Barely Manageable Podcast

Directions Website

Barely Manageable Podcast Dana Kelly & Mary Linkous, LPC-MHSPs
40+ years of combined leadership experience in the mental health field.

We talk bad bosses, burnout, and workplace chaos—with real stories, practical tips, and just enough snark to survive it.
🎙️ New episodes weekly |

11/02/2026

Imagine hiring a new executive director, and before she even starts, she's already giving you a story you couldn't make up. 🤦‍♀️😂

Our guest this week, Mary DePietro, joins us to share some of the unbelievable things she's experienced during more than 30 years in executive leadership.

Including a woman who called before her first day to say she'd been bitten by a SNAKE. 🐍

Did she go to the hospital? Nope.

Did she treat it herself? Apparently.

And when she showed Mary the bite, there was lipstick and a suspiciously artistic set of fang marks involved. 💄🤣

Ma'am, that's not a snakebite. That's a crime scene sponsored by CoverGirl. 😂💀

🎙️ Catch the full episode of Barely Manageable: How to Survive Corporate Chaos Without Losing Your Mind | Executive Confessions. (Link in bio)

🔗 barelymanageable.com

11/01/2026

🎬 THE COVID ARCHIVES | EPISODE 3: MANAGEMENT RUINS EVERYTHING 😂

During COVID, we made videos to entertain our staff and boost morale.

Allison wanted to play a game. Mary said no to everything… except Jenga.

And then management showed up. 🙋‍♀️

I walked in, knocked the whole thing over, and left.

Not a word. No explanation. Just destruction and departure. 😂

Looking back, I really missed an opportunity to say, “GET BACK TO WORK!”

Allison named this one as one of her favorites on Barely Manageable.

And yes, these were the people responsible for staff morale. 🤣

🎙️ Catch the full episode, “Bad Bosses, Big Mistakes, and Better Friends,” to hear more stories from nearly 25 years of working together. (Link in bio)

10/31/2026

Some people will do ANYTHING to get out of work.

Allison? Apparently, not even DYING was enough to get her out of it. 😳😂

She had a heart attack, was life-flighted to another hospital, and actually had to be brought back to life.

And somehow, nearly 25 years into our friendship, we're still giving her a hard time about her commitment to the job. 🤦‍♀️

Ma'am, you were literally DEAD. I think you've earned a sick day. 💀🤣

🎙️ Barely Manageable | Bad Bosses, Big Mistakes, and Better Friends (link in bio)

10/30/2026

🎬 THE COVID ARCHIVES | EPISODE 2: HEALTHY EATING 🥕😂

During COVID, we were committed to encouraging our staff to make healthy choices.

Naturally, the most logical way to accomplish this was for me to become Mary's hands and feed her healthy snacks. 🤦‍♀️😂

Was this necessary? No.
Was it professional? Debatable.
Did we think we were hilarious? Absolutely.

Mary actually named this masterpiece as one of her favorites on Barely Manageable.

And yes, someone paid us to be in charge of other people. 🤣

10/29/2026

Hit-and-run? Escaped fugitive? 😳

Allison's biggest concern? “BUT MY PLANNER!” 📒😂

Because when your planner contains confidential client information, apparently even an escaped fugitive can't distract you from your professional responsibilities! 🤦‍♀️

Just another completely normal day in our careers. 😂

🎙️ Barely Manageable | Bad Bosses, Big Mistakes, and Better Friends

10/28/2026

Imagine applying for a promotion and getting a phone call that basically says:

“We've already given the job to someone else, but you're welcome to interview for the experience.” 🤦‍♀️😂

Oh, THANK YOU. What an incredible opportunity to practice being rejected for a job that's already been filled! 😑

And the best part? The person who got promoted was Allison… who didn't even WANT the job! 😂

Nearly 25 years later, we're still friends. Apparently, we've all made questionable career decisions.

🎙️ Barely Manageable | “Bad Bosses, Big Mistakes, and Better Friends”

Featuring our first guest, Allison Safford!

🎧 Full episode available now! Link in bio!

10/27/2026

The COVID Archives: Episode 1
Before Barely Manageable was a podcast, there was Mary, Dana, Allison, a global pandemic, and apparently entirely too much creative freedom.

During COVID, we decided our coworkers needed a little laughter. So, naturally, we started making videos.

Were we qualified entertainers? Absolutely not.

Did that stop us? Also absolutely not.

We mentioned these masterpieces on the podcast, and now we're bringing you the actual evidence.

Enjoy this little piece of workplace history. We're not responsible for the acting, production quality, or questionable decisions.

Allison Oliver Safford

10/26/2026

Imagine being told you're having a HEART ATTACK, you're getting life-flighted to another hospital, and your first thought is…

“I should probably let my boss know I might not be in tomorrow. But I could be back Monday.” 😳😂

That was Allison. And yes, she really did call me from the emergency room.

Some people are dedicated to their jobs. Others apparently need a medical professional to explain that a heart attack is a perfectly acceptable reason to take a few days off. 🤦‍♀️

We're joined by our longtime friend Allison Safford for an episode full of bad bosses, questionable decisions, and nearly 25 years of friendship.

🎙️ Barely Manageable | “Bad Bosses, Big Mistakes, and Better Friends”

🎧 Full episode available now! Link in bio!
Allison Oliver Safford

10/25/2026

Some workplace rules are so ridiculous you'd swear somebody made them up. 😂🤦‍♀️

And the really concerning part? Sometimes the FAKE ones sound more reasonable than the REAL ones.

So we're playing a little game of Real Office Rule or Did We Make It Up?

Because apparently, somewhere out there, somebody got paid to write these policies. 😬😂

🎙️ Barely Manageable | “Another Form, Another Meeting, Another Problem: When Work Becomes More Work”

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode! Link in bio!

👇 What's the most ridiculous workplace rule you've ever encountered?

10/24/2026

Remember when you could just ask someone for help… and they helped you? 😂

Now you ask the person who has the answer, and they tell you to submit a help ticket so there's documentation that you asked them for help.

BUT I'M ASKING YOU RIGHT NOW! 🤦‍♀️

Apparently, we need a process to ensure we're following the process. 😑

🎙️ Barely Manageable | “Another Form, Another Meeting, Another Problem: When Work Becomes More Work”

🎧 Full episode available now! Link in bio!

Address

NA
Cookeville, TN
38501

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Barely Manageable Podcast posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Nearby businesses

Other Cookeville businesses

Show All