The “Blue Wall” Effect: Why Women Who Help Others Are Often the First to Burn Out
In my practice and in life, I see an astonishing paradox every day... Women who professionally save others—counselling crisis families, running social projects, supporting colleagues and loved ones—often turn out to be the most vulnerable when it comes to their own exhaustion. I call this the “Blue Wall” effect: we build a strong fortress around ourselves for everyone seeking protection, but we remain behind that wall—without strength, without resources, without the right to show weakness. Numbers That Should Stop Us The phenomenon of professional burnout among women leaders and public figures has long ceased to be an individual story—it is a systemic epidemic. According to the McKinsey & Company and Lean In study “Women in the Workplace 2025,” 6 out of 10 women in leadership positions (60%) report that they have frequently experienced burnout…






