Episode Overview

Part 2 of our emotional health series! Amanda, Laura, and Kendra continue the conversation about the harder feelings in medicine—this time focusing on sadness and grief. This isn't just about patient deaths; it's about the mounting, often invisible losses that accumulate over a career and silently fuel burnout.

Sadness ≠ Depression

Sadness ≠ Grief

Positive Aspects of Sadness

Acute Grief: Tearfulness, insomnia, typically <1 year

Anticipatory Grief: Grieving before the loss (terminal diagnoses)

Complicated/Prolonged Grief: Intense, persistent, interferes with daily life

Ambiguous Grief: Loss without closure (hello, pandemic deaths we never processed!)

Disenfranchised Grief: Loss society doesn't acknowledge as legitimate

Emotional: Tearfulness, heaviness, numbness

Cognitive: "I could have done more," difficulty concentrating, rumination

Behavioral: Withdrawing from colleagues, reduced empathy, irritability

Physical: Fatigue, insomnia, appetite changes, unexplained aches

Clinical Spillover:

"Hidden in Plain Sight" Review (17 studies):

JAMA Meta-Analysis (21,000+ physicians):

R - RECOGNIZE: Name what you're experiencing

A - ALLOW: Accept it without judgment (just sit with it for 90 seconds!)

I - INVESTIGATE: Get curious, not critical

N - NURTURE: Self-compassion time!

Why it works: Self-compassion activates your parasympathetic nervous system, decreases cortisol, improves sleep and wellbeing

N - NAME/Mirror the emotion: "It sounds like you're feeling angry. I hear you."

U - UNDERSTAND: Seek to understand their feelings

R - RESPECT

S - SUPPORT

E - EXPLORE: "Tell me more" OR "Can I offer you a coach/therapist?"

For Ourselves:

For Each Other:

Meaning-Making:

"Grief Healed: A Physician's Guide to Dealing With Grief and Thriving" by Dr. Shona Bhatnagar

Written by a full-time practicing physician who lost her husband unexpectedly AND her son to chronic illness in 10 months. Real, raw, doctor-to-doctor wisdom.

Next time grief shows up, ask:

Remember: Isolation isn't the final answer. Community, compassion, and courage through connection—that's how we heal.

Need to talk? We're here. Email us at [email protected] or book a free session at www.thewholephysician.com

You are whole. You are a gift to medicine. The work you do matters. 💙

Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12174799

https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2023/0900/physician-grief

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2755851

Weekly Well Check

Podcast Fast Track

The Compartmentalization Trap Medicine teaches us to "stay professional"—which often means push it down, don't cry, keep moving. But as Brené Brown reminds us: we can't selectively numb emotions. When we shut down grief and despair, we also lose access to joy, hope, and connection.

Understanding the Emotions:

Real scenarios we all recognize:

Here's the truth: If you're feeling grouchy and don't know why, you might actually be depressed or carrying unprocessed sadness. Many of us don't manifest it the "textbook" way.

Quick grounding techniques:

Remember: The visual memories won't go away. Process them as you go instead of creating a decades-long pile-up.

When you have more time:

1. PERSONALIZATION (It's not all your fault) We're quick to self-blame. Reminder: You cannot take credit for good OR bad outcomes. There are factors outside your control. The universe/God has a plan—thank goodness we're not in charge of everything.

2. PERMANENCE (This won't last forever) Ask yourself: Will this be a big deal in 5 minutes? 5 hours? 5 days? 5 months? 5 years? This pulls your thinking brain back online.

3. PERVASIVENESS (It hasn't touched everything) "I'll never be competent again" vs. your daughter texting about her goggles for practice. See? It hasn't touched your whole life.

Unprocessed anguish, despair, and grief show up as:

The good news? Even if you weren't taught emotional skills growing up, they can be learned. You can start TODAY.

This is heavy work. If you need to debrief, the team is here. Book a free session at www.thewholephysician.com or email [email protected].

You are whole. You are a gift to medicine. The work you do matters. ✨

Connect:

Please leave a review if this resonated—it helps other physicians find these important conversations. 🙏

Tired of the "not enough" story? This week we're exploring abundance mindset—NOT toxic positivity, but a practical shift that opens up creativity, generosity, and better decision-making.

What You'll Learn:

5 Abundance Experiments to Try This Week:

Remember: Abundance always feels GOOD, never resentful. If you're feeling stuck, ask yourself: "What else is possible?"

🎁 Feeling overwhelmed by 200 episodes? Grab our Podcast Fast Track—handpicked high-yield episodes to jumpstart your burnout recovery: www.thewholephysician.com/fasttrack

You are whole. You are a gift to medicine. The work you do matters. ✨

Resources:

Late text + tight bank account + short night of sleep = The world is ending

That's scarcity taking over your brain.

Definition: A pattern of thinking where you feel you have less of a resource than you need, and that perception dominates your attention, emotion, and choice.

The plot twist: It's not just about money. You can have scarcity around:

Notice the body sensation first (anxiety, chest tightness)

"Right now I'm feeling short on time/sleep/money/support."

Why it works: Verbalizing shifts you from limbic to prefrontal cortex. Naming reduces rumination and opens space for choice.

Create micro buffers:

Why it works: Protects bandwidth so you're not constantly in panic/triage mode

Why it works: Prevents errors, reroutes energy to higher-value thinking

Pro tip: Join the "We Do Not Care Club" (Melanie on Instagram) and start scratching stuff off your list

Abundance mindset—evidence-based practices (not fake optimism) that actually widen your bandwidth

Scarcity is a fear-based mindset living in your limbic system.

It's predictable. It's fixable. And it's happening in small, human ways.

You don't have to stay on that cruise eating canned soup.

What are you decluttering? What don't you care about anymore? Email: [email protected]

Stop living like you don't have enough. Next episode: How to live like you do.

Our new Podcast Fast Track Book a Session  or Physician Wellness Triage (same link) Sign up for the Weekly Well Check

You learned about dorsal vagal shutdown—that numbness and disconnection physicians feel. Now here's the hope: There are ways to climb back up the ladder.

Sometimes you're so far outside your zone of resilience, you can't outthink it. You have to do something with your body.

SSRIs/SNRIs can help stabilize mood and increase arousal when you're too depleted to self-regulate.

No shame. We work in extreme stress. Therapy and medication are tools, not failures.

Simple ways to enhance vagal tone:

These aren't woo-woo—they're biological recalibrations.

Somatic therapy uses your body during sessions to release stored stress through body awareness and gentle movement.

Real talk: "I go to therapy. I love my therapist. It makes my life so much better. We need to normalize this."

Why it matters: We're treated like we should be superhuman, taking on trauma with no sleep or self-care. That's a recipe for hitting the wall.

Why yoga works: Gets you back into your body where you can reconnect. It's calming in a ventral vagal way (not dorsal shutdown).

Too exhausted to exercise? Try ONE yoga pose for 30 seconds. Just break the frozen state.

Different breathing techniques:

HeartMath device: Like a pulse ox that shows your heart rate variability as you do exercises

Neurofeedback: EEG probes detect when you're revved up—TV goes black until you calm yourself down

Perfect for control enthusiasts: Learn to control your own physiologic responses

Ever been around someone you just feel safe with? That person who makes you laugh and calm down instantly?

That's co-regulation. Seek those people out.

Also works:

Singing increases ventral vagus tone (car singers, rejoice!)

Create your comedy arsenal:

Reminder: Life is worth living. You won't be stuck in dorsal vagal forever.

"This is my dorsal reset. My biological recalibration. Not me failing."

Focus on the EXHALE—that's when parasympathetics turn on

Try the 5-minute body scan:

Text someone you care about. Check in on someone who needed help.

Gets you out of rumination and back into meaning

Speak to yourself with compassion (the strongest antidote to burnout)

Each micro step signals safety to your nervous system.

"This is an era, not who I am."

Sometimes it feels like "maybe this is just who I am now."

NO. Your true self is still in there waiting.

This is a physiologic reaction to things that have been happening to you. Your ventral vagal state—your executive brain—wants to get back online. It wants to reconnect with your empathy, humor, and creativity.

Burnout tricks you into thinking that version of you is gone. That's a lie.

Your nervous system is doing its best. It's meant for survival. With small signals of safety—grounding, breathing, humming—you can return to connection, vitality, and purpose.

Your nervous system is here for you. We're here for you.

Dr. Kristin Neff's Center for Mindful Self-Compassion - Research-backed approach to self-compassion

Podcast Fast Track - Nearly 200 episodes can be overwhelming. We've handpicked the most high-yield episodes to jumpstart your journey.

Get it: www.thewholephysician.com/fasttrack

That feeling of burnout numbness isn't your fault. It's not who you are. And it isn't permanent.

Share your recalibration tricks: [email protected]

You can find yourself again. Let's climb together.

Our new Podcast Fast Track Book a Session  or Physician Wellness Triage (same link) Sign up for the Weekly Well Check

"I feel totally numb. I don't care anymore, and I hate that I don't care."

"Even when I sleep, I wake up tired."

"I used to be so empathetic. Now I just want everyone to leave me alone."

What you're experiencing isn't just burnout—it's dorsal vagal shutdown.

1. Ventral Vagal (Safe Zone) ✨ Calm, connected, creative, social - where we want to be

2. Sympathetic (Fight or Flight) ⚡ Heart racing, hyperalert, frantic productivity mode

3. Dorsal Vagal (Shutdown/Freeze) 🥶 Emotional flatness, complete disconnection, life behind glass Your body playing dead like a possum

Sympathetic overdrive (constant productivity) → Dorsal collapse (complete numbness)

You're cycling between: Fixing everything frantically → Can't even get out of your car at home

The Vagus Nerve has two branches:

Dorsal shutdown creates:

This isn't weakness. This is evolution.

Your nervous system developed this over millennia. When fight/flight fails, your body chooses shutdown to conserve energy and protect you.

We live in near-constant sympathetic overdrive:

Eventually, the system flips to shutdown.

Just having words for this changes everything.

"I'm experiencing dorsal vagal shutdown." "I'm in my dorsal vagal era." "This is a nervous system state—not who I am."

Naming it is a technique for getting out of it.

Taylor Swift has fascinating eras. You have your dorsal vagal era. Nearly every burned-out physician experiences this.

The empowering news: This isn't permanent. Nervous system states change. You can climb back up the ladder.

When your partner says you're "being emotional":

"Actually, I'm experiencing dorsal vagal shutdown due to prolonged sympathetic overdrive."

Boom. Science.

How to climb out of shutdown with medical tools, therapy approaches, and daily practices.

You're not broken. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it evolved to do.

Share your stories: [email protected]

Your nervous system can heal. Let's climb together.

Ever find yourself replaying the same moment from a shift over and over in your head? Lying awake at night running through every step of a procedure? Welcome to rumination—and you're definitely not alone.

In this episode, Amanda, Laura, and Kendra dive deep into the mental trap that keeps so many physicians stuck: ruminative thinking. They break down why our brains do this, the different types of rumination, and most importantly—how to break free from the cycle.

Understanding Rumination:

The Four Types of Rumination:

Why Physicians Struggle:

Breaking the Cycle:

✨ You are more than your rumination - This isn't who you are, it's just what your brain is doing

✨ Pain × Resistance = Suffering - Allowing uncertainty to exist reduces your suffering

✨ Get out of your limbic system - Mindfulness helps you return to your prefrontal cortex

✨ Write it down - Externalizing your thoughts gives your brain permission to rest

The past is unchangeable—no amount of "what ifs" will rewrite it. The only thing that's real is this present moment. And in this moment, you are whole, you are a gift to medicine, and the work you do matters.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a colleague who might need to hear it. Have thoughts or questions? Reach out at [email protected]

#PhysicianWellness #MentalHealth #Rumination #BurnoutPrevention #MindfulnessForDoctors

Welcome back to the Drive Time Debrief! Today, Amanda, Laura, and Kendra are diving into a universal struggle: comparison. Whether it’s at work, on social media, or even within our own families, comparison sneaks in and steals joy, fueling anxiety, burnout, and disconnection. But there’s good news: with awareness, we can flip the script. ✨

In this episode, we unpack:

🔎 The anatomy of comparison — why it’s our default, and how it masquerades as connection.

📚 Insights from Dr. Brené Brown (Atlas of the Heart, The Gifts of Imperfection) and Dr. Caroline Leaf on how comparison impacts our brains and wellbeing.

💡 The shift from comparison → admiration → reverence — and how each step brings more freedom, creativity, and peace.

🏥 Real-life examples inside and outside medicine: patient outcomes, social media highlight reels, even parenting moments.

🌊 “Stay in your lane” wisdom — how focusing on your path fosters growth without the mental scoreboard.

🙌 Practical strategies to move forward:

Name comparison when it shows up.

Flip it into admiration (what can I learn?).

Cultivate awe and reverence through gratitude, nature, and everyday miracles.

Catch yourself in a comparison moment, pause, and choose admiration instead. Bonus points if you share your admiration out loud with someone else — you’ll be amazed at how it transforms connection. 💬

Remember: comparison fuels anxiety, but admiration and reverence foster connection, peace, and joy. You are whole. You are a gift to medicine. And the work you do truly matters. 💖

✨ Tag us with your “From Comparison to Connection” moments on socials or drop us a message at [email protected]  — we’d love to hear how you’re practicing this shift!

Bringing the Soul Back to Medicine with Dr. Mark Sullivan

Medicine isn’t just lab results and checkboxes—it’s about humans caring for humans. 💙 In this episode, Dr. Mark Sullivan, a physician with a heart for whole-person care, reminds us what truly matters: listening, presence, and compassion.

We talk about:
🌟 Why “to be heard is to be healed” may be the most powerful prescription
🌟 The Four Pillars he uses with every patient (sleep, nutrition, movement, boundaries)
🌟 How to protect your time and your soul in a rushed system
🌟 Burnout vs. moral injury—and why your calling still matters
🌟 Three simple “assignments” every doctor (and human!) can use to reset

This conversation is hopeful, practical, and inspiring. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your spark alive in medicine—or life—you’re going to love this one.

✨ Tune in, get encouraged, and remember: you are whole, you are a gift, and the work you do matters.

Resources:

https://www.physiciansweekly.com/author/mark-sullivan-md

nvafamilypractice.com

Our new Podcast Fast Track

Book a Session or Physician Wellness Triage (same link)

Sign up for the Weekly Well Check    

Our Social Media Accounts!! :) 

https://www.facebook.com/thewholephysician

https://www.instagram.com/thewholephysician

https://youtube.com/@thewholephysician6505

https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholephysician

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-whole-physician/

https://x.com/WholePhysician

Ever notice how one little mess—a pile of mail, a sink full of dishes, or shoes scattered everywhere—can snowball into stress, frustration, and overwhelm? In this episode, Dr. Amanda Dinsmore, Dr. Laura Cazier, and Dr. Kendra Morrison dive into the Broken Windows Theory and how tiny signs of neglect (at home or at work) can quietly erode your sense of peace and control.

But here’s the good news: just as small signs of disorder add up, so do small acts of repair. 💡

✨ The surprising psychology behind the Broken Windows principle and why it matters for your wellbeing.
✨ Everyday “broken windows” that sneak into home life—dishes, mail piles, laundry, cluttered counters—and how they impact mood and stress.
✨ Work “broken windows” like backlog charting, inbox overload, messy workstations, and how they drain focus.
✨ Tiny but powerful interventions (make the bed, sort one stack of mail, answer one inbox message) that restore order and calm.
✨ How to use habit stacking and micro-routines to turn chaos into clarity.
✨ Mindset windows: reframing critical thoughts, reducing perfectionism, and keeping your prefrontal cortex online.

✔️ You’ll feel validated (yes, those dishes really do make a difference!).
✔️ You’ll gain practical, doable hacks you can try TODAY.
✔️ You’ll discover how micro-decisions build momentum, reduce stress, and create a sense of accomplishment.
✔️ You’ll be reminded that you are not alone—everyone has “broken windows,” and attending to them is a gift to yourself.

✨ Listener Challenge: Do one small “window repair” today. Make the bed, clear a counter, or sort the mail—then notice how your energy shifts.

💬 We’d love to hear YOUR strategies for spotting and fixing broken windows before they spiral! Share them with us at [email protected] .

And remember:
👉 A stitch in time saves nine.
👉 You are whole.
👉 You are a gift to medicine.
👉 The work you do matters.

Resources: 

Fly Lady

Sidetracked Home Executives

Tiny Habits

Atomic Habits