141. How Physician Leaders Can Effectively Support Wellness with Dr. Karin Shavelson

Is there a magic bullet to solve burnout? No, wellness looks different for everyone.

We hope you enjoy this lively discussion between Dr. Jessie Mahoney, a long time physician wellness leader, and physician coach and Dr. Karin Shavelson, the Chief Medical Officer at Marin Health.  

We talk about the value of retreats, in particular the Honoring Diastole Retreat that Dr. Shavelson recently attended. Her belief is that wellness in a post-pandemic world looks like coming together with others who have shared experiences. Community and connection and people and place are key and that is why retreats offer such value as a wellness intervention.

We encourage the idea that we can all be “students of wellness” including organizational leaders, physician leaders, and everyone on the healthcare team. 

Our tips for advocating for institutional wellness funding and increasing engagement in wellness programming

• Attend wellness events and retreats yourself, especially if you are an influential leader

• Attach CME to wellness events

• Talk about the science behind wellness interventions 

• Offer lots of creative options

• Use language other than “wellness”, “burnout” and “moral injury.”

Our tips for improving health and wellness if you are a senior leader

• Talk about struggles, challenges and “what’s really happening”

• Acknowledge systemic problems as a root cause

• Be vulnerable about your own experience and what has helped you

• Model healthy boundaries yourself

Join Us:

If you are inspired by Dr. Shavelson’s description of Honoring Diastole, please join us at Pie Ranch on either September 24th or October 28th, 2023. www.jessiemahoneymd.com/honoring-diastole

If you don’t want to wait till then, or you want to experience a longer mindfulness retreat, join Dr. Liang and Jessie at Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center for The Mindful Healers Retreat, Connect in Nature, July 14-16th. There are only 3 spots left! www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreat-connect-in-nature

If you want to follow in Marin Health, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Stanford, and TPMG’s wise footsteps, plan a private retreat for your team or institution. Private retreats are a valuable and meaningful investment in building community, optimism, and hope. They are an opportunity to restore, heal, and grow – as individuals and collectively. Learn more: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats-by-design

If retreats aren’t your thing, consider mindful physician coaching. It’s transformative, fun, and an evidence-based intervention for healing burnout, lessening dissatisfaction, and improving quality of life. Find out more here: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/physician-coaching

*Nothing in this episode should be considered medical advice.