Dr. Jessi Gold on Student Burnout, Perfectionism, and the Wellness Crisis Artwork

The Better Semester

Rob Danzman is a licensed therapist who's worked with college students and their parents for over two decades. He's written two books: The Insider's Guide to Parenting: How to Solve Messy Problems and Build a Great Family and The Insider's Guide to College: Evidence-Based Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Win the Semester. The Better Semester is an extension of his work and is all about providing info to parents of college students. Each episode if full of insights, strategies and tactics - all super actionable advice to get your struggling college student solid again.

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The Better Semester

Dr. Jessi Gold on Student Burnout, Perfectionism, and the Wellness Crisis

January 12, 2026 • Season 3 • Episode 29

In this episode, Rob Danzman sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Jessi Gold, the first-ever Chief Wellness Officer for the University of Tennessee System and a nationally recognized expert in student mental health.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

The "Perfect Student" Trap: Why high-achieving students are experts at hiding mental health struggles until they reach a breaking point.
Navigating Campus Health Systems: An insider’s guide to how university wellness centers work and how to ensure your student gets the right care.
Burnout vs. Exhaustion: Dr. Gold explains the clinical difference and why "just taking a break" isn't always the cure.
The Academic Pressure Cooker: Insights on resilience drawn from Dr. Gold's training at Yale and Stanford, and how to apply them to your student's journey.
Emotional PPE: Tools for students entering high-stress fields (Medicine, Law, Engineering) to protect their mental well-being.
Redefining Success: How to have hard conversations with your student about failure, perfectionism, and identity.

About Dr. Jessi Gold: Dr. Jessi Gold is the author of How Do You Feel? One Doctor's Search for Humanity in Medicine. Dr. Gold is a regular contributor to the New York Times, The Atlantic, and NPR. She specializes in the mental health of college students, healthcare workers, and high-performance professionals.

Connect with Dr. Gold: