creatives while maintaining their sense of freedom and avoiding that feeling of being boxed in by restrictive structures.

Everyone, no matter what they do in life, is a cog in some wheel. I remember working for a company that did displays in Walmart and one of their employees wore a pin that signified 25 years as an employee at Walmart. Now I had to look up Courtney's IMDB page because I never have watched Cobra Kai, but I realized I have seen her work before. I. myself, have retired from the daily grind of a normal job and now am focusing on my independent filmmaking and I don't know what kind of pressures or distasteful experiences Ms. Henggeler had to face, but with 40 acting placements and 65 episodes of Cobra Kai alone, she has made an impact. That is more than can be said for the millions of hopefuls out there that have never been given a chance to be seen or the many actresses that have had some success but have been out of work for more than a year or two. This industry is harsh on everybody. I feel I have a "can't miss" project, but dealing with producers and investors is a whole different wrestling match so I prepare myself everyday. I wish her well. She is a pleasant talent to watch. Priorities change during the course of one's life so maybe after a rest she'll be back or she'll find another satisfying avenue for her life. Everyone faces these challenges. We move towards what moves us to achieve.

Craig Estrella sounds like you have developed a valuable and much-needed service

Philip David Lee I like what you say here, "We move towards what moves us to achieve."

Alexandra Stevens it's an always evolving calling. Lately I've been interviewing mid-career creative professionals to understand better where people's challenges lie to further refine the processes I've been developing. It's fascinating how many similarities there are amongst creative pros of all fields.

Craig Estrella now you've piqued my interest. What are some of the similarities? Burnout being one i guess?

Alexandra Stevens The thing about burnout is that it is a multi-headed hydra. It can be a result of too much on one's plate or simply not having a time management process that works for one's own situation. Add to that when someone works on highly complex creations and your head can start spinning.

But a big component of the burnout portion is focus. And focus can be a result of being neurodivergent or having ADHD (both of which are sooooo common amongst creative minds) that it leads to not only overwhelm but procrastination. And then when the procrastination meets deadlines, it can turn into yet another fire leading towards burnout.

But there are so many aspects of communication, collaboration, and expectations management skills in conjunction with balancing being creative, productive, and also having a personal life that is fulfilling where so many creatives struggle. Especially those who work in isolated roles like writing where the start of your gauge of "success" (whatever one defines for themselves) is only starting at the point where you think you're basically done.

I think the biggest struggles that creatives face aren't connected to their creativity in the least. It's all the other stuff that makes achieving results seem insurmountable... when in the end, most people just need a way of keeping that stuff in motion without it feeling like it's taking over.

Craig Estrella I agree with all the reasons you give for burnout. I think having too much on one's plate can also be as result of not receiving enough support. It's important that you also acknowledged that neurodivergence can be.a factor. As a therapist `i would also add that unhelpful parts like critical part, perfectionist part or 'fear of failure' part amongst others can also contribute to burnout.