You’re Not Broken, You’re Human—A Book Announcement & Heart-to-Heart

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Hi friends—it’s Dr. Julie, and today I’m honestly just so excited, I might jump out of my chair. There’s something really meaningful I’ve been working on for a while, and I finally get to share it with you. So, let’s just dive right in. You know, over the years, in therapy rooms and classroom corners alike, there’s a question I hear whispered more often than you’d think: “What’s wrong with me?” And it’s—well—heartbreaking. Not because there’s something wrong, but because so many people genuinely believe there is. It’s like we all carry this quiet, almost secret fear that we’re somehow defective. I’ve heard it from tough first responders, resilient kids, exhausted parents—no one’s immune.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

The actual spark for this book came during a school counseling session. I can’t forget this, even now. A student looked right at me and said, “I just want to feel normal again.” And, oh, that hit me. Because that’s it, isn’t it? We don’t want to be perfect, we just want to believe we’re okay… that maybe we’re still worthy, even when life’s kind of a mess. That conversation followed me home and stayed with me until, honestly, I just couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

And, let’s be real, I’ve asked myself that exact question too. “What’s wrong with me?”—when I’m overwhelmed, or when grief just won’t seem to let up. So, yeah, I wrote this book as a therapist, but also as a fellow human who’s right here in the messy, beautiful middle. If you’ve ever felt like you’re too much, or not enough, or both in the same day, this is my way of handing you a warm cup of tea—or, okay, probably iced coffee if it’s me—and saying, “You’re not broken, you’re just human.”

Dr. Julie Sorenson

So, what’s actually inside this book? Well, I didn’t want it to be just another self-help book collecting dust, you know? No, this is about the stuff most of us never learned in school, like why our brains and bodies respond to stress the way they do. We’ll talk about the science of the nervous system—wait, don’t panic, I promise it’s not boring! We’ll keep it real, talking about what burnout really looks like, not just in theory but in the day-to-day—like when you’re so tired you forget what day it is, or you find yourself crying in your car (I mean, been there more than once).

Dr. Julie Sorenson

There’s also a lot about relationships and boundaries, which, let’s be honest, we all struggle with. Sometimes boundaries feel selfish, right? Or impossible? I actually share some tools that make it easier—stuff you can use at home with your partner, your kids, even that one coworker who doesn’t know what a Saturday is. We also go into grief—because healing isn’t neat or linear, and, I’ll tell you, I always picture it more like a scribbly path with loops than a straight line.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Another huge theme is self-compassion. And, gosh, if you’re an overthinker or a people-pleaser, you’ll recognize yourself in these pages. I share concrete strategies—so not just concepts but actual things like how to get out of an overthinking spiral, or how trauma survivors can slowly trust joy again. There are stories—some mine, many from people who’ve been brave enough to let me in on their journey—of what it means to show up for yourself, even when healing feels like one step forward, two steps back.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Now, if you’re sitting there thinking, “Yeah, but is this really for me?”—the answer is honestly, yes. This book is for the parents struggling to keep it together, the helpers and caregivers pouring from empty cups, and the trauma survivors picking up pieces that no one else sees. It’s for the overthinkers who replay every conversation, the people-pleasers so tired of apologizing for existing. And definitely for the ones who feel invisible in their burnout. I actually worked with this incredible caregiver—she told me, “I don’t even remember the last time someone asked how I was.” That conversation has never left me. It drove home that we all want the same thing—to feel safe, seen, and like our stories matter, even on our messiest days.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

And here’s the thing—I want you to really think about this: What does ‘enough’ look like in your life, right now? Do you let yourself rest? Do you celebrate baby steps, or only the big leaps? What would change if our version of ‘enough’ started with kindness instead of pressure? And, maybe more importantly—how do we help each other drop perfection and just be real? I don’t have all the answers, but I do think asking these questions together makes us all a little more human.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

So—big announcement moment—You’re Not Broken, You’re Human is coming your way in 2026! I’ll be sharing sneak peeks and deeper dives right here on this podcast, so you’re not gonna miss a thing. If today’s chat struck a chord, I hope you’ll join the updates and this community, because you truly don’t have to do any of this alone.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

I’ll leave you with this: You were never broken. You were human—all along. See you next time, friends.