Doctor Me First with Errin Weisman DO

Growing up as a lover of science, Dr. Kathy Zhang found herself on the road to medical school as a young adult. Starting her career as a hospitalist for four years, she quickly realized that the expedited culture of the patient experience was not how she envisioned serving her patients as a young girl.

While deep in the throws of burnout as a hospitalist, Kathy found her way into a fellowship that was more in line with her calling and how she wanted to serve her patients. What was initially a quick way out turned into a transition away from her burnout.

She now splits her time between inpatient care and her own coaching and podcast business, but she got there through therapy and coaching. Having experienced the change that physicians can gain through coaching, she had the overwhelming desire to share it with everyone she could. Her passion lies in helping other physicians find their way back to the driver's seat of their own lives and how to navigate their struggles in a way that feels true to them.

Using some amazing tools such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping, hypnosis, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), we can peel back the layers of conditioning that we've been stuck in for years to get back to the light in our lives. These modalities help us realize that we're not broken, and there is a way out of the thought patterns that keep us rooted in burnout.

By defining your own worth and providing yourself with the self-care you deserve, you can show up as the physician that you have always wanted to be while enforcing the boundaries that are necessary to keep you healthy.

Tune in to this episode to hear more about Kathy's journey and how she's helping physicians everywhere navigate their path out of burnout.

"When we are exhibiting the same symptoms that we are treating our patients for, maybe it's time to take a step back." Dr. Kathy Zhang

Connect with Dr. Kathy Zhang:

The Purpose Filter Podcast

Facebook | Instagram

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

When we are pushed into burnout by a career in healthcare that demands more than we are physically able to continue providing, we have to find our own way out. There is no specific formula for getting you out of burnout because the answer varies from person to person.

I spoke with Dr. Laurie Boge who shared her experience with burnout and how she found her way out through following what was in alignment with what she wanted in her life. After beginning her career in medicine, she discovered very early that she was not cut out for the typical physician life and wanted something that would provide her the flexibility to work on her own terms. For her, that looked like emergency medicine.

Ultimately, even with the added flexibility that she found in emergency medicine, she found herself in burnout, leaving her with the option of working less as her only relief. Unfortunately, working less isn't always an option that you can afford in the early years of a career as a physician.

Through years of trial and error and following what felt to be in alignment with her goals, she found her way to the VA Hospital of Miami, providing her with the work pace that allowed her to provide optimal care for her patients. Through her years of finding balance, she gave birth to Greencloud Apparel, a scrubs company that provides chic and comfy scrubs for women who want to promote health and harmony in the medical industry.

Her message speaks to those of us who are in burnout and looking for our way out. You have to keep searching and keep striving for an environment where you can thrive. You have to find the path that is best for you to create the life that you desire. If that involves medicine, great! If not, that's also great!

So tune into this episode to see what paving your way out of burnout might look like and how you can apply it to your situation. Keep your chin up, keep being a badass, and head on over to Greencloud Apparel for their blowout sale and find a pair of kickass scrubs!

Connect with Dr. Boge

GreenCloud Apparel

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

It's no secret that the main driving force behind the burnout we face as healthcare providers comes directly at the hands of the broken healthcare system. Shifting away from proper patient care and leaning heavily on tasks, lists, and analytics, the system sets us up for failure and puts us right on the path to feeling burned out, helpless, and devoid of the passion that brought us to healthcare in the first place.

In this episode, I chat with Catie Harris, who has worn all the hats that you can find under the nursing umbrella, and we touch on the burnout that nurses face and how it is different from the burnout that doctors experience - but equally as detrimental to our patients.

With the shift in the hospital system that continues to adopt a more corporate face and strip responsibility from their nurses, we are seeing a trend upwards in early burnout. Many nurses are starting straight in the face of burnout only a few years into their careers, pushing them to explore other avenues, such as going to grad school to transition to the role of a nurse practitioner.

While this may be just what the doctor ordered for some nurses, others are still struggling to find their place, even with a myriad of degrees hanging on the wall. Catie and I talk about how so many nurses out there are starting to explore the ways that they can make a difference and share their knowledge and expertise outside of the crushing walls of the hospital.

Listen in today to hear more about the opportunities that exist out there for nurses to escape the burnout of the hospital system while still pursuing the passion that they have for helping their patients.

"Nothing was going to change in my lifespan working in the hospital." Catie Harris

[00:26] Welcome to the show, Catie Harris!

[01:36] Catie's background and her journey from nursing to mentoring.

[04:48] The big problem with the RN role and why it's causing the waves of early nurse burnout.

[08:29] Nurses need to feel empowered to care for their patients in the best way they can.

[11:27] A look at burnout from the perspective of a nurse.

[15:56] The beginning of Catie's exposure to the world of nursing outside of the hospital.

[18:19] We can't change the system. We have to focus on ourselves first.

[21:01] Ways that we can stop enabling the system and put power back in our hands as healthcare workers.

[24:28] Nurses stay in their roles at their hospitals because of the culture and comradery.

[26:32] Catie's podcast and its focus on Nurses who create a business of the hospital.

[29:33] How doctors can help advocate for their nurses and the patients that they serve.

Connect with Catie:

The NursePreneur Podcast

LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

If there is anything we know as physicians, it is that relationships are hard. Our practices and patients demand so much of our mental space and processing abilities that we often struggle to find the time and the energy to connect and communicate with our partners in the way they need us to.

The connection we share with our partners is one of the most critical components of our ability to stay grounded and present in our relationship. Maintaining this connection takes constant work and effort and the ability to adapt how you communicate with each other as you grow and change throughout life.

I got to chat with repeat guests Dr. Jeep and Vanessa Naum about some of the ways we can stay connected and adapt our communication styles to accommodate how our partners think and process feelings and information. Ultimately it all boils down to empathy and understanding and accepting your partner for who they are, their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can continue to grow both independently and together.

You won't want to miss this episode, even if you're not a physician or married to one. There are so many amazing nuggets of awesome relationship wisdom that apply to all couples from all walks of life. I have yet to see a relationship that wouldn't benefit from a deeper connection, and I know this advice can help you just like it has helped so many other couples.

Join us today as we decode the complexity of relationships and lay out some actionable advice on how you can work on connecting with your partner and fostering a healthier and happier relationship.

"We are growing every day, and the marriage has to grow as well." Dr. Naum

In this episode:

[00:26] Welcome back to the show, Dr. Jeep and Vanessa Naum!

[03:04] Dr. Jeep and Vanessa's background and how they help physician relationships.

[04:53] How to stay connected with your partner through difficult times and changing times.

[08:54] What to do when you feel that your connection with your partner is becoming frayed.

[10:43] Finding new ways to connect with your partner as you go through life together.

[13:39] Using The Love Huddle when you need to be heard by your partner.

[16:57] The key to developing empathy with your partner is having your feelings understood by them.

[22:03] Accepting how our partners have changed as we've aged and meeting them where they are.

[26:12] Parting words of advice from Dr. Jeep and Vanessa.

[27:29] Connect with Dr. Jeep and Vanessa on their website!

Links and Resources

What's Forever For?: A Physician's Guide For Everlasting Love and Success in Marriage by Dr. George Jeep Naum

Connect with Dr. Jeep and Vanessa Naum:

Best Friends Again

LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

Neurodiversity is something I really love talking about because it is a topic that we all too often misinterpret for what it really is. Neurodivergent brains operate in different ways and process information differently, meaning that a one-size-fits-all approach isn't best suited to those of us who are neurodivergent.

The average frameworks for building habits and achieving goals don't really work for the neurodivergent crowd. Where most of us may gain benefit from reading a self-help book or applying the "top 5 most effective habits," - someone who is neurodivergent might just find themselves struggling to understand why these approaches never pan out for them.

Slapping a diagnosis on a mental health condition isn't as helpful as we once thought it might be. When we apply a label to someone, we put them in a box that may be misunderstood and, by doing so, we are missing a unique view of the world that surrounds us and insight that could change the way we relate with each other.

Another way that neurodivergent individuals are being misunderstood in the world is through the lens of marketing. Advertisements that speak to specific pain points may be doing more harm to your neurodivergent audience than you realize. Most marketing campaigns aren't presented from the trauma-informed lens or adapted to non-linear thinkers.

Listen in to this episode, where we shine a little light on the world of neurodiversity and explore the ways we can change how we approach mental diagnoses and social norms for the neurodivergent people in our lives.

"You have full control and agency over how you decide to show up in the world." Kate Hollis

In this episode:

[00:26] Welcome to the show with Kate Hollis!

[02:12] Kate's background and the magic that she brings to the world.

[04:42] What is a conversion copywriter, and what do they do?

[05:33] Kate's journey with neurodiversity and how it changes the way we view the world.

[12:50] A mental health diagnosis doesn't really help anyone.

[18:00] How trauma and neurodiversity show up in business and the world around us.

[24:27] Changing the way you think isn't as easy as the coaching world says it is.

[26:18] How social norms are being challenged in light of neurodiversity.

[31:17] Where to get in touch with Kate and some parting remarks to help you live your best life.

Links and Resources Connect with Kate Hollis:

Kate Hollis Copywriting & Sales Strategy

Email

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

We're back for round two with Dr. Melissa Hankins this week! We spent last week's episode talking about the trauma that we face as physicians and how it develops for many of us in residency at the hand of our attending physicians.

This week, Dr. Hankins is cluing us into a trauma processing model called EFT tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques). EFT Tapping is a unique way to bring you back into the present moment in your body and diffuse the stress response while you process traumatic events, past or present. It has even been shown to decrease cortisol levels associated with stressful events or memories.

As physicians, many of us have experienced traumatic events in our childhood that allowed us to develop the traits that make us so effective as physicians. Many of us are people-pleasers, perfectionists, workaholics, ETC. Oftentimes, the development of these habits stem from an untreated trauma that occurred early in our lives.

Self-compassion and self-forgiveness are key to processing daily trauma and correcting bad habits or behaviors that were formed as a trauma response. Finding a self-care outlet to discharge the trauma that you experience in the moment can limit its ability to resurface in unexpected ways. Taking the time to make sure that you're handling your trauma as it arises can save a world of hurt for your future self and those who surround you.

Tune in to this week's episode to get more details on how the trauma we faced as children can present in our adult lives and some effective treatments that we can use to face those events without triggering a trauma response.

"Trauma is not the thing that happened to you, it's how you are reacting to the thing that happened to you." Dr. Melissa Hankins

In this episode:

[00:26] Welcome back to the show with Dr. Melissa Hankins!

[00:55] The role that early life trauma plays in being a physician.

[01:51] The difference between "big T" trauma and "little t" trauma.

[04:34] Understanding your behaviors and the actions that formed your habits.

[05:37] Strategies to minimize the ongoing trauma you experience daily.

[10:58] What is EFT Tapping and how can it release repressed trauma?

[14:28] Dr. Melissa's new book for female physician burnout.

[16:06] Bringing awareness of trauma to the coaching space.

Links and Resources

Thriving After Burnout: A Compilation of Real Stories and Strategies to Reduce Female Physician Burnout by Sharon T. McLaughlin and Female Physicians Entrepreneur Group

Connect with Dr. Melissa Hankins:

Institute of Coaching

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

Trauma is something that is present in all walks of life in all professions. However, one way that trauma impacts us differently as physicians is that we are taught that it is a normal part of our work as a physician and we are to stuff it down and just keep going.

The job itself as a physician is riddled with trauma with the amount of sickness, pain, and death that we face. But, a different flavor of trauma that isn't discussed is that of the training that doctors face.

All Resident doctors turn to their Attending physician for guidance and training while they learn the ropes of medicine. Oftentimes, this training can be harsh and demanding with a focus on criticism and correction, rather than support and mentorship.

The negative impact this accumulated trauma has on the mental and emotional well-being of resident doctors is, what I believe to be, one of the first tastes of burnout we experience as physicians.

I chat with clinical psychiatrist, Dr. Melissa Hankins, and she shines some light on this trauma and the different actions we can take as Attendings and Residents to move our training forward without the damaging trauma that pushes us right down the path to burnout town.

Listen to this episode to hear more about what trauma looks like in the Resident/Attending relationship and some resources you can leverage to do better as an Attending or cope better as a Resident.

"One of the hallmarks of trauma is you feel isolated and alone." Dr. Melissa Hankins

In this episode:

[02:02] Welcome to the show, Dr. Melissa Hankins!

[03:09] Dr. Hankins's background and evolution as a clinical psychiatrist and her burnout journey.

[10:07] Understanding the trauma that we face as physicians and how we need to handle it.

[14:36] The trauma that Residents face from their Attendings.

[17:38] How Attendings can do better to train Residents without toxic traits.

[20:09] Actions that Residents can take to stand up for themselves and cope with the trauma they may face during training.

[27:01] You are absolutely enough just as you are!

Links and Resources

Thriving After Burnout: A Compilation of Real Stories and Strategies to Reduce Female Physician Burnout by Sharon T. McLaughlin and Female Physicians Entrepreneur Group

Connect with Dr. Melissa Hankins:

Institute of Coaching

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

Holy shit! We've made it to 400 episodes. I honestly cannot believe it. I started this podcast to have fun, share my story, share the stories of other physicians, and help raise a voice against the failures of the medical industry in driving so many amazing physicians toward burnout.

What I didn't expect to find was my own healing. I didn't realize that I'd build an amazing community of physicians who are excited to make their own stand, in their own way. I did not for one second think that this podcast would impact, in a positive way, so many physician's lives.

So, to celebrate I thought it'd be fun to share how Doctor Me First has changed the lives of a few friends, colleagues, and even some of my team members.

It's been a wild ride getting to episode 400. I promised myself that I'd stop podcasting when it was no longer fun, but guess what… I'm excited to keep going. I'm excited to hear more stories and share more burnout success stories.

I'm excited to keep impacting lives all over the world. So for this last episode of 2022, let's celebrate 400 life-changing moments of Doctor Me First!

"This podcast has really helped me heal in a lot of ways" Dr. Errin Weisman

In this episode:

[00:28] Welcome to episode 400 of Doctor Me First.

[02:29] Listen as several friends, listeners, and team members share their love for the podcast.

[08:09] Have you joined the Badass Slack Group?

[10:08] That's a wrap for 2022 and 400 episodes of Doctor Me First.

Links and Resources

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!! Buy my Kindle Book, Doctor Me First, on Amazon Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

Addiction comes in all flavors my friends, whether it's drugs, alcohol, or working, the recovery that comes alongside addiction is the same regardless of the drug of choice.

One thing that I feel can't be mentioned enough is that recovery never actually ends. For those of us who find ourselves struggling with addiction, we will never be out of recovery. We will always be in some sort of recovery from our addiction when we find ourselves faced with old habits.

For those of us who have experienced burnout, we will always be in recovery from our addiction to work and it will often be so easy to find ourselves falling into old habits and toxic patterns of overworking ourselves to the state of burnout.

We have to constantly pour rest and recovery into our lives to keep recurrent feelings of burnout at bay and I encourage all of my badass burnout friends to make sure that they are getting the appropriate amount of rest for themselves, not only for their own health but for everyone around them.

Listen in today to hear a little pep talk on prioritizing your rest and recovery. You are the best version of yourself when you are rested, relaxed and present in your own life. Take a step back with me and let's rest together while we grow out of survival mode and into our best selves.

"I would never defeat my work addiction, I would never defeat burnout. I will always be in recovery." Dr. Errin Weisman

In this episode:

[01:42] Welcome to the Show!

[02:31] We will always be in recovery.

[04:24] I use the same encouraging terms with my patients that I do with my coaching clients.

[06:36] Taking the next best step.

[07:58] Recovery is about risk reduction and being able to more readily identify when you need to take a step back.

[10:19] Rest is key to recovery.

[12:11] How your rest can impact more than just you.

[13:54] What would life look like if you weren't in survival mode?

Links and Resources

The Urge: Our History of Addiction by Carl Erik Fisher

Nicola Jane Hobbs Instagram

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.

We've been talking a lot about money over here on Doctor Me First lately. If you haven't caught some of those episodes, I encourage you to check out our Money Series and get some financial facts right in your life!

Money is one of those tricky things that determines freedom for so many of us. And it's not always having money that provides freedom, but how we use the money that we do have to achieve our own view of freedom.

Financial Independence is one of those topics that I really feel like can't get enough coverage. Our relationship with money determines how we set ourselves up for success in the future and how we let go of the unhealthy ways that we let money control our lives. When you take back control of your money, you can lean into living instead of working yourself into the ground.

I'm talking with Dave Denniston this week and we get into the nitty gritty about what freedom really looks like to different people and the role that money plays in that. At the end of the day, there is no right way to do money and it should ultimately be a tool that allows you to live the life you want.

Tune in to this episode to get on the right track to evaluate the relationship that money plays in your life and the ways that you can set yourself up for financial independence.

"You have to be wise about money. But at the same time, you have to find out what freedom means to you." Dave Denniston

In this episode:

[01:42] Welcome to the Show, Dave!

[02:06] Where Dave started in financial planning and why he loved working with Physicians.

[03:55] Why Dave left traditional financial planning and some other ways he found income.

[06:32] What freedom looks like to Dave.

[10:17] How to evolve to living past your work and giving yourself grace.

[12:52] Enough is a decision.

[13:55] Balancing core values and time during burnout and how finances play a role in that.

[15:17] Ways to be financially prepared in times of uncertainty.

[18:13] Getting your priorities in order before you start working with a financial professional.

[19:08] Balancing money responsibilities in relationships and having both partners involved.

[25:04] The Freedom Formula for Physicians Podcast and how to connect with Dave

Links and Resources Connect with Dave:

Dave Denniston CFA

Freedom Formula for Physicians

The Freedom Formula for Physicians Podcast

2 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!

1. Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
2. Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.