If you’ve ever wondered “Who am I when I’m not my role?” or “What comes after medicine?” this is the episode you want in your ears.

Today, I sit down with my dear friend Dr. Anne Pendo — internist, former chief wellness officer, certified physician coach, grandmother-with-a-tea-set, and lifelong hope giver — to talk about something we don’t talk about enough:

Life… after.

After the pager.
After the identity.
After the decades of being the one people turn to.
After the grief that rearranges your entire insides.
After the moment when you say, “I can’t keep doing this the way I’ve always done it.”

Anne shares how she spent more than 30 years in medicine asking herself four questions:

Those questions stayed with her through leadership, culture change, and personal tragedy.
They stayed with her after her son Robbie died.
And they stayed with her when she realized she couldn’t “work her way through” that grief — that the only way forward was to feel it fully and trust the helpers around her.

And eventually, those same four questions led her toward something new.

Not a quitting.
Not a losing herself.
Not a walking away.

But a gentle, honest, deeply intentional choosing of a life after medicine that still holds purpose, connection, presence, and meaning.

In this conversation, Anne talks about:

• What surprised her most when she stepped away from clinical practice
• Why she didn’t miss it — and what that told her
• How she learned to rest for the first time since 1975 (yes, really)
• The moment a Christmas card cracked her heart open and whispered: this is what you want more of
• Being a “warm blanket” presence and why that matters in every kind of healing
• How coaching became a natural extension of who she already was
• The tiny joys — bedtime songs, tea parties with Eloise, Olive and Ollie’s therapy dog rounds — that keep her anchored now
• And what it means to continue your purpose, even when your job title changes

This episode is tender and honest and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from someone who has truly lived through the dark and still chooses hope — on purpose.

If you’re in a season of transition, grief, burnout, or asking yourself what comes next… you’ll feel so seen here.

Connect with Dr. Anne Pendo

Website: https://www.annependomd.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annependo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annependomd/

Stay Connected with Chrissie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com

🎧 Full transcript + more at: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

For Physician Coaches

Physician Coaching Collective: https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

What do you do when the work you love begins to hollow you out?

When you’re showing up for little patients with big needs—and your own family at home—while quietly wondering how long you can keep going?

If you’ve ever felt that tension between your vocation and your wellbeing, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Solving for Joy, I sit down with Dr. Kirin Palmer, pediatrician and founder of Pure Joy Pediatrics, to explore what it means to stay human in medicine. Kirin shares openly about navigating burnout, motherhood, and identity, and how receiving coaching gave her something physicians rarely talk about: permission to be supported.

In the middle of a season that asked more of her than she had to give, Kirin realized her only way through wasn’t more grit—it was more presence. She began choosing small, grounding practices that tethered her back to herself and back to the joy she built her practice around.

What emerged wasn’t balance in the traditional sense. It was sustenance—a way of moving through medicine that centers humanity, connection, and the simple joy of caring for children with her whole, grounded self.

Together, we talk about how receiving care reshapes the care you give, why presence matters more than perfection, and how joy can become a compass when everything around you is pulling at your edges.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What burnout looked and felt like for Dr. Kirin Palmer
 • How coaching supported her through a demanding and vulnerable season
 • Why presence—not performance—is the foundation of her pediatric practice
 • How she keeps joy at the center of caring for kids and caring for herself
 • What “sustenance” means in medicine, and why so many physicians are running on empty
 • The power of receiving support when you’re usually the one providing it
 • What helps her stay grounded when her mind starts future-tripping

If you’ve been longing for space to breathe, to soften, or to simply come home to yourself in your work, I hope this conversation opens a gentle door back to curiosity, compassion, and a more sustainable kind of joy.

More from Dr. Kirin Palmer:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirinpalmermd/
Practice IG: https://www.instagram.com/purejoypediatrics/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirin-palmer-md-13476524/
Website: https://www.purejoypediatrics.com/

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com

🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

What if depression isn’t a flaw to fix—but a signal calling you back to yourself?

In this episode of Solving for Joy, I sit down with Dr. Ardeshir Mehran, psychologist, researcher, and author of You Are Not Depressed. You Are Un-Finished, for a conversation that reimagines emotional suffering as an invitation to wholeness.

Dr. Mehran’s groundbreaking Emotional Rights Framework identifies seven core human needs—from belonging and mattering to self-expression and purpose—and shows how depression, anxiety, and burnout emerge when those needs go unmet. Together, we explore how reconnecting with our innate emotional “rights” can transform disconnection into vitality, numbness into meaning, and survival into joy.

We also talk about the difference between depression and burnout, how emotional pain can become a compass for healing, and why the journey toward joy always begins with remembering who you are.

In this episode, you’ll hear:
 • What the seven Emotional Rights reveal about healing and human flourishing
 • Why depression and anxiety are intertwined signals, not separate diagnoses
 • The three forms of depression—transition-based, disconnection-based, and surrender-based
 • How somatic work and emotional awareness can restore calm and agency
 • What it means to turn depression into energy, focus, and purpose
 • How meaning, alignment, and delight converge in the experience of joy

If you’ve ever felt like success left you empty, or that healing means something deeper than managing symptoms, I hope this conversation helps you see emotional pain not as a dead end—but as a doorway back to connection, wholeness, and joy.

More from Dr. Ardeshir Mehran:
Website: https://ardeshirmehran.com
Book: You Are Not Depressed. You Are Un-Finished
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ardeshirmehran

Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com

🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

We’ll be taking a short break over the next couple of weeks as we prepare for and recover from the Physician Coaching Summit at Civana Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, Arizona. It’s the perfect time to catch up on previous episodes you may have missed—we’ll be back soon with more conversations to help you solve for joy.

But did it ever actually fit?

So much of what we were taught about health, weight, and nourishment has shaped how we care for children—and ourselves. But if you’ve ever felt like those rules never quite matched the real world, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Solving for Joy, I sit down with Jill Castle, pediatric dietitian, parent coach, and author of Kids Thrive at Every Size. Together, we explore what happens when we move beyond fixing—when we stop trying to perfect or control—and instead start truly seeing the children, parents, and patients in front of us.

Jill is the creator of The Nourished Child framework and host of The Nourished Child podcast. For decades, she’s helped families release shame and confusion around food and find a more grounded, joyful way to nourish their kids and themselves.

We talk about how expertise meets humility, how joy and health can coexist in every body, and why supporting parents often begins with healing the stories we inherited about our own.

In this episode, you’ll hear:
• What The Nourished Child teaches about compassionate, shame-free care
• How to help kids “thrive at every size” while supporting both physical and emotional health
• Why family culture matters more than perfection or portion sizes
• How you can move beyond fixing toward curiosity, connection, and trust
• What it means to reclaim joy—in feeding, in medicine, and in how you care

If you’ve ever felt the tension between evidence and empathy, or wondered how to hold multiple truths at once, I hope this conversation invites you back to curiosity, compassion, and joy.

More from Jill Castle:
Website: https://jillcastle.com
Podcast: The Nourished Child https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nourished-child/id1149940384
Book: Kids Thrive at Every Size https://a.co/d/f1FuNSR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidnutritionist

Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com

🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

Next week on Solving for Joy:
Psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Ardeshir Mehran joins me for a conversation about emotional suffering—not as something to fix or mask, but as a pathway back to meaning, connection, and a life that feels truly well lived.

What happens when every cell in your body says, “It’s time”—but you have no idea what comes next?

In this episode of Solving for Joy, host Dr. Chrissie Ott sits down with Dr. Sheri Rosenthal, founder of Wanderlust Entrepreneur and Journeys of the Spirit, for a conversation about trust, flow, and the serendipity of following what feels right.

A former surgeon and residency director, Sheri didn’t reinvent herself—she simply listened when life called her into a new season. That call led her to study for eight years with Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, and eventually to guide others in creating transformational retreats around the world.

Together, we explore how the teachings of The Four Agreements—especially being impeccable with your word—can shift our inner dialogue, release resistance, and open the door to unexpected joy. Sheri reminds us that letting go isn’t failure—it’s flow. When we stop fighting what’s changing, we create space for what’s meant for us.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How serendipity guided Sheri from medicine to meaning—and why she trusted it
• What The Four Agreements teach about self-talk, ego, and freedom
• Why alignment often feels like ease, and resistance signals it’s time to listen
• How energy exchange and abundance are connected to sustainable service
• The role of faith and trust in moving forward when the path isn’t clear

If you’ve ever felt a quiet inner pull toward something new, this episode is a reminder that life unfolds in perfect timing—and joy often lives on the other side of trust.

More from Dr. Sheri Rosenthal:
Website: https://www.wanderlustentrepreneur.com
Retreats & Events: https://www.journeysofthespirit.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherirosenthal

Stay connected with Dr. Chrissie Ott:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com

🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

Next week on Solving for Joy:
Pediatric dietitian and author Jill Castle, host of The Nourished Child podcast, joins me to talk about feeding both body and spirit—and how to raise thriving kids in a world obsessed with size.

What happens when science, leadership, and joy converge?

This week, I’m joined by Coach Meg Margaret Moore—co-founder of Wellcoaches, the Institute of Coaching, and the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching—for a profound and forward-looking conversation about the future of well-being, the evolution of coaching, and the art of living a life of purpose.

From her early career as a biotech executive across four countries to becoming one of the architects of modern coaching, Coach Meg shares how decades of work in neuroscience, psychology, and leadership have shaped her latest projects: the Well-Being Coaching Inventory and her new book, The Science of Leadership.

Together, we explore the nine parts of the mind, the relationship between stability and disruption, and what it means to make well-being—not productivity—the measure of success. With candor and clarity, Coach Meg invites us to see joy as both a practice and a responsibility: the thunder that moves us toward wholeness.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why our true purpose in life is to promote the well-being of ourselves and others
• How The Science of Leadership and the Well-Being Coaching Inventory are redefining evidence-based coaching
• What the “multiplicity of mind” reveals about personality, purpose, and integration
• How AI and technology can support human flourishing—when guided by compassion
• Why “joy is thunder” and what it means to stabilize during times of rapid change
• How measurement, meaning, and mindfulness come together in modern leadership

If you’ve ever wondered how science and soul meet inside the practice of coaching—or how joy can be both data-driven and deeply human—this episode offers a luminous window into the next era of well-being.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please consult your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Coach Meg Margaret Moore:

Website: https://www.wellcoaches.com
The Well-Being Index: https://www.wellcoachesnetwork.com
Institute of Coaching: https://www.instituteofcoaching.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmeg/

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd/

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

Learn, connect, and recharge at the Physician Coaching Summit, November 6-8 at Civana Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, AZ.
https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Sheri Rosenthal, a former podiatrist turned retreat strategist, joins me to share how she helps heart-centered entrepreneurs design transformational retreats that are both impactful and sustainable.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When suffering shows up, what does it mean to let no pain go untransformed?

This week, I’m joined by physician, coach, author, and artist Dr. Sarah Bamford Seidelmann for a whimsical and deeply human conversation about joy, creativity, and the sacred absurd. Together, we explore how boundaries sustain our gifts, what it means to make a “feasting table of our wounds,” and why even in moments of grief, laughter and delight have their place.

Sarah shares her journey from fourth-generation physician and pathologist to bestselling author, shamanic practitioner, and coach. We talk about animal messengers, the 100-day projects that changed her life, the power of sustainable boundaries, and the role of self-expression in healing. With warmth and humor, she reminds us that joy doesn’t have to wait—and healing doesn’t have to be linear.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why joy and grief often travel together—and why neither cancels the other out
• What it means to “make a feasting table of our wounds” and transform suffering into service
• How to recognize and honor animal messengers in your own life
• Why boundaries are both compassionate and essential for sustainability
• How self-expression—through art, dance, writing, or story—creates a path back to wholeness
• Why playfulness and delight are not frivolous, but vital

If you’ve ever wondered how creativity, spirit, and science can coexist in the messy middle of being human, this episode is a generous invitation to explore.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Sarah Seidelmann:

Website: https://www.followyourfeelgood.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahseidelmann/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sarah-Bamford-Seidelmann/author/B007P7GRXI

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Margaret Moore (Coach Meg), pioneer in evidence-based coaching, joins me to talk about the nine parts of the mind, her new book The Science of Leadership, and what it means to lead from the inside out.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When the world feels divided, dialogue breaks down, and “othering” becomes the language of the day—how do we return to what makes us most human?

This week, I’m joined by internist, public health professional, and trauma-informed coach Dr. Kemia Sarraf, CEO of Lodestar Coaching, for a powerful conversation about choosing humanity, even in dark times. Together, we explore why joy, hope, and courage are muscles to be flexed, how dialogue (not debate) protects our humanity, and why connection literally rewires our nervous systems for safety.

Dr. Sarraf shares her story from public health to medicine to founding a trauma-informed nonprofit and eventually creating her own coaching practice. We talk about the neuroscience of safety and threat, the dangers of othering, and why language matters—because all genocide begins with words. And yet, the shortest distance between two people is story, and dialogue rooted in humanity remains our best bridge.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “default to your humanity” is a practice that protects connection in times of division
• How joy, hope, and courage are muscles we flex daily—not states we wait to feel
• The neuroscience of safety, threat scanning, and why uncertainty is so exhausting
• How trauma-informed coaching helps physicians and leaders unlearn “shellacked” training and reclaim their humanity
• Why dialogue is different from debate—and how story opens the shortest distance between two people
• How to resist othering and instead show up as a cue of safety for those around you

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay human in the face of trauma, division, or uncertainty, this conversation is a call back to presence, connection, and the courage to choose differently.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Kemia Sarraf:

Lodestar Coaching: https://www.lodestarpc.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkemia/

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Sarah Seidelman—physician, coach, and author—joins me for a spirited conversation about wild creativity, spirituality, and finding joy in unexpected places.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When medicine starts to feel like a factory line—and your smile no longer feels like your own—what then?

I’m joined by integrative pediatric dermatologist, children’s book author, and founder of The Joyful Path, Dr. Meena Julapalli, for a conversation that sings with story, presence, and the reminder that joy is not a reward, but a practice.

Meena shares her journey from academic burnout and 50-patient clinic days to creating Bluebird Dermatology, a direct care practice where connection—not the clock—guides healing. We talk about her moment of awe on the shores of Antarctica, the post-traumatic growth that reshaped her purpose, and why joy, curiosity, and play are not luxuries but essential medicines. Together, we explore mindset coaching for kids, storytelling as a healing tool, and the simple practices that return us to safety, laughter, and wonder.

We also talk about the deeper integration of medicine and meaning: how nutrition, Reiki, hypnotherapy, laughter yoga, and forest walks find their place alongside dermatology, and how these practices help children (and adults) not just survive, but truly thrive.

In this episode, you’ll learn
 • Why joy is an inherent radiance—not something you earn after the hard parts are over
 • How awe, nature, and presence (even penguins!) can reset your nervous system and restore connection
 • A practical framework for educating, empowering, and advocating—so kids and families leave with tools, not just prescriptions
 • How storytelling and mindset coaching help children build resilience, curiosity, and self-trust
 • Why laughter, play, and micro-moments of safety are signals that unlock deeper healing
 • What it means to practice medicine as a “joyologist”—and how curiosity keeps joy alive across a lifetime
 • The power of community healing: when “I” becomes “we,” illness becomes wellness

If you’re a parent, clinician, or seeker ready to rediscover what makes your heart sing, this conversation is a guide back to joy—for you and the children you love.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Meena Julapalli:
Website: https://www.thejoyfulpath.org
Bluebird Dermatology: https://www.bluebirddermatology.com
Books: Listen to the Song in My Heart and Bluebird, Oh Bluebird, What Makes Your Heart Sing?

Stay connected with me:
Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Kemia Sarraf—internist, trauma-informed coach, and CEO of Lodestar Coaching. We’ll talk about chronic toxic stress, how to find safety inside your own nervous system, and why connection is not just nice, but literally keeps us human.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When the “good doctor” script starts to feel too tight—and excitement won’t carry you through the week—what then?

I’m joined by emergency physician, performance coach, and Physician Coaching Summit co-host Dr. Shideh Shafie for a grounded, joyful conversation on High-Vibe Sundays, why community is the evidence you’re not alone, and how to find a right-dose of clinical work that preserves meaning without the martyrdom.

Shideh shares the origin story of High-Vibe Sundays (breathwork, a silent garden walk, and a shared vegetarian meal), how gratitude becomes a gateway to serenity, and why dancing for three minutes before a keynote can shift your chemistry faster than white-knuckling mindset work. Together, we talk non-dual joy (wholeness over either/or), co-regulation, redefining success beyond “leave clinical or bust,” and permission to iterate your season—again and again.

Together, we unpack the pull to sameness in medicine, the relief of finding your people, and a kinder metric of success that honors both meaning and joy.

In this episode, you’ll learn
• How High-Vibe Sundays raises the room: breathwork → presence → shared meal → co-regulation you can feel
• Why serenity lasts longer than spark—and how gratitude opens steadier states you can actually live in
• A practical way to right-dose medicine so meaning stays while over-giving fades
• How to spot the “good doctor” sameness trap—and return to what’s truest for you now
• Why community is evidence (you’re not alone) and a shortcut to sustainable coaching
• Simple movement resets (hello, 3-minute dance party) that shift anxiety before big moments
• A reframing of success for physician coaches that isn’t “leave clinical” or “match your old salary”
• How to expand your capacity (the “bigger vessel” idea) so more light/joy can be received

If you’re a physician coach craving steady energy, real community, and doable rituals that raise the vibe, this conversation is a reframe and a reset.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Shideh Shafie:

Website: https://www.shidehshafie.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shideh.shafie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drshidehshafieperformancecoach

Stay connected with me:
Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Meena Jullipalli—dermatologist, coach for kids and families, and clinical hypnosis practitioner. If you’re curious about helping young people regulate and thrive, don’t miss it.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net