Expert Overview

I am a board-certified OB-GYN, and Certified Physician Development Coach for midlife women physicians who want to reconnect with their purpose, and find more joy and fulfillment in medicine and in life.

Client and Business Focus:

My ideal client is a motivated, successful woman physician in midlife who is looking for more--more joy, more fulfillment, and a stronger sense of wellbeing--in medicine and in life. I help her find this through exploration of values, mindset, and personal and professional wellness strategies. This takes courage, active goal-setting, and a little bit of discomfort in order to make change, but the rewards are extraordinary!

Background and Experience:

For 25+ years I have loved being a women's doctor. However, as a woman physician and a mom, I struggled to balance career and family, and I found myself feeling anxious, guilty, and inadequate pretty much all of the time. When I was at home, I was thinking about which patient might go into labor, and when I was at the hospital, I was thinking about the soccer game or school function I was missing. The term "burned out" doesn't even begin to describe the misery I was feeling. And I felt guilty and ashamed for feeling so miserable! After all, this was the career path I had chosen! But, it ended up being an unhealthy and non-sustainable way to live.

Through coaching, therapy and some deep soul-searching, I gave up obstetrics and the crazy hours that go with it. I still see Gynecology patients, and I love coaching them on wellness strategies, and stress and lifestyle management, in addition to their medical conditions, especially peri-menopause and menopause. Through my expertise in women's issues and in-depth, specific training in physician coaching, I’ve developed a program for women physicians who may be struggling with this phase of life.

The struggle is real, and is made more difficult by the expectations we place upon ourselves, the secrecy we maintain about our own physical and mental health, and the shame we feel for not being able to manage it all.

Education and Credentials:

My training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and residency at Kaiser-San Francisco, along with my 25+ years of clinical experience, having worked for Kaiser, Stanford Medicine, and in a private/independent practice, makes me uniquely qualified to discuss these different practice models with understanding and insight. As a department chair and member of the Medical Executive Committee, I understand the responsibilities and conflicts faced by women physician leaders. As a physician mom, I know the pain of feeling pulled in multiple directions.

In addition, as part of my burnout journey, I became a HeartMath Certified trainer. Through breathing practice and mindset, this particular set of techniques helps manage stress and the negative effects of cortisol on the body, and boost resilience. Unlike meditation, these techniques can be used in the moment when stress hits. They can give you a sense of "alert calm," and open the intuitive and creative channels of your mind. With regular practice, you will be able to de-stress more quickly, sleep better, be more creative, and enjoy life with a more balanced sense of being.

Contact:

https://www.drjoycoaching.net
Beverly@DrJoyCoaching.net