Two physicians, married. Two kids with ADHD. A year of unbilled income. Then she looked at her husband and said, "I'm depressed." He said, "So am I."

That's where Dr. Ali Novitsky's stress framework started. Not in a clinic. At her kitchen table, in the middle of a crisis she hadn't seen coming.

She's a neonatologist turned obesity medicine specialist turned life coach, and what she's built since that moment — a one-to-ten stress scale, six individual stress types, four family stress patterns — is the language she now teaches her clients to use on the thing most of us feel but can't name.

I asked her to walk me through the whole framework on the podcast, including the part where she diagnosed me live on air.

What we get into:

• The 1–10 stress scale and how to find your own symptoms in each zone (takes about a week of paying attention)
• The six individual stress types — assertive, control, catastrophizing, impulsivity, validation, isolation — what each one looks like regulated, and what each one looks like under pressure
• Why control-type isn't a flaw, why catastrophizers are the people you actually want on your team, and why isolation types are the leaders nobody sees
• The four family stress patterns and how one person walking into the room can flip the whole dynamic in seconds
• The ARC framework — Awareness, Regulation, Communication, Connection — and why you don't need your whole family on board to start
• How to teach kids this language without putting them through a quiz they can't take yet

Mentioned on the show:

• Family Stress Type Quiz (free, 3 min) — thefitkidmethod.com
• Individual stress type quiz
• Ali's pilot Family Reset program, starts June 22!
• Ali on Instagram @alinovitskymd
• Ali's website alinovitskymd.com

Please note that some of these links my be affiliate links, which means I may get a commission at no extra cost to you.

Follow along on Instagram → @wealthymommd

If this episode hit, leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it's how new women find the show.

Season 2 starts here.

I closed my flagship program. I let the podcast go quiet for six months. I have no idea what I'm building next, and that's the point.

For seven years, Wealthy Mom MD was a personal finance brand. Hundreds of alumnae, a book, two conferences. And then last fall I realized I didn't want to just talk about money anymore. So I closed Money for Women Physicians, and I went quiet on the podcast to figure out what I wanted to say.

Money was the entry point, not the destination. It still matters (I still believe every woman should make a lot of money), but it's not the whole story. The whole story is how we become the best versions of ourselves. Skin. Hormones. Energy. Relationships. The body you live in. The life you've designed instead of inherited.

I feel like a freshman in college, taking all the classes, figuring out what I want to major in. Dermatology conferences. Longevity conferences (I hate that word, I'll explain). Speaking on AI for my next two engagements. Navigating year two in Tampa, co-parenting, perimenopause, all of it.

What's covered:

• Why I closed Money for Women Physicians after seven years
• Money as the entry point, not the destination
• Why I hate the word "longevity"
• What's coming: skin, hormones, AI, and the conversations I've been waiting to have

Resources:

• The Weekly Edit, my weekly email, at WealthyMomMD.com
• Email topic and guest requests: [email protected]

Follow along on Instagram → @wealthymommd

If this episode hit, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It's how new women find the show.

Med school taught you how to be a doctor—not how to build a life you love. In this episode, I share the mindset shifts that transformed my money philosophy and how you can start designing a life you don't want to retire from. www.wealthymommd.com/239

Black Friday isn't just about sales—it's a goldmine for credit card points. Here's how to shop smart, stack rewards, and use tools like Rakuten and Savewise to your full advantage. Shownotes at https://wealthymommd.com/238

Right after I recorded this episode, Bilt just announced their partnership with Rakuten! Meaning you can now earn Bilt points. You'll link the two accounts in your Bilt app. Bilt 2.0 comes out February 2026 so you can no longer apply for the Bilt card until then.

• To learn more about the PIMDCON conference, Sept 25-27, 2025: https://wealthymommd.com/pimdcon
• Get $300 off with code "BONNIE" at the LeadHer Summit, Nov 7-9: https://leadhersummit.com
• Show notes & more at https://wealthymommd.com/237

New rules, new repayment plans, and new risks—especially if you're on the SAVE plan. Lauryn Williams from Student Loan Planner joins me to break down what's changing with student loans and how to protect your financial future.

Dr. Tiffany Moon is back—and we're spilling the tea on conferences, connection, glam, and giving zero apologies for doing life big. If you think joy, wealth, and success can't coexist, this episode will blow your mind.

How five physician entrepreneurs turned casual connections into a powerhouse mastermind — and the ripple effect it's had on thousands of doctors. This origin story is packed with truth bombs, mindset shifts, and serious entrepreneurial fire.

Your dream life isn't on layaway—and no, you can't outsource it. Bonnie shares why crafting a life you love starts with vision, bold money moves, and reclaiming your time. Plus, how she booked a $20K trip for free.

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own direct primary care (DPC) practice? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Jessica Mendelsohn, a family medicine physician who owns New South Family Medicine, The MedSpa at New South, and Echelon Contrast Suites in Fort Mill, SC. With over 13 years of experience in family medicine and hospice, Jessica opened her own practice in 2019, becoming a successful solopreneur in the healthcare space.

Jessica shares her journey from feeling burnt out in a traditional hospital-based practice to discovering the DPC model and deciding to take the leap into entrepreneurship. She breaks down the key differences between DPC and concierge medicine, and explains how the direct care model can benefit both physicians and patients.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://wealthymommd.com/232