From Frenzy to Focus: Stephanie Strouth of Anchoring Hope Counseling

Stephanie Strouth • June 27, 2025

From Frenzy to Focus: Stephanie Strouth of Anchoring Hope Counseling On How We Can Cancel Hustle Culture And Create A New Sustainable Work Paradigm

Published in Authority Magazine originally, and copied from www.medium.com

Decide What Truly Needs Your Attention: Evaluate your tasks and responsibilities to determine what truly requires your attention. Identify what you need or want to do, delegate where possible, and seek help when needed. Balancing fun and work ensures you remain productive without burning out.

“Hustle Culture” is an ethos often propounded by young self-proclaimed internet gurus that centers around the idea that working long hours and sacrificing self-care are required to succeed. This mentality may have gained popularity in the mid-2010s, but it has peaked, and now it has been sardonically renamed “Burnout Culture.” So why exactly is Hustle Culture the wrong path to take? What damage can it cause? What is a viable, sustainable alternative to hustle culture? How can we move from Frenzy To Focus? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders, mental health leaders, marketing experts, business coaches, authors, and thought leaders who can share stories and insights about “How We Can Cancel Hustle Culture And Create A New Sustainable Work Paradigm.” As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Strouth, CEO & LPC at Anchoring Hope Counseling.

Stephanie Strouth has been in the mental health field specializing in PTSD and anxiety since 2016. She opened Anchoring Hope Counseling in 2020 where her team helps people find peace in the chaos of life without the uncertainty. Through her position as CEO, she avidly supports healthy work/life balance for her team so that they can provide premiere services to the clients who choose AHC.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to know how you got from “there to here.” Inspire us with your backstory!

After becoming a mom at 17, I had something to prove to my family and society: that I could still contribute despite the statistics stacked against me. Did you know that only 40% of teenage mothers will graduate high school (compared to 90% who don’t become mothers), and fewer than 2% will graduate college by the age of 30? With my son in tow, I endured a terrible marriage, graduated with an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, and then a master’s degree. This path led me to my amazing husband, my now 17-year-old son, and his 3-year-old brother. Oh, and a thriving mental health private practice employing 9 incredible people (and growing).

Tell us about your typical day!

My schedule is better explained looking from a week perspective. For work, I see 10–15 clients per week, am developing an app with coping skills for anyone to use, and fill the rest of my time with administrative duties. After daycare, we play on the trampoline, on the slip-n-slide, and feed ducks. We also go out to eat, and I occasionally sneak to my office to use our Soundbed.

What lessons would you share with yourself if you had the opportunity to meet your younger self?

“You will mess up, and that will help you reach new heights if you allow it to.”

Ok, thank you for sharing your inspired life. Let’s start with a basic definition to make sure that all of us are on the same page. How do you define Hustle Culture?

I think Burnout Culture is a better phrasing and will use that because the connotation fits better. Burnout Culture is ascribing to the belief that to succeed in society, you must endlessly contribute or provide value, to your own detriment, giving until you have nothing left to give.

Now let’s discuss an alternative to Hustle Culture. To begin, can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority on the problems that come with Hustle Culture?

As a mental health practitioner and business owner, I see the effects of burnout on a daily basis. I see them in my clients. I see them in potential employees. I see them in my own life’s experiences. It helps that I also develop and present trainings on stress and burnout in the workplace. I often work with people who have been “on” for so long, they don’t know how to shut off and relax. A state has become a trait, and it takes intentional effort to make the shift back to a healthy balance. I help people do this frequently.

The specific term “Hustle Culture” may have been popularized in the 2010s, but the concept behind it and the behaviors that come with it can be traced back hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years. From your vantage point, experience, or research, what were the main drivers of Hustle Culture?

I think at the core of Burnout Culture is survival. I recently watched the movie Oppenheimer, which beautifully presents the drivers of Burnout Culture. They rushed to build a town so that scientists could move their families and essentially work 24/7 to create an atomic bomb before Hitler did. Once Hitler was defeated, they continued the race identifying the Japanese as the new threat, and they finally achieved their goal. The main driver of Burnout Culture is fear. There is the fear of missing out, the fear of not being good enough, the fear of worthlessness, the fear of competition, the fear of not meeting some specific metric, the fear of being a statistic. Fear has been a motivator for a very long time. Only now are we opening our eyes to realize the long-term effects it has.

I work in the marketing industry, and so I’m very cognizant of this question. What role do you see that marketing and advertising has played in creating the frenzy caused by Hustle Culture that many of us feel?

Marketing and advertising efforts sometimes capitalize on people’s fears like I mentioned above. If we are constantly inundated with product after product or person after person who is doing “better” than we are, we are pressured to work more to buy more, make more, produce more in a never-ending cycle of more. We have to be aware that the purpose of most marketing and advertising efforts is to convince us that we need something we don’t currently have. No wonder many of us struggle to feel happy exactly where we’re at.

Can you help articulate the downsides of Hustle Culture? Why is this an unsustainable work paradigm?

In therapy, the phrase “a state becomes a trait” is often used to describe the long-term effects of certain experiences. If you are exposed to a situation that causes stress (a stress state), your body can recover from that fairly well. If you are repeatedly exposed to stress over and over and over, your body begins to function in a constant state of fight/flight/freeze/fawn to become a personality trait. Stress is meant to be temporary, not lived in. When we live in it, our body runs on the fuel of adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine- all brain chemicals associated with stress affecting our moods, behaviors, and physiological responses. We become like the cheetah chasing prey (our goals), but a cheetah can only maintain the burst of speed for a short distance and has to recover from the chase. It’s harder for us to be attuned to our mental endurance than our physical endurance, especially when the traits we have used push us to ignore our needs.

Let’s now discuss Focus, the opposite of Frenzy. Can you please share one area of your personal or business life where you simplified things and then felt less frenzied and more fulfilled? Can you please explain?

All my life, I had a to do list of the things I wanted to achieve, and now I’ve almost achieved them all. Recently, I’ve wrestled with the question, “What’s next?” I didn’t know how to fuel my next steps without anxiety and fear pushing me forward. I didn’t know what that life even looked like because I’ve never seen it from anyone close to me, but I got my answer on a recent journey into the unknown.

I was climbing this mountain. It was so tall I asked myself, “How freaking tall is this thing?!” And then, I reached the top. Not only did I reach the top, but my momentum propelled me upward above the mountain top. I saw the stars, the galaxies, the pure magnitude of life. It was beautiful. Next, I felt a shift. I was no longer rising upward, but neither was I falling. I was flying. I was an eagle poised, focused, and confident diving with intention and my eye on what was ahead.

The funny thing is, I have no idea what’s ahead, but I know with 100% certainty that every trial I encountered climbing that mountain has given me the confidence to fly. This is the difference between climbing in a state (or trait) of frenzy and moving to a place of focus. This is the difference between living in survival mode and truly thriving. It’s the difference between moving forward in fear climbing the mountain to feel worthy and instead becoming focused and confident on what matters to your soul. It’s not a confidence that you can stop bad things from happening, but it is a sense of security within who you are and who all the challenges you have been through has created. It’s believing in your soul that failing at something doesn’t make you a failure. It’s knowing that challenges are sometimes where you grow the most. This is where I simplified things: my mindset.

What life experiences have you adopted in your business or personal life that have left you more satisfied? Can you please explain?

I read a meme today that said, “You can’t change the people around you, but you can change the people around you.” That resonated hard-care with me because when you are a recovering people pleaser, it’s hard to set boundaries with others. Once you sift through all of the icky feelings from setting boundaries, you get a much clearer picture of why they were so necessary (and feel much more strongly that you made the best decision to protect your peace).

Okay, fantastic. Here is the main part of our interview. In your opinion, how can we break the addiction to being busy or trying to find the next big thing? How can people truly focus on tasks that make THE difference to their business and lives giving them satisfaction or life purpose alignment? Based on your experience and your area of expertise, can you please share “Five Ways To Move From Frenzy to Focused”?

Separate Your Values from Others’ Expectations: Eliminate the noise and pursue what sets your soul on fire, not what makes others happy. By focusing on your own values and passions, you can channel your energy into what truly matters to you.

Build Self-Confidence: Work hard to build your confidence and self-appreciation based on your own internal triumphs rather than external accolades. Cultivate a sense of self-worth that is independent of others’ opinions, and you’ll find it easier to stay focused on your goals.

Look for the Glimmers: Seek out the small, positive moments in your day. These “glimmers” can provide a sense of joy and motivation, helping you stay focused and positive even during challenging times.

Decide What Truly Needs Your Attention: Evaluate your tasks and responsibilities to determine what truly requires your attention. Identify what you need or want to do, delegate where possible, and seek help when needed. Balancing fun and work ensures you remain productive without burning out.

Practice Mindfulness: When we are 100% present and focused, we (and our relationships) flourish. Put the phone down, and be present. “There’s no present like the present.”

How would you describe a work paradigm that is a viable alternative to Hustle Culture? What would it look like, and what would you call it?

I would call it People over Profit. Yes, from a business perspective, it’s absolutely imperative that a company maintain profitability (or it won’t exist); however, a company’s culture directly influences its profitability. By prioritizing its people (both customers AND employees), productivity increases, turnover decreases (along with training expenses), and customer satisfaction skyrockets. It’s the difference between getting your coffee from the grumpy drive-thru worker versus the chipper worker who wishes you a nice day with a smile. It’s the difference between walking into work dreading the day versus feeling valued for who you are and what you bring to the table. Whether an employee or customer, we always remember how someone made us feel.

Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or resources that have inspired you about working differently?

I’ve actually been using my own app to help reduce restlessness, anxiety, anger, and sadness and increase connecting to moments of happiness which helps me be a better leader and handle situations more positively. Join our mailing list at www.ahchope.com/blog to be the first to know about its release!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can inspire.

Read the book Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde. You start by doing good deeds for 3 different people and then ask them to do 3 good deeds for others. I can’t claim this as my idea, but I echo the sentiment as beautifully impactful.

What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?

Our website at www.ahchope.com or on our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ahchope and IG at ahchope20.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
By Stephanie Strouth September 13, 2026
Loneliness is not always about being physically alone. You can have family, friends, coworkers, or people around you every day and still feel emotionally disconnected. You may participate in conversations, attend gatherings, and stay busy while quietly feeling like no one truly knows what you are experiencing.  Emotional loneliness can happen when you do not feel understood, supported, or comfortable sharing what is really going on. You may worry about burdening others, feel like you always have to appear okay, or struggle to put your feelings into words. Over time, this can create distance even in relationships that matter to you. Stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, and major life changes can also contribute to feelings of isolation. When you are struggling internally, connecting with others may require more energy, and you may find yourself withdrawing even when part of you wants connection. Therapy can provide a space where you can talk openly without having to pretend that everything is fine. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can work with providers to explore feelings of loneliness, understand relationship patterns, and develop healthier ways to communicate and connect. Feeling lonely does not mean you are alone in what you are experiencing. Meaningful connection often begins with having a safe place to be honest. Support can help you feel more understood, more connected, and less isolated in what you are carrying. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 12, 2026
Not every stressful life change is a negative one. Starting a new job, moving into a new home, getting married, becoming a parent, beginning school, or reaching an important goal can all be exciting experiences. They can also bring unexpected stress, anxiety, and uncertainty.  Positive changes still require adjustment. Your routines may change, new responsibilities may appear, relationships may shift, and you may find yourself navigating situations you have never experienced before. It is possible to feel grateful and excited about a new season while also feeling overwhelmed by it. Sometimes people feel guilty when a positive experience affects their mental health. You may think you should only be happy or that feeling anxious means you are not appreciating what is happening. But emotions are rarely that simple. Excitement and anxiety can exist together, and adjusting to something new can take time. Therapy can provide a supportive place to process the emotions that come with major life transitions. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can work with providers to explore concerns, manage stress, and develop tools for navigating change with greater confidence and emotional balance. You do not have to wait for something to go wrong before seeking support. Even good changes can be difficult to navigate, and having someone to walk alongside you during a new season can make the transition feel more manageable. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 11, 2026
Some mornings begin with a sense of exhaustion before the day has really started. You may wake up already thinking about work, responsibilities, conversations, appointments, or everything waiting on your to-do list. Instead of feeling rested and ready for the day, your mind may immediately feel busy and overwhelmed.  Mental exhaustion in the morning can happen when stress has been building for a long time. Even while you sleep, worries and emotional pressure do not necessarily disappear. If you have been dealing with anxiety, burnout, depression, relationship stress, or ongoing responsibilities, it may feel like your mind never completely gets a break. Starting each day this way can affect motivation, patience, focus, and mood. Tasks that normally feel manageable may require more energy, and you may find yourself simply trying to make it through the day rather than feeling present in it. Therapy can help you explore what may be contributing to ongoing mental exhaustion. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can work with providers to better understand their stress, emotions, and thought patterns while developing healthier ways to cope with daily pressure. Feeling mentally tired before the day begins does not mean you are lazy or unmotivated. It may be a sign that you have been carrying more than your mind has had time to process. Support can help you begin creating more space for rest, balance, and emotional wellness. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 10, 2026
Feeling overextended can happen when too many responsibilities, expectations, and emotions are pulling on you at once. You may be trying to manage work, family, relationships, appointments, finances, and personal stress while still trying to keep up with daily life. Over time, this can leave you feeling stretched thin and emotionally exhausted.  When you are overextended, it can be hard to know what to prioritize. You may feel pressure to keep saying yes, keep pushing forward, or keep meeting everyone else’s needs before your own. Even when you know you need rest or support, slowing down may feel difficult. Being overextended can affect more than your schedule. It can impact your mood, sleep, motivation, focus, patience, and overall sense of well-being. You may start to feel disconnected from yourself or unsure how to create space for your own needs. Therapy can provide support during seasons when life feels too full. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can work with providers to explore stress, boundaries, emotional needs, and healthier ways to cope with responsibility. Support can help you begin finding balance without having to figure everything out alone. You deserve care, even when life is busy. If you feel overextended, your mental health matters, and support is available. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 9, 2026
Stress can change the way you respond to everyday life. You may notice that you are losing patience more quickly, feeling irritated by small things, or reacting more strongly than you normally would. This can feel discouraging, especially when you care about the people around you and do not want stress to affect your relationships.  When stress builds over time, your emotional capacity can become stretched thin. Things that used to feel manageable may start to feel frustrating or overwhelming. A small inconvenience, a change in plans, or a difficult conversation may feel heavier because your mind and body are already carrying so much pressure. Feeling less patient does not mean you are a bad person. It may mean you are overwhelmed, tired, anxious, burned out, or in need of more support. Irritability can sometimes be a signal that something deeper needs attention. Therapy can help you understand what may be underneath changes in patience, mood, or emotional reactions. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can talk through stressors, explore emotional patterns, and develop healthier ways to manage difficult moments. You do not have to judge yourself for feeling more reactive than usual. Support can help you better understand what you are experiencing and begin responding to life with more clarity, calm, and compassion. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 8, 2026
Starting over emotionally can feel difficult. You may want to feel better, think differently, set healthier boundaries, rebuild confidence, or move forward from a difficult season, but change can still feel overwhelming. Even when you know you are ready for something different, it can be hard to know where to begin.  Emotional patterns often develop over time. The ways you cope, respond, protect yourself, or manage stress may have helped you get through past seasons. But sometimes the same patterns that once helped you survive begin to feel limiting, exhausting, or unhealthy. Recognizing that something needs to change can be the first step, but it does not always make the process easy. Starting over emotionally does not mean you have to become a completely different person. It may mean learning how to respond to stress in healthier ways, understanding your needs more clearly, processing emotions you have been carrying, or allowing yourself to receive support instead of trying to handle everything alone. Therapy can help make that process feel more manageable. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can explore what has been weighing on them, identify patterns that may no longer be serving them, and begin building tools for healthier emotional wellness. You do not have to have the full path figured out before you begin. Starting over can begin with one honest conversation and one supported step forward. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 7, 2026
Many people carry more than they ever say out loud. You may be managing work, family, responsibilities, stress, and emotional pressure while still showing up and doing what needs to be done. From the outside, it may look like you are handling everything well, but inside, you may feel tired, anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally stretched thin.  It can be difficult to talk about what you are carrying, especially when you are used to being strong or dependable. You may worry that others will not understand, or you may feel unsure how to explain what you are feeling. Sometimes it feels easier to say you are fine than to admit that life has started to feel heavy. But carrying everything quietly can take a toll over time. Stress that goes unspoken can begin to affect your mood, sleep, focus, patience, motivation, and relationships. Even if you are still functioning, your mental health may still need support and care. Therapy can provide a safe place to talk through what you have been holding inside. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can work with providers who listen with compassion and help them better understand what they are experiencing. Support can help you process emotions, identify stress patterns, and build healthier ways to cope. You do not have to keep carrying more than you say. Your feelings matter, and support is available when you are ready to begin. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, Pennington Gap, & Bristol, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 6, 2026
Wanting support and knowing where to begin are not always the same thing. You may recognize that you feel anxious, overwhelmed, emotionally drained, stuck, or unlike yourself, but still feel unsure about what the next step should be. Starting therapy or medication management can feel intimidating when you do not know what to expect.  Many people delay reaching out because they feel like they need to understand their emotions first. They may worry about what to say, whether their concerns are serious enough, or whether they will be able to explain what is happening clearly. But you do not need perfect words to begin receiving support. Mental health care is a place to start sorting through what feels confusing, heavy, or difficult to manage. Therapy can help you better understand your thoughts, emotions, stressors, and patterns. Medication management may also be part of care for some individuals, depending on their needs and goals. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals are met with compassion as they begin their mental health journey. Whether you are seeking therapy, medication management, or both, support can be personalized to where you are right now. You do not have to know exactly where to begin. The first step can simply be reaching out, starting the conversation, and allowing support to help guide the next step forward. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, & Pennington Gap, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 5, 2026
Sometimes emotional weight builds so gradually that you do not notice how heavy it has become. You may adjust to stress little by little, telling yourself that you are fine, that life is just busy, or that things will feel better once the next responsibility is behind you. Over time, carrying too much can begin to feel normal.  When you are used to pushing through, it can be difficult to recognize the signs that your mental health needs support. You may notice that you are more irritable, more tired, less motivated, more anxious, or less able to enjoy things that usually bring comfort. You may struggle to rest, focus, or feel present, but still convince yourself that you should be able to keep going. One reason this can be hard to see is because many people continue functioning while they are overwhelmed. They go to work, care for others, complete tasks, and meet expectations, even while feeling emotionally drained inside. Functioning can sometimes hide how much someone is truly carrying. Therapy can help you slow down and take an honest look at what has been weighing on you. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can work with providers to better understand their stress, emotions, and patterns in a safe and supportive space. Support can help you recognize what needs attention and begin building healthier ways to move forward. You do not have to wait until the weight becomes unbearable. If you have been carrying more than you realized, support is available. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, & Pennington Gap, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com
By Stephanie Strouth September 4, 2026
There are seasons when you may feel like you are constantly trying to hold yourself together. You may be showing up for work, caring for others, managing responsibilities, and doing what needs to be done, while internally feeling tired, anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally stretched thin. From the outside, it may seem like you are doing okay, but inside you may feel like you are barely keeping up.  Trying to hold yourself together can become exhausting when there is no space to rest, process, or receive support. You may feel pressure to stay calm, keep functioning, and avoid letting others see how much you are carrying. Over time, that pressure can affect your mood, patience, focus, sleep, and overall sense of well-being. Being able to keep going does not mean you are not struggling. Many people continue functioning while carrying deep stress, anxiety, sadness, burnout, or emotional exhaustion. Your ability to push through does not make your feelings any less real. Therapy can provide a space where you do not have to hold everything together alone. At Anchoring Hope Counseling, individuals can talk openly with providers who listen with compassion and help them better understand what they are experiencing. Therapy can help you process emotions, identify stress patterns, and build healthier ways to cope. You deserve support before you reach a breaking point. If you feel like you are always trying to hold yourself together, your mental health deserves care and attention. At Anchoring Hope Counseling: We Accept Most Insurances Therapy & Mental Health Medication Management 24/7 Access To Our Wellness App Telehealth Option Available For VA Residents Physical Locations in Abingdon, Wise, & Pennington Gap, VA 📞 Call us or visit our site for a free consult today: (276) 298-5034 | www.ahchope.com

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