In this powerful episode of Burnout Club, host Patrice Bonfiglio welcomes Melissa Petro, journalist and author of Shame on You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification, for a raw and riveting conversation about burnout, shame culture, and the cost of living authentically in a judgmental world.

From her early days as a NYC public school teacher to becoming the target of a national media scandal, Melissa opens up about the harrowing journey that followed the public exposure of her past in the sex industry. She shares how she navigated eight months in the "rubber room," lost her teaching career, and ultimately rebuilt a life rooted in truth, writing, and radical self-acceptance.

Melissa offers an unflinching look at how society punishes women for being visible and imperfect—and why she refuses to play along anymore.

This episode dives deep into:

🚨 The emotional cost of media-fueled shame and what it actually feels like

🧠 Why we internalize shame and how it keeps us overworking and under-living

📱 How to audit your media diet and reclaim joy from toxic algorithms

✍️ The healing power of storytelling and writing as a spiritual practice

👩‍👧 Navigating motherhood, imperfection, and visibility in the age of judgment

• Shame thrives in secrecy—but storytelling sets you free
• You are not responsible for how others twist your truth
• Resilience starts with rejecting perfectionism
• Not everyone deserves access to your vulnerability
• We all deserve joy—even when we’re in survival mode
• Your story is powerful because it’s real, not perfect

About Melissa Petro:
🌟 Author of Shame on You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification
🌟 Published in The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Business Insider & more

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Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:
https://missionmatters.com/author/patrice-bonfiglio/