This episode is deeply personal and profoundly urgent. In it, we share our lived experiences of life-threatening illnesses during training and early practice—--stories that are more common than many of us realize, but are rarely spoken aloud.

Through vulnerability and truth-telling, we illuminate the unseen and unacknowledged toll that medicine takes on women.

This episode is being released on National Physicians Day as both a call to reflect and a call to action. We share our stories to hopefully inspire both personal empowerment and collective change.

We hope to offer a message of hope that we can practice medicine differently—and sustainably.

Pearls of Wisdom:

• Healing shouldn’t cost the healer their health. Our personal stories show how the cultural expectations in medicine—self-sacrifice, overwork, and silence—can lead to profound physical and emotional harm.

• Caring is not a competition. We must let go of the glorification of suffering as a marker of dedication.

• Personal transformation can lead to systemic change. When we care for ourselves, speak up and model new ways of practicing, we create a healthier, more humane culture in medicine.

• Wellness is not one-size-fits-all. Self-care and well-being are dynamic, evolving practices.

• Leaders set the tone. Physician leaders must model wellness and advocate for systems that support—not erode—the health of their teams.

What’s one small step you can take today to honor your well-being in a system that may not be doing it for you?

Stay until the end to enjoy a grounding mindful moment—a compassionate pause to honor your humanity and the truth that you matter, exactly as you are.

If you’re ready to reclaim your own health and joy in medicine, we invite you to join a Pause & Presence Retreat. These experiences are designed to restore you at a cellular level.

To explore coaching that helps you unlearn the silent conditioning of medicine and reconnect with what you value most, visit https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching

Learn more about bringing us to your institution or team: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking | www.awakenbreath.org

Nothing shared in the Mindful Healers Podcast is medical advice.