Your Nervous System Killed Your Libido (Here’s How to Get It Back) — with Dr. Julie Merriman

Dr. Julie Merriman has spent nearly 30 years studying compassion fatigue and her own “scorched earth” burnout. A PhD-educated counselor, educator, and former department chair, her latest book, Are We Gonna Have Sex or What?, takes on the question hiding underneath every burned-out woman’s silence: what happened to my desire?

We unpack the difference between burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral injury; why a dysregulated nervous system reads a stressful email the same way it views a saber-toothed tiger; and why desire is the first thing to go offline when your body doesn’t feel safe. She reframes resentment as a “sacred emotion” worth listening to rather than suppressing, explains why novelty keeps desire in the room, and makes the case that sex is a skill — one you can keep learning at any age.

In this episode:

• The real difference between burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral injury
• Why a dysregulated nervous system shuts down pleasure and desire first
• Spontaneous vs. responsive desire — and why most women rely on the latter
• The “schedule sex” catch-22, and the ritual Dr. Jules uses instead
• Resentment as a sacred emotion, and its hidden role in intimacy
• Why novelty matters for desire — at any age
• Sex as a skill you can learn and improve throughout your life

Connect with Dr. Julie Merriman:

• Website: JulieMerrimanPhD.com
• Book: Are We Gonna Have Sex or What?
• Free resources: the Desire Reset Guide and the Somatic Signatures quiz (linked on her website)
• Podcasts: The Compassion Fatigue Cure and Sexy After 50

Connect with Dr. Zarya, The Burnout Doctor:

Website: www.theburnoutdoctor.com

IG: www.instagram.com/theburnoutMD

Get your FREE Burnout to Balance Toolkit:

https://drzarya.myflodesk.com/burnouttoolkit

Book a FREE Consult with The Burnout Doctor: https://calendly.com/drzarya/free-burnout-consult

Reach out with questions or to book The Burnout Doctor for your next event: hello@theburnoutdoctor.com