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Speaker & Workshop Facilitator

Balance isn’t an achievement—it’s the foundation for clarity and innovation.

From Burnout to Balance: A Reflective Talk on Building a Sustainable Career

“Your Strongest Self Begins with Balance” 
Speaker: Karin Margarita Frei, Ph.D., Research Professor

I offer talks on how I rebuilt balance after experiencing two severe burnouts.

My core message is simple: balance is not a one-time achievement, but a skill we strengthen through continual practice. Balance creates the sustainable foundation for innovative thinking and lasting well-being.

In my talks, I share practical tools, grounded in personal experience, for sustaining balance while building a life aligned with one’s authentic self.

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Workshop on Balance for Academics

Balancing Life and Work in Academia: A Reflective Workshop

“Your Strongest Self Begins with Balance” 
Facilitator: Karin Margarita Frei, Ph.D., Research Professor

This half-day reflective workshop helps academics explore personal tools for resilience, authenticity, and sustainable balance. Drawing on lived experiences of burnout and recovery, it creates a safe space to reflect, share, and uncover strategies for thriving as a “whole scientist.” Participants will leave with their own set of tools to begin—or continue—building balance in their lives.

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Testimonials
Designer
“Karin gave a deeply personal and powerful insight into her experience with severe stress and recovery. Her talk clearly resonated with the participants, who left with practical ideas for creating a healthier balance between work and private life.
For me, two points stood out in particular: the brain’s need for recovery, just like an athlete requires rest after performance, and the importance of defining one’s ‘non-negotiables’ and core values as a personal compass.
I truly hope many more will have the opportunity to experience Karin’s talk – it comes highly recommended!”
Kristoffer Szilas, PhD, Researcher at the Natural History Museum of Denmark
“Thank you for contributing to the much-needed conversation about mental health in academia. It was inspiring to hear your journey and the way you’ve worked through your two burnouts. Your openness made the topic feel very real and important.”
Christina Gravert, Assoc. Prof. PhD
“I really appreciated your delivery — respectful, open, and compassionate, with a clear sense that you understand the academic constraints. At the same time, it’s evident that you are passionate and ambitious about your academic field.”
Elizabeth Neilson, Research Group Leader PhD
“As a Professor, it’s easy to identify with you and your content — highly relevant because we share the same challenges. HR professionals and psychologists bring complementary perspectives, but they cannot replace your unique voice.”
Professor at Copenhagen University