Feeling overwhelmed, uninspired, or emotionally drained? You’re not alone. In this grounded, honest discussion, psychologist Tara Hurster and creative leader Sarah Gross unpack what burnout looks like in the creative world, how to deal with it, and what to do when you’ve hit a wall. From self-care strategies to peer support and knowing when to ask for help, this piece is a gentle reminder that taking care of yourself isn’t optional — it’s essential for doing work that matters.
In the creative industry, it’s not unusual to hit a wall — especially when you find out someone with less experience is earning more than you. It stings. Not just your ego, but your sense of worth. These kinds of revelations can quickly spiral into self-doubt, stress, and that sinking feeling of being undervalued. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
This honest and supportive conversation features Katie Feder, a registered psychotherapist who takes a holistic approach to emotional wellbeing, and Sarah Gross, Creative Director and Partner at Storyfolk, a branding and design studio with heart. Hosted by Andy Wright, CEO of Streamtime and founder of Never Not Creative, the chat digs into how to stay grounded when comparison, money worries, and a fading sense of purpose all start to blur together.
This episode of Asking For A Friend addresses one of the harder truths of the creative workplace: a female creative discovering that a less experienced male colleague earns more than she does. It’s a scenario that too many women have faced, and it comes with a whole mixed bag of emotions — anger, sadness, confusion, self-doubt. But you're not the problem. The system needs fixing, not you.
Katie invites us to pause and reflect. “Are you clear with what does make you happy?” she asks. It’s a deceptively simple question, but an important one. When you start to unpack what truly brings you joy (not just what looks good on paper), it becomes easier to see whether your current role is actually aligned with your values — or just ticking boxes that don’t mean much anymore.
Happiness at work isn’t about perfection. It’s about alignment. Do your daily tasks light you up, or drain you? Do you feel challenged in a good way, or just constantly under pressure? These are the kinds of questions worth asking yourself — not because you need all the answers right away, but because curiosity is often the first step to change.
“If one of your values is being valued, then that really does need addressing,” Katie notes. That might mean asking some hard questions. It might mean stepping away from what’s comfortable. But it definitely means you deserve better than being quietly sidelined.
If you're earning less than someone with less experience — especially if that person is male — it's natural to feel frustrated. But instead of staying silent, Katie suggests starting a conversation. “It’s kind of an information gathering exercise,” she explains. If being respected and recognised is important to you — and let’s face it, for most of us, it is — then it’s worth checking if your current role can offer that. If not, it might be time to explore other paths.
Having a salary conversation doesn’t mean storming in with ultimatums. It means opening a dialogue with curiosity and confidence. Ask questions. Understand the benchmarks. Share your perspective. It’s okay to advocate for yourself, especially when it’s coming from a place of clarity and self-respect.
And if the answer is still “no” after all that? It might not be about you at all — it could be about a system that doesn’t value what you bring. That’s not your fault. But it is worth recognising.
Sarah brings a refreshing take on value and self-worth. “It’s important to find the people who see your value,” she says. Not everyone will. And that’s okay. What matters is that you don’t let someone else’s inability to recognise your worth dim your light. The goal isn’t to convince everyone — it’s to find the places and people that get you.
She compares it to valuing a car — different people place different worth on it, depending on what they need or understand. Same goes for creative talent. Some people just won’t get it, and they’re not your people. That doesn’t mean you’re any less valuable.
Sometimes that means leaving behind familiar environments or letting go of people who keep missing the point. That can feel risky, especially when stability is on the line. But holding onto something that consistently undermines your confidence isn’t sustainable. You deserve to work somewhere that sees you — not just your output.
Worth doesn’t live in awards or titles or even salaries. It lives in how you feel about yourself at the end of the day. Are you proud of what you’re doing? Do you feel respected, heard, seen? These things matter.
Katie adds another layer to the conversation. “People can only match you where you are at,” she says. That line hits hard — because it’s true. If you’re doubting yourself, shrinking back, or second-guessing everything you say, it’s easy for others to overlook you too. This doesn’t mean you need to perform confidence, but it does mean doing the inner work to believe that you deserve more.
“This journey of reclamation of self is paramount,” Katie says. It’s not easy. But reconnecting with who you are — beyond the job title, beyond the imposter syndrome — is the first step in any big change.
It’s easy to fall into the comparison trap — especially in creative industries where everyone’s highlight reel is front and centre. Someone else’s promotion. Their new studio. That big, shiny project. It can all make your own progress feel small.
But the truth is, everyone’s journey looks different. What you don’t see behind the scenes is just as important as what’s on show. The late nights. The doubt. The luck. The privilege. Measuring your value against someone else’s path is rarely fair — or helpful.
If comparison is creeping in, try replacing it with curiosity. What can I learn from this? What do I actually want for myself? Am I chasing what I want, or just what looks good from the outside?
If the weight of it all starts to feel too much, you don’t have to carry it alone. Support is out there, and reaching out is a sign of strength, not failure. Speaking to a mental health professional can help you process what you’re feeling and figure out what you need.
You can find resources here to help guide you through. Sometimes just having someone to talk to — someone outside the work bubble — can make everything feel a little less heavy.
This conversation also sits within the bigger picture of Never Not International Women’s Day — an initiative that exists to champion gender equality and remind the industry that women’s contributions deserve more than just a hashtag once a year. It's particularly relevant here because it surfaces the kind of inequality many women still face at work: being undervalued, underpaid, and overlooked despite having the experience and talent. Conversations like this are part of a much-needed shift — from awareness to action.
To learn more, visit Never Not International Women’s Day.
Peer support groups like NNC Circles offer safe, welcoming spaces for creatives to talk through these kinds of challenges. Whether it’s money, identity, mental health, or simply feeling like you’re the only one going through it — you’re not. These circles are where real conversations happen, minus the judgement.
In situations like discovering an unfair pay gap — especially when gender and experience are in the mix — it can feel isolating, even gaslighting. NNC Circles create space to unpack that, share your experience with others who genuinely get it, and hear how they’ve navigated similar terrain. It’s a place to be heard, validated, and reminded that your feelings are real and your value isn’t up for debate.
To find out more about how NNC Circles can help, check out the NNC Circles page.
Sarah is the Creative Director and Partner of Storyfolk. Storyfolk is a branding and graphic design studio based in Melbourne and Torquay, Australia. Storyfolk use storytelling and strategic design to elevate businesses, amplify not-for-profits and create exceptional brands.Sarah brings her exuberant people skills, love of design and ability to see things differently to all facets of her work. She pushes brave ideas through strategic thinking with her multidisciplinary skillset spanning strategy, design, art direction and copywriting. Sarah is committed to using design as a force for good to create and support brands that have a positive impact.
Katie is a registered Psychotherapist working in clinical practice. Katie trained in Process Orientated Psychology which integrates Jungian psychology and Eastern philosophies and offers a holistic understanding of the human psyche. Her belief is that we are all individuals and therefore, so too is our best path to healing. Katie is passionate about emotional health and fostering wellbeing, she works from the new sciences of the heart, brain and biology to help her clients to come into closer connection with their mind and body. She has had a multicultural life and called many places home but for the past nine years that has been here in Australia. She’s also a mother of two beautiful children.
Andy Wright is happiest in a well‑worn baseball cap. As founder of Never Not Creative, he rallies a worldwide community determined to make the creative industry kinder and fairer. He also steers Streamtime as CEO and co‑chairs Mentally Healthy. Different titles, same purpose: brilliant work should never cost anyone their wellbeing. Never Not Creative was born when Andy decided it was time to stand up and make the industry a better place. What started as one person calling for change has grown into a movement that shares research, sparks honest conversations, and builds practical tools that help teams thrive. Andy’s rule of thumb: protect the humans and the great work will follow. Picture a studio cat giving you a gentle nudge to stretch, breathe, and log off before the midnight oil even thinks about burning. Off the clock, Andy is dad to three energetic kids, husband to one exceptionally patient partner, and a loyal Everton supporter (character building, he insists). Whether he is championing healthier workplaces or cheering the Toffees through a tense ninety minutes, Andy believes creative success should leave everyone standing a little taller, not lying flat from exhaustion.
