In this deeply nourishing conversation, I sit down with Dr. Alysha Mackenzie-Feder, a pediatrician from Kelowna, BC, to explore the critical difference between empathy and compassion in healthcare. Alysha shares how her journey through Zen Buddhism and contemplative practices transformed her understanding of physician wellbeing and patient care, revealing why "compassion fatigue" might actually be empathetic distress. We dive into emotions as physiological experiences, the hidden curriculum of medical training, and how creating community might be our path through these challenging times in healthcare. This episode offers both the language and practical tools to move from drowning in our patients' emotions to standing alongside them with an open heart and strong back.

Connect with Alysha:

Website: https://www.adeeperwell.ca/

Substack: https://adeeperwell.substack.com/

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd