I help physicians bring themselves back from mental, physical and moral exhaustion, so they can find quality of life and face the ongoing healthcare crisis with renewed capacity.
You want the same quality of life that you work so hard to give your patients, but the broken health care system is making that all but impossible. You are working more than ever, with fewer resources, less time per patient, mountains of admin work and EMRs that waste valuable time that you aren’t compensated for.
You also know that you’re not at your best, and that worries you. Your values and training don’t allow for 80% effort, and the conflict between what you can do right now and what you feel you should be doing is really wearing you down.
You keenly feel the loss of family time, connecting with friends, and the ability to exercise, eat well, sleep well, and get outside regularly. You know those things are important, but they feel unattainable right now. You may be thinking, ‘Practicing medicine isn’t worth it anymore’.
How do you solve the puzzle of needing to step back in order to move forward when you feel so stuck?
My Story
The road to my own wellbeing started with a rather spectacular breakdown several years ago. In classic physician fashion, I ignored all the signs for many months: increasing overwhelm, difficulty making decisions, loss of professional confidence, loss of emotional control, trouble sleeping, overeating, loss of energy, among others.
By the time I sought help, it was almost too late.
As I got better, what became apparent was the clash between the keys to wellbeing and the medical culture we were all trained in. It helped explain my reluctance to seek help, my rigid thinking about acceptable performance, the excessive ability to self-sacrifice and delay gratification, all with no real expectation of support or self-acceptance. I needed to be on the outside looking in to really see medical culture- I was a fish in water unable to see the water.
I’ve noticed that many of my clients, even the ones who’ve retired, are still living by the medical culture ‘operating system’ and it's totally understandable! That way of being in the world brought appreciation, status, meaning and purpose to our lives, and it’s what we know. It’s also a major barrier to developing sustainable wellbeing.
By the time I recovered, returning to medicine was no longer a practical option. I had to grieve that for a while! But one thing was clear, I still wanted to serve others. Serendipitously, the idea of becoming a health coach appeared, and I seized the opportunity.
Now I help other physicians take that step back, identify what’s important, and progress to a better quality of life by focusing on basic needs and becoming well, even in the midst of the broken health care system.
What does being well mean?
This is what it looks like for me, and what we can work toward together:
-
The bandwidth to face challenges and try new things
-
Refreshing sleep, and the tools to help me sleep well when it doesn’t come easily
-
A solid sense of self worth that has absolutely nothing to do with my MD
-
Energy to tackle the day’s tasks and a little left over for fun
-
Purpose and meaning that comes from living my values
-
A realistic optimism, instead of a focus on worst-case scenarios
-
Growing from adversity
Areas of Focus
Mental Fitness: developing healthy habits, a solid sense of one’s values and strengths, self-worth, self-confidence, resilience and self-compassion
Medical Culture: we all 'grew up' into it! I know what medical school, residency, and practice feels like…
States of Low Wellbeing: I’ve lived to tell the tale, and I help clients on a daily basis improve their wellbeing
Holistic Wellness: six pillars of true health- sleep, stress management, social connection, nutrition, movement and play
What resonates for you here? Know that it is possible to find a better quality of life even amidst all the challenges you’re facing.
I invite you to take the first step…
Download my free guide to fortify your mental fitness with HERO