In this episode, Johanna Moses and Ashlyn Smith explore how fear, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt can hold talented women back from pursuing their passions and creating impactful careers. They share personal stories, practical advice, and encouragement to help listeners step into their purpose with confidence.

Ashlyn Smith is a board-certified Physician Associate, Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional, Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management, and Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of PAs with 15 years of clinical expertise in whole-person endocrine care and over a decade of commitment to medical education.

Ashlyn is the founder of ELM Endocrinology & Lifestyle Medicine, PLLC. She co-launched the Independent PA Collective, supporting PAs in starting and scaling innovative, independent healthcare and other PA-led ventures. She is Past President of the American Society of Endocrine Physician Assistants and adjunct faculty at Midwestern University PA program and University of North Texas Lifestyle Health program. In addition to clinical care, Ashlyn is an author and frequent speaker at state and national conferences.

• 0:00 — Introduction to overcoming self-doubt in healthcare
• 4:07 — Career journey and the first yes
• 6:04 — Building a practice that fits your life
• 11:45 — The power of community and mentorship
• 14:11 — Working through imposter syndrome and fear
• 24:10 — Why capable women hold back
• 40:42 — Motherhood, adoption, and a changed perspective
• 44:07 — Grief, faith, and life beyond the plan
• 51:32 — Redefining success around family and purpose
• 54:39 — Closing encouragement: take the next step

Takeaways

• You don't have to be completely ready to start; taking the first step is often the hardest but most rewarding.
• Surrounding yourself with supportive community can accelerate your growth and confidence.
• Recognize the skills you already have and how they translate into entrepreneurship.
• Fear and self-doubt are normal; they don't define your ability to succeed.
• Your identity is not in your titles or achievements but in who you are and whose you are.
• Failure is part of the journey; it is a stepping stone, not a stopping point.

Connect with Ashlyn:

www.elm-health.com

Instagram: @elm.pac

TikTok: @elm.pac

linkedin.com/in/ashlynsmithpac

Connect with Johanna:

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 🌐 www. Ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 Instagram: @medicine_motherhood_missions

Johanna Moses, PA-C, MPH, is a physician assistant, author and founder of The Ephraim Foundation International, a nonprofit empowering rural communities in Sri Lanka through education and microenterprise. Drawing on her clinical background and nonprofit leadership, she hosts the Medicine Motherhood Missions podcast, helping healthcare professionals find meaningful ways to extend their impact beyond the exam room and women find their place in their own stories.

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Code: R1SRFZNBEAD87ZCM

Is faith important to succeed, or is it about succeeding in our faith that allows us to really thrive?

Johanna Moses talks with Gina Romero, an award-winning author, speaker, podcaster, homemaking expert, and ministry leader, about what it means to live with purpose in both work and home life. The conversation explores identity in Christ, hospitality, the mental load on women, and how Gina's personal story shaped her calling. 

Timestamps

00:00 - Introducing Gina Romero and the heart behind the conversation

02:33 - How Johanna and Gina connected through a writing conference

04:49 - From corporate leadership to entrepreneurship and ministry

08:48 - Why corporate America felt like survival, not calling

10:41 - Watching layoffs reshape Gina's view of work and loyalty

12:30 - People, process, and performance in organizational development

14:36 - Why women often have to weigh money against quality of life

17:04 - The trad wife question and seeking God's calling first

18:18 - Building Welcome Home as a steward, not an owner

19:59 - Generational shifts in motherhood, work, and career timelines

20:29 - Learning homemaking while already managing a full life

22:03 - Why the task is not the point, and identity is

23:06 - Blooming where you're planted with simple, meaningful rhythms

25:31 - Hospitality as a biblical practice, not a style contest

26:31 - Doing it as unto the Lord instead of for people

27:46 - The mental load and why it lands heavily on women

30:11 - Parenting, instinct, and the realities of carrying everything

31:34 - Teaching daughters to discover God's plan for their lives

33:43 - Leaving toxic work environments and choosing growth

36:25 - Why Gina sees her work as God's business

37:30 - The book, the podcast, and doors that opened quickly

39:24 - Gina's NICU story and God's faithfulness through hardship

40:52 - Why self-reliance is not the answer to exhaustion

42:01 - Productivity as an idol and identity in Christ

44:11 - How God brought Gina back through a health crisis

46:03 - "I'm the point" and the turning point in Gina's testimony

48:49 - Final encouragement: you matter, you are enough, take it one day at a time

Connect with Gina:

Web: www.welcomehomebygina.com

The Collective: www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

IG / Facebook / TikTok: @welcomehomebygina

YouTube: welcomehomebyginaromero

Connect with Johanna:

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 🌐 www. Ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 Instagram: @medicine_motherhood_missions

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Key topics

• She opens up about experiencing postpartum depression with two of her children
• How motherhood reshaped her sense of purpose
• Mental load women carry, especially when they are the default caretaker, planner, and emotional anchor in the home.
• Delegation in business, stronger boundaries, and accepting support have helped her protect her time and energy.
• Redefining success, letting go of guilt, and accepting that pivoting is part of growth rather than a sign of failure.
• Amanda emphasizes that resilience often looks like redirection, especially when feedback, disappointment, or burnout force a new perspective.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why this episode is for women in the messy middle

02:07 - Who Amanda Russell is beyond her roles and titles

02:45 - From corporate paralegal to copywriter and business owner

04:15 - Why storytelling became the heart of her work

06:49 - Postpartum depression and the role podcasts played in survival

07:43 - How motherhood shaped her identity and values

10:51 - The season that pushed her to start her own business

12:21 - Her kids seeing her build something meaningful

13:38 - Why one woman's admission can become another woman's permission

15:46 - Reconnecting with identity beyond productivity and caretaking

18:05 - Losing yourself in motherhood and the need to feel seen

20:57 - Releasing perfectionism and the Pinterest board pressure

22:41 - Why worrying about being a good mom is usually a sign you are one

24:50 - Delegation, boundaries, and making space for what matters

29:16 - Redefining success beyond the old career ladder

31:05 - Guilt about serving outside the home and in the community

32:30 - Purpose before opinions and letting guilt lose its power

34:18 - Why pivoting is normal and not a failure

38:13 - Practicing confidence instead of waiting to feel ready

42:41 - Rebuilding after disappointment, burnout, and negative feedback

46:11 - Teaching kids to receive feedback without letting it define them

47:44 - What entrepreneurship has taught her about resilience

49:41 - The invisible mental load and the chaos of school schedules

51:20 - Rest, dropping balls, and giving yourself permission to pause

53:17 - Managing overwhelm and adjusting rhythms by season

56:14 - Encouragement for women who feel unseen

Notable quotes

• "One woman's admission is another's permission."
• "I had a purpose before anyone had an opinion."
• "If you're worrying about being a good mom, then you should know you already are one."

Connect with Amanda: 

www.chaoscoordinationllc.com.
https://www.threads.com/chaoscoordinationllc
https://www.instagram.com/chaoscoordinationllc
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-courtney-russell/

Connect with Johanna:

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 🌐 www. Ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 Instagram: @medicine_motherhood_missions

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Code: DDPRY1OPWI3NRMTF

Every child develops at their own pace—but knowing when to seek support can make a lifelong difference.

In this episode of Medicine, Motherhood, Missions, Johanna Moses welcomes Christina Davis, PA-C, a Physician Associate specializing in developmental and behavioral pediatrics and the founder of All Hands In Supporting Neurodiverse Development. Together, they explore how families, healthcare providers, educators, and technology can work together to support children in reaching their fullest potential.

Christina shares her journey into developmental and behavioral pediatrics, what inspired her to launch her own practice, and why she is passionate about helping families navigate developmental concerns with compassion, education, and whole-child care.

Johanna and Christina also discuss the evolving role of technology in healthcare, including consulting with the Neo Sophia Early Screener App and how digital tools can improve access to early developmental screening while strengthening—not replacing—the provider-patient relationship.

• What developmental and behavioral pediatrics really is
• Common developmental concerns parents should never ignore
• Understanding and embracing neurodiversity
• Supporting families with compassion, confidence, and hope
• Building collaborative care between parents, schools, therapists, and medical providers
• Entrepreneurship and launching a purpose-driven healthcare practice
• Expanding career opportunities for Physician Associates beyond traditional clinical roles
• Why every child deserves to be seen for their strengths—not just their challenges

• Every child develops differently, and milestones are meant to guide—not define—a child's potential.
• Early evaluation provides clarity and opens doors to support.
• Neurodiversity reminds us to celebrate unique strengths while meeting individual needs.
• Technology can improve access to care while preserving meaningful patient relationships.
• Healthcare is strongest when families, providers, educators, and communities work together.
• Purpose-driven leadership can extend far beyond the exam room.

If this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe to Medicine, Motherhood, Missions, leave a review, and share this episode with a parent, healthcare provider, educator, or friend who could benefit from these insights.

Together, we can build healthier families, stronger communities, and brighter futures—one child at a time.

Learn more about Christina's work through All Hands In Supporting Neurodiverse Development and follow her for educational resources that empower families and support neurodiverse children.

[email protected]

@all.hands.in_neurodev (Tik Tok and Instagram)

https://allhandsinneurodev.com/

Connect with Johanna:

www.johannamoses.com

@medicine_motherhood_missions

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What happens when systems protect power more than people? In this second half of Johanna's conversation with Kayla Branstetter — author of the upcoming book Don't Be an Athena — the two go beyond mean-girl mythology to ask harder questions about who gets believed, who gets blamed, and who gets left to suffer in silence.

Drawing on the ancient story of Medusa — a mortal woman punished for a god's violence against her — Kayla and Johanna trace a direct line from Greek mythology to modern healthcare: the dismissal of women's pain, the politicization of medical research, the erosion of trust between patients and providers, and the internalized shame so many women carry into motherhood, reproduction, and their own bodies.

This episode covers a wide range of ground: sexual assault and consent education, the history of medical racism (from Tuskegee to Henrietta Lacks), the impact of colonization on women's rights, vaccine hesitancy and public health communication, and the quiet, generational pressure to endure rather than to heal.

It's not a conversation about rejecting strength — it's a conversation about whether real strength makes room for truth, compassion, and care.

Key Topics & Approximate Timestamps

• What the Athena myth represents: power, complicity, and duality
• The story behind Don't Be an Athena — Medusa, Poseidon, and the origin of the "monster"
• How shame replaces support
• Parallels to colonization and cultural erasure
• Kayla's own story: infertility, miscarriage
• Healthcare as a human right
• Internalized misogyny across cultures
• The mental load, "quiet endurance," and the myth of the strong-but-weak woman

About the Guest

Kayla Branstetter is an English instructor, writer, TEDx speaker, and researcher.

Connect with Kayla:

• 📖 Book: https://a.co/d/0cF3EXml
• 🌐 Website: www.kaylabranstetter.com
• 📲 Instagram: @kaylabranstetter
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-branstetter/
• [email protected] 

Connect with Johanna:

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 📲 @medicine_motherhood_missions
• 📧 [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXH7WkmRtzX-gt_sDcKzwFA

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/35VYJvIJuLWUgjTZIoGWGR?si=54b5368973c14837

Apple Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medicine-motherhood-missions/id1759759710

#MedicineMotherhoodMissions #SparkHope

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Code: AIU4RUANLPZZLHZE

For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish. Marriage is one of God's greatest gifts—but it's also one of our greatest opportunities for growth.

In this special episode of Medicine Motherhood Missions, Johanna is joined by her husband, Dr. Paul Moses, for an honest conversation about marriage, biblical roles, leadership, partnership, and what it means to build a life centered on Christ.

Together, they reflect on their own journey—from balancing careers in medicine, academia, and nonprofit work to raising a daughter, navigating unexpected challenges, and learning that a healthy marriage isn't built on perfection, but on humility, grace, and serving one another.

Whether you're single, dating, engaged, newly married, or have celebrated decades together, this episode offers encouragement for anyone desiring stronger relationships rooted in faith and purpose.

• How our understanding of marriage has changed over the years
• What biblical leadership and submission really mean—and what they don't?
• Why healthy marriages are built on mutual respect and sacrificial love
• Supporting each other's individual callings without competing
• Balancing career, ministry, parenthood, and marriage
• Communication habits that strengthen relationships
• Navigating conflict with grace instead of pride
• The importance of forgiveness and choosing each other every day
• What we hope our daughter learns by watching our marriage
• Practical advice for couples in every season of life

Marriage isn't about keeping score.

It's about choosing love when it's difficult, extending grace when it's undeserved, and remembering that your spouse isn't your opponent—they're your teammate.

Our prayer is that this conversation encourages you to pursue a marriage marked by faith, humility, and purpose, while reminding you that God continues to shape us through every season of life together.

• Learn more about The Ephraim Foundation International (EFI) and our mission to empower children and families in Sri Lanka.
• Follow Medicine Motherhood Missions for more conversations at the intersection of faith, medicine, family, and purpose.

If today's episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend or spouse. Your support is greatly appreciated!

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 🌐 www. Ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 Instagram: @medicine_motherhood_missions
• 📧 [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXH7WkmRtzX-gt_sDcKzwFA

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/35VYJvIJuLWUgjTZIoGWGR?si=54b5368973c14837

Apple Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medicine-motherhood-missions/id1759759710

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: RFULV28TDBULBTV7

For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish. Marriage is one of God's greatest gifts—but it's also one of our greatest opportunities for growth.

In this special episode of Medicine Motherhood Missions, Johanna is joined by her husband, Dr. Paul Moses, for an honest conversation about marriage, biblical roles, leadership, partnership, and what it means to build a life centered on Christ.

Together, they reflect on their own journey—from balancing careers in medicine, academia, and nonprofit work to raising a daughter, navigating unexpected challenges, and learning that a healthy marriage isn't built on perfection, but on humility, grace, and serving one another.

Whether you're single, dating, engaged, newly married, or have celebrated decades together, this episode offers encouragement for anyone desiring stronger relationships rooted in faith and purpose.

• How our understanding of marriage has changed over the years
• What biblical leadership and submission really mean—and what they don't?
• Why healthy marriages are built on mutual respect and sacrificial love
• Supporting each other's individual callings without competing
• Balancing career, ministry, parenthood, and marriage
• Communication habits that strengthen relationships
• Navigating conflict with grace instead of pride
• The importance of forgiveness and choosing each other every day
• What we hope our daughter learns by watching our marriage
• Practical advice for couples in every season of life

Marriage isn't about keeping score.

It's about choosing love when it's difficult, extending grace when it's undeserved, and remembering that your spouse isn't your opponent—they're your teammate.

Our prayer is that this conversation encourages you to pursue a marriage marked by faith, humility, and purpose, while reminding you that God continues to shape us through every season of life together.

• Learn more about The Ephraim Foundation International (EFI) and our mission to empower children and families in Sri Lanka.
• Follow Medicine Motherhood Missions for more conversations at the intersection of faith, medicine, family, and purpose.

If today's episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend or spouse. Your support is greatly appreciated!

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 🌐 www. Ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 Instagram: @medicine_motherhood_missions
• 📧 [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXH7WkmRtzX-gt_sDcKzwFA

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/35VYJvIJuLWUgjTZIoGWGR?si=54b5368973c14837

Apple Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medicine-motherhood-missions/id1759759710

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Code: RFULV28TDBULBTV7

Have you ever felt like you had to smile through your pain, minimize your symptoms, or convince others that what you were experiencing was real?

In this episode of Medicine Motherhood Missions, host Johanna Moses sits down with educator, TEDx speaker, researcher, and author Kayla Branstetter to explore the cultural expectation that women should quietly endure suffering. Together, they unpack how this mindset affects women's health, reproductive care, and emotional well-being.

Kayla shares insights from her upcoming book, Don't Be an Athena, releasing July 20, and explains why the strongest thing a woman can do isn't to suffer in silence—it's to tell the truth about her story.

• Why women are often praised for silent endurance rather than honest vulnerability

• Medical gaslighting

• Misdiagnosis/delayed diagnosis in women's health

• Miscarriage, infertility, reproductive trauma, and grief

• Judgment, shame, and the emotional burden women carry

• Teen pregnancy and the importance of compassion over condemnation

• Narrative medicine and why every patient's story matters

• How healthcare providers can build trust through listening

• What true resilience actually looks like

Connect with Kayla Branstetter

Follow Kayla to learn more about her advocacy, writing, TEDx talk, and her book Don't Be an Athena: Women's Stories of Surviving Medical Misogyny

• 📖 Book: Don’t Be an Athena:
• 🌐 Website: www.kaylabranstetter.com
• 📲 Instagram: @kaylabranstetter
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-branstetter/
• [email protected] 

Connect with Johanna:

• 🌐 www.johannamoses.com
• 📲 Instagram: @medicine_motherhood_missions

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXH7WkmRtzX-gt_sDcKzwFA

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/35VYJvIJuLWUgjTZIoGWGR?si=54b5368973c14837

Apple Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medicine-motherhood-missions/id1759759710

Loved this episode? Leave a review, share it with a woman in medicine who needs it today, and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Empower. Encourage. Educate. — Spark Hope.

Johanna Moses, PA-C, MPH, is passionate about helping others live with purpose and courage. With years of experience practicing medicine and serving patients in clinical settings, Johanna brings a unique perspective that bridges healthcare, faith, leadership, and personal growth. She founded a nonprofit and is also the author of the children’s book series Little Evie’s Big Dreams.

Johanna welcomes her husband, Dr. Paul Moses, back to the podcast for a candid conversation about The Ephraim Foundation International—the nonprofit ministry Johanna founded that has grown from small acts of faith into a movement serving children and families in Sri Lanka. Paul shares his front-row view of the foundation's growth over the years, from its earliest days to his own trips to Sri Lanka meeting the children and families the foundation serves. Together, they pull back the curtain on the lessons learned, the faithfulness they've witnessed, and why they believe lasting transformation starts with investing in people—not just projects.

Whether you're passionate about missions, curious about nonprofit leadership, or wondering if God can use your own ordinary "yes" for something extraordinary, this conversation is for you.

How God can take one person's willingness to say "yes" and multiply it into lasting impact through community, faithfulness, and obedience.

In This Episode

• The early days of The Ephraim Foundation International and how it's grown over the years
• Paul's experience traveling to Sri Lanka and meeting the children and families served by the foundation
• Behind-the-scenes lessons from building a nonprofit rooted in relationships, education, and hope
• Why investing in people—not just projects—creates lasting transformation
• How education, leadership, nutrition, and relationships work together to change the next generation's trajectory
• Encouragement for anyone wondering if their "ordinary yes" could lead to something extraordinary

Key Takeaway

God doesn't ask us to have all the answers before we begin—He asks us to be faithful with what He's placed in our hands. The growth of The Ephraim Foundation International hasn't come from one person, but from the generosity, prayers, and partnership of people who believe every child deserves hope, opportunity, and the chance to flourish.

Quote to Share

"When we invest in people with love and purpose, we're investing in generations to come."

Connect & Get Involved

• Loved this episode? Share it with a friend, subscribe to Medicine, Motherhood, Missions, and leave a review.
• Want to be part of the work of The Ephraim Foundation International? Get involved through prayer, giving, or sharing the mission.

• 🌐 www.ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 IG: @medicine_motherhood_missions

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXH7WkmRtzX-gt_sDcKzwFA

Johanna Moses, PA-C, MPH, is a physician assistant, author, and podcast host passionate about helping others live with purpose and courage. 

With years of experience practicing medicine and serving patients in clinical settings, Johanna brings a unique perspective that bridges healthcare, faith, leadership, and personal growth. 

She is the host of the podcast Medicine, Motherhood & Missions, where she shares meaningful conversations on medicine, calling, and impact, and the author of the children’s book series Little Evie’s Big Dreams.

Through her work in medicine and storytelling, Johanna encourages others to pursue their calling, lead with compassion, and dream beyond limitations.

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: Q6XCTFPHYPPBKXZD

Johanna welcomes her husband, Dr. Paul Moses, back to the podcast for a candid conversation about The Ephraim Foundation International—the nonprofit ministry Johanna founded that has grown from small acts of faith into a movement serving children and families in Sri Lanka. Paul shares his front-row view of the foundation's growth over the years, from its earliest days to his own trips to Sri Lanka meeting the children and families the foundation serves. Together, they pull back the curtain on the lessons learned, the faithfulness they've witnessed, and why they believe lasting transformation starts with investing in people—not just projects.

Whether you're passionate about missions, curious about nonprofit leadership, or wondering if God can use your own ordinary "yes" for something extraordinary, this conversation is for you.

How God can take one person's willingness to say "yes" and multiply it into lasting impact through community, faithfulness, and obedience.

In This Episode

• The early days of The Ephraim Foundation International and how it's grown over the years
• Paul's experience traveling to Sri Lanka and meeting the children and families served by the foundation
• Behind-the-scenes lessons from building a nonprofit rooted in relationships, education, and hope
• Why investing in people—not just projects—creates lasting transformation
• How education, leadership, nutrition, and relationships work together to change the next generation's trajectory
• Encouragement for anyone wondering if their "ordinary yes" could lead to something extraordinary

Key Takeaway

God doesn't ask us to have all the answers before we begin—He asks us to be faithful with what He's placed in our hands. The growth of The Ephraim Foundation International hasn't come from one person, but from the generosity, prayers, and partnership of people who believe every child deserves hope, opportunity, and the chance to flourish.

Quote to Share

"When we invest in people with love and purpose, we're investing in generations to come."

Connect & Get Involved

• Loved this episode? Share it with a friend, subscribe to Medicine, Motherhood, Missions, and leave a review.
• Want to be part of the work of The Ephraim Foundation International? Get involved through prayer, giving, or sharing the mission.

• 🌐 www.ephraimfoundation.org
• 📲 IG: @medicine_motherhood_missions

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXH7WkmRtzX-gt_sDcKzwFA

Johanna Moses, PA-C, MPH, is a physician assistant, author, and podcast host passionate about helping others live with purpose and courage. 

With years of experience practicing medicine and serving patients in clinical settings, Johanna brings a unique perspective that bridges healthcare, faith, leadership, and personal growth. 

She is the host of the podcast Medicine, Motherhood & Missions, where she shares meaningful conversations on medicine, calling, and impact, and the author of the children’s book series Little Evie’s Big Dreams.

Through her work in medicine and storytelling, Johanna encourages others to pursue their calling, lead with compassion, and dream beyond limitations.

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: Q6XCTFPHYPPBKXZD