Dr. Mark McLaughlin is a neurosurgeon who was given this advice by a mentor during his training. He adds, "And never worry about anything alone!" Mark is a master storyteller, and in this episode, he shares a poignant and touching narrative about a young patient of his...

"He left the hospital, but he did not leave me."

"In one day the most catastrophic patient I had in my career became the best patient I ever had in my career!"

"It is the greatest gift you can ever have in medicine, to have those kinds of relationships with patients."

"That night completely transformed the way I thought about myself as a doctor."

Those are just a few excerpts from our riveting conversation.

Mark also describes pretending he was ok, how he avoided and suppressed uncomfortable feelings, some of the ways he used buffering to anesthetize himself, and how avoiding the feelings was worse!

This is a must-listen for doctors AND patients; so much healing occurs in sharing our stories!

Thank you very much, Mark, for being my guest, I feel honored and privileged to be able to share this interview with you with all who need to hear it, and that is everyone!

Dr. Dana Corriel, physician turned digital consultant and entrepreneur, shares all about the SoMeDocs (Doctors on Social Media) platform she has built to promote greater physician autonomy.

"When I was working for a system, I was not only representing them, but my entire professional being was them. Every piece of marketing that was put out there was theirs. At the end of the day, we really need to understand that we need to bring autonomy back. The doctor is an individual who makes the system what it is, that makes the system shine. Build a presence online of your own, yourself without the system!"

We include a little "blooper" that speaks to Dana's opening line: "I am human, just like them." Doctors actually get runny noses, and yes, they even use tissues!

Dr. David Fessell is a radiologist by training, who was asked that question by a friend some years ago, and it changed his life! David now speaks internationally, coaches, and writes about wellness, emotional intelligence, and resilience. David shares how it was fun to learn something new; something he knew would help in his work, and in the rest of his life.

You'll learn about "Medical Improv," and how David came to know Alan Alda!

David is also a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, and he offers suggestions as to how you can incorporate small little actions into your day to energize, calm, and re-center yourself, even while washing your hands at work!

Our conversation is fun and unique, just like Dr. David Fessell is! We even recorded on the most unique day on the calendar...February 29th; listen and enjoy, you'll be glad you did!

Dr. Bryce Bowers is a family medicine physician and passionate physician wellness and mental health advocate. He speaks from lived experience and says he felt like he was the only person in the world who was feeling this way. "Sometimes we're so burned out and tired we don't know what to do about it. A lot of us are disengaging and trying to numb ourselves, and as a result, our relationships suffer." Bryce says it takes all of us sharing our stories and different perspectives; you have no idea whose life you could change! We discuss the crucial importance of normalizing these conversations and these feelings, and how it is so important to have something else in your life that balances you out.

No matter what job you're in there's always a recourse to take extended time off; sometimes that is exactly what you need.

We talk about making connections with patients, and conclude with Bryce's takeaway message, "It's ok to say I'm not doing ok, it can change your life!"

Dr. Mary Leung is a full-time physician, specializing in medical oncology and hematology. Through life coaching, she determined how to drastically reduce her charting time, which is the primary focus of our discussion. I ask Mary specific, pointed questions, and she shares what she does before the day starts, when she sees that the patient is checked in, before she goes into the room and after, taking breaks - including lunch, when she checks messages, and how Dragon dictation is a good option for those not satisfied with their typing skills.

We talk about changing your mindset around typing during patient visits, while simultaneously fostering positive patient connections, and we talk about fostering gratitude, which makes Mary shine!

"It is doable! I'm seeing the same caseload of patients as I was before the pandemic, and I'm going home by 5pm, with all my work done!"

Dr. Brittany Lamb is an E.R. physician who is passionate about helping dementia family caregivers make confident and informed medical decisions.Join us for this enlightening discussion where Brittany describes her online program that people can access to become informed decision-makers!We cover a host of other topics as well, including:-A message of hope: "There are so many different pathways in medicine!"-Frustrations E.R. doctors are currently facing, and primary care drs. too; "No one wants to reimburse physicians for talking!" -A simple thank you (note) is tremendously appreciated!-End-of-life care: "We should all be more open to talking about what life and living mean to us!"

"...It's remarkable where they can take you if you let them!" says Dr. Charity Hix. Charity shares this insightful quote with me, "Never cut a tree down in winter." We have a very thoughtful conversation about Charity's belief that it can be helpful to make the situation you are in the best it can be, and decide your next step from that place. Charity says, "If you can get curious, you start seeing choices and opportunity!" Instead of feeling like you're running away from a bad situation, you'll be pulled TOWARDS something that feels right for you. Charity's takeaway is to let yourself be multifaceted, and make sure some of the facets are just for you! Listen to this episode and you will be inspired by Charity's gentle wisdom, and motivated to get curious about you!

Join us for this fantastic conversation as Dr. Simon Craig and I talk about ways of delivering love to medicine and healthcare, which is the subtitle of Simon's influential book, "From Hurting to Healing." Simon shares that kindness is absolutely critical in creating good teams and that we don't see enough communication in healthcare in a positive friendly manner. We talk about the hidden curriculum of medicine, and how physicians learn to suppress their emotions, which is great in an emergency, but not so great for the rest of your life! We also discuss the importance of connection and fostering work relationships. Thank you for your insights, Simon, including the need to rethink how we train people, relate to people, and communicate!

Dr. Lulu is a pediatrician, life coach, and mom to a transgender child. Transgender individuals are at greater risk for harm, including violence, bullying, hate crimes, depression, anxiety, and suicide. In this impassioned episode, Dr. Lulu talks about her upcoming book, "Allies in White Coats: Becoming the Culturally Compassionate Physician Your LGBT Patient Needs." Dr. Lulu shares that when your child tells you they are transgender,you make it about you...out of fear. As a pediatrician, Dr. Lulu says she knows the power of being an affirming physician, and of being an affirming parent. She tells us studies have shown that individuals need just one affirming adult in their life to thrive. All patients wish to feel seen and validated. We are all human. We all need to care about each other.

This episode title is one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Behrooz Behbod, practicing physician, healthcare and business consultant, and life coach. My other favorite: "We're always just one insight away!" Behrooz shares a terrific story illustration as we talk about our thinking, creating, and writing. Behrooz says, "It sounds so simple, but once you notice that it is the thinking that really creates problems, you can then use that same thinking to create solutions!" Behrooz has such a calm and bright demeanor and soothing voice, your blood pressure will drop just listening to him speak :)! Behrooz's audiobook, "A Happy, Peaceful Life: Have We Got It All Wrong About Work, Health, & Love" can be accessed for free from his website link below; be sure to check it out!