The Day My Heart Spoke: A Journey from Burnout to Healing

This blog is part of our Power of Healing series, which explores powerful journeys of healing and recovery and the resilience that fuels them.

In this month’s Power of Healing blog, Dr. Shannon Hervey reminds us that healing often begins in the moments we least expect—when life forces us to pause, pay attention, and choose ourselves. It’s a reflection on resilience and the profound transformation that can emerge when we finally listen to what our mind and bodies have been trying to tell us. Through one woman’s journey from burnout, we’re invited to consider how stress, identity, and inherited expectations shape our lives—and how reclaiming our well-being can become the most powerful act of healing of all.

“Reach for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll be amongst the stars.”

My mother used to tell me that all the time. I didn’t realize until I nearly lost my life that she wasn’t just talking about ambition, she was talking about survival.

My mom worked her entire life as a cashier, never earning more than $4.35 per hour, yet her work ethic and professionalism were unmatched. I watched her go to work while sick, push through long hours without complaint, and still find time to cook home-cooked meals, attend school programs, and chauffeur us to every activity imaginable.

She was my shero — the embodiment of quiet strength — and she believed I could be bigger, better, and more. So, when she encouraged me to take typewriting and shorthand in high school (“at least you’ll qualify to be a secretary and earn a good living”), I listened. Imagine her joy when I graduated with my bachelor’s degree with honors, and later, my master’s. There was no greater cheerleader in my life.

My Mother, My Moon

“Reach for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll be amongst the stars.”  These words became a mantra as I entered the workforce and climbed the proverbial success ladder. From Lead Clinical Social Worker at a behavioral hospital in 1999 to earning a PhD and serving in district-level educational administration roles through 2024, I was, by all measures, a success story. If you think this is the part where everything ties up neatly, keep reading. Because this is actually where my story — and my healing — begins.

The Day Everything Changed

Friday, May 10, 2024

Sigh. I sat on the edge of my bed, exhausted, whispering, “Why am I so tired?” Thank God it was Friday. I dragged myself into the shower, got dressed, and began my one-hour commute to work…there was only eight hours standing between me and the weekend.

Stress at work had reached a boiling point: incompetent leadership, micro-management, bullying, and toxicity that seeped into every corner of my day. My morning prayer in the car was my lifeline to help me make it through the day.

That night, too drained to cook, I ordered pizza for the family and a kale salad for myself. My youngest son and I ate while dreaming about our upcoming two-week trip to England, France, and Spain. But soon after dinner, I was hit with severe gas pains, or so I thought. They eventually subsided, and I went to bed, determined to rest before volunteering at a local food pantry the next morning for Mother’s Day weekend.

The Worst (and Best) Day of My Life

Saturday, May 11, 2024

My alarm blared at 6:30 a.m. “STOP!” I yelled at my Google Home clock. As I lay there, I felt the same sharp gas pains from yesterday return, but stronger this time. I went searching for Gas-X. No luck. Then came the nausea, sweating, and dizziness.

Something told me to Google “What are the signs of a heart attack?”  Out of nine symptoms listed, I had seven. “You’re being silly, Shannon,” I thought. “You’re too young for that.” But something deeper — divine even — told me not to take chances. I woke my husband and asked him to take me to the ER.

At the hospital, my blood pressure looked fine. Relief. But moments after they hooked me to the EKG, I heard, “Go get the doctor!” The doctor entered, reviewed the printout, and said, “Okay, let’s call it.”

I asked, “What are we calling?”  She smiled gently and said, “You’re going to be just fine.”I pressed, “No, really — what are we calling?”  Then came the words that stopped time:

“It looks as though you are having a heart attack, but we’re going to take real good care of you.”

Minutes later, sirens wailed as I was rushed to the main campus. And just like that…two stents were placed in my heart.

When the cardiologist came to check on me later, he asked, “Your cholesterol isn’t terrible, your blood pressure’s fine… are you under stress?”

And right there, my cardiologist became my therapist.

“You’ve got to find another job,” he said. “Or stress will cause another heart attack, and next time, the outcome may be different.”

The Power of Healing

Over the next five months, I focused solely on healing. Physical therapy strengthened my heart. Behavioral therapy renewed my mind. And God, faithful as ever, restored my spirit.

I learned to prioritize myself, set boundaries, and detach from the toxic narratives that made me believe I had to earn rest, worthiness, or peace.

For twenty years, May 11th had been a day of sorrow. My mother passed from cancer on May 11, 2004 — “the worst day of my life.” But in 2024, that same date became “the best day of my life.”  Because I was given a second chance, a literal, physical, spiritual resurrection.

A New Definition of Success

Somewhere between admiring my mother’s work ethic and reaching for the moon, I lost my way. I confused achievement with peace, ambition with identity. But the power of healing taught me that real success isn’t climbing higher, it’s living lighter.

Now, I live with gratitude 365 days a year. I no longer let toxic people or meaningless pressure distract me from my purpose.

As the saying goes, “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”

So, learn from mine. Take inventory of your life. Release what doesn’t serve you. Protect your peace like your life depends on it — because it does. And if my mother could whisper in my ear right now, I know exactly what she’d say: “We're done reaching for the moon, baby...let's just enjoy the stars..."

If this story resonates with you, or if you’re navigating your own journey with stress, healing, or rediscovering balance, the following resources may offer additional insight and support:

• Chronic Stress and Health in Black Women — A research-based look at how chronic stress uniquely affects Black women and the importance of early recognition and intervention.

• Managing Stress (CDC) — Practical tools to recognize signs of overwhelming stress and evidence-based steps to support daily mental well-being.

• Resilient Georgia's Self-Care Learning Card— This infographic offers self-care strategies, stress-management practices, and resources tailored to those working in resilience-focused roles.

• Supporting Black Women Experiencing Chronic Stress — Guidance for understanding emotional suppression, overextension, and trauma-influenced stress responses, along with strategies for healing.

• Therapy for High Achievers — An exploration of how perfectionism, overworking, and identity pressures impact mental health, especially for those accustomed to “pushing through."

  
  

Author Bio:

Dr. Shannon Hervey serves as the Director of Community Health for the Gwinnett Coalition where she leads initiatives and programs related to improving community health for all citizens of Gwinnett County. Her role includes providing leadership and administrative oversight for the Mental and Behavioral Health Pillar (Resilient Gwinnett) as well as the Health Equity Pillar. Shannon is a distinguished professional with more than 25 years of experience in the Educational, Criminal Justice, and Behavioral Health sector. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership from Mercer University, a Master of Science in Social Work degree from the University of Texas, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree from Northeast Louisiana University. Known for her innovative approach and commitment towards supporting the mental health and social, emotional, learning needs of children and adults, she is proud of her efforts which have resulted in positive outcomes for clients, removed barriers to educational opportunities for students, and increased resources that contributed to improved mental health, overall well-being, and wellness. Shannon is passionate about child and educational advocacy, developing communities to thrive, and empowering individuals to live to their potential; she continues to inspire and influence others through her work and mentorship.