Life Coaching for Doctors: Prevent Physician Burnout!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Doctors turning to Life Coaching

I don't know the statistics on this one, but I am finding that more doctors are visiting my Life Coaching website and wanting to find out about my coaching services.

My current doctor clients have come to me for a variety of reasons, such as:

1) Overcoming the overwhelm --- that feeling of overwhelm can be quite draining and many doctors are feeling so much stress and don't have the "life tools" to manage it effectively. They are always in "do" mode with a busy hectic schedule that overlaps into their personal time, but no time is left for their personal growth and their own sanity. So yes, it is quite often I hear from a doctor who finds me on the internet "I am SO OVERWHELMED and I need to stop this insanity. I need to change something. I want to hire you!"

2) Weight Loss - Yes, believe it or not, doctors do come to life coaches to help them lose that excess weight that has been put on as a result of the stress and then the choices they make when feeling stressed. No, I don't tell doctors what to eat or how and when to exercise. I help doctors lose weight by addressing the emotional baggage that creates that excess weight in the first place. It's all about the MindSet -- and that is my specialty -- helping my clients to shift their mindset so that they can align with total wellness (and so the weight can come off much easier than they think it will!)

3) Preparing for Board Exams - Yes, I have had a few doctor clients contact me and ask me if I can help them "prepare" for their board exams. Now, they don't mean from a "technical standpoint", it's all about building their confidence, keeping them motivated and navigated through those times where they have doubt and feel overwhelmed with all the material they have to cover (while still maintaining a full Doctor practice). I'm there motivational and mindset coach and it works like a charm to keep them on track and EXCEL at their exams ... exceeding their wildest expectations!

4) Transition to a new career OR their own wellness clinic - some of the doctors who come to me have HAD IT with their doctor's practice and the limited amount of time they get to spend with their family. They are ready to transition to something new. And that's where I come in to help them figure out what that is and to put a strategic plan together to get there. I must admit, most of the coaching around this is around building the belief in themselves that they can make this transition (because there is a fear to take that leap) -- but once they are there and believe they can have that dream life they so desire, the rest of the steps come easier. It is so rewarding for both my clients and myself when they reach this stage. It's about believing that they CAN have the life they desire. They CAN spend more time with their kids and spouse. They CAN have their dream business and make as much money, if not more, than what they are doing in their current doctor practice!

So, if you are a doctor who is curious about Life Coaching and how it can help you (if you are reading this post, you probably are just a bit curious), then contact me at Maria@InvincibleMD.com and let's chat about your biggest desires and goals and how coaching with me can help you to achieve them!

Here's to less stress & more joy in YOUR life!
Coach Maria

Friday, March 19, 2010

Physicians Transitioning to a New Career

Many of my doctor clients come to me because they are at their wits' end with their demanding schedule, late hours, massive stress and basically 0% balance when it comes to their own personal life.

It feels to them that there is no way out (sound familiar). They make good money as a Physician, but the tradeoffs are becoming too big.

But how is a doctor going to make a living if she or he is not doing what they are doing right now?

There are infinite possibilities ... let me share a story with you:

One of my doctor clients, let's call her "Dr. Smith" is feeling like all her children our growing up without her and that she is going to miss out on the best years of their life. It pulls her heart strings when one of her kids says to her "Mommy, you are never home. I miss you." And when she misses that soccer game, she feels so guilty!

She is a very well-known and respected Physician in her city and she truly does love her patients. But when push comes to shove, her kids are where her top priority is. She once told me that her worst fear is to have all her kids grow up without her and that when she was old and grey she would regret every minute of it.

Well, if that's the case, something needs to be done now. First of all, by thinking and imagining your worst fears, you are giving them power which will help them to manifest. Second of all, feeling regret isn't something that anyone wants and it is important in this moment to do something about it now!

Back to my coaching client, Dr. Smith ...
She came to me with a strong desire to transition to something different, something new, something that would allow her the freedom to come home at a decent time and spend quality time with the kids. She was so overwhelmed when she first hired me (and she was finding her eating & exercise habits needed a significant makeover!)

Initially she was fearful of taking that leap to a new career -- the thought of it made her so nervous. There are so many things that keep you doing what you are doing as a Physician... the money, the prestige, your stellar reputation. I even had my client say "I invested $100,000 to be a Doctor, how can I throw that away!" But bottom line, she was no longer happy and what she is doing is not "working" for her anymore. Her inner guidance tells her this every single day.

First thing I worked on with her was helping her to feel more at peace with her current life and to take better care of herself. She is working out now 5 times per week and has lost weight and is feeling quite empowered. When that feeling of overwhelm comes at work, she now has the tools to reset her mindset to shift to a more positive place and impact the outcome of her daily events.

Long story short ... now, she is working towards transitioning to her own holistic wellness clinic, focusing on weight loss and fitness. She is very excited about this opportunity and the unique benefits she can bring her future clients as an MD and a certified Personal Trainer (yes, she is going to get certified -- she wouldn't have it any other way as a type A personality!). She also plans to use my coaching expertise to help her clients shift to the right mindset that will ensure their life-long health and wellness.

Anything is possible. If you are a physician and you have a strong pull or desire to transition to something new that will be more aligned with your joy and the balance you so want in your life, just know that you can do make this transition. There are no limits to what you can do or have.

First step ... you need to have the right mindset and come from a place of inspiration when you make these changes. If you come from a place of desperation, it will not turn out the way you want it to.


Monday, March 8, 2010

Life Coaching for Doctors & Medical Marriages: Part II

As I mentioned on a previous post, I was interviewed by a Doctor's spouse name Bea to find out more about Life Coaching for Doctors and how a life coach can help the doctor's wife, husband or significant other. Medical marriages have some of the same issues as other marriages but there are some specific challenges that I hear often from doctors' wives that make them feel that their relationships can be very challenging. Here's Bea's bio again (a wife of a Doctor):

Bea's blog, Finding Equanimity, is about medical marriages and relationships. She writes about ways to find evenness of mind (equanimity) despite the myriad of stresses that a medical marriage can encounter. Bea started her blog because she wanted to chronicle her research on medical relationships and tips that have helped her (and others) along the way. As a result of her research, Bea found my site, and she interviewed me to learn more about how life coaches for doctors can help not only the doctors but their families as well.

Part II of the interview questions:

4) What seems to be the top worry of a doctor?
(Money, family stress, business, malpractice suits?)

Well, I hear it all. Money, stress - which is affecting their own health, relationship issues, worrying about malpractice suits – all of these are concerns that doctors have. I also hear a lot about substance abuse – which I will tend to refer them to another professional if this is the case.
I can address any of these top worries (money, stress, relationships, business, etc), simply by coaching them around the principles of the Laws of Attraction. It’s a powerful coaching tool that works with all of my clients. However, it takes some time to shift their Mind Set since they have been thinking in a certain negative pattern for a long time. But, it’s just like anything … with practice, change will occur.

5) What in your sessions seems to help doctors the most?

The Law of Attraction coaching and the exercises I give them to help them identify what they really want to attract into their life. Also, a willingness on their part to open their minds and try new methods/approaches that will help them to be more centered, feel more joy and improve all areas of their life.

Another thing that is extremely helpful is the consistent support that they get on a monthly basis. After all, we can all get “thrown off track” every once and a while (yes, even doctors, although they may be the last ones to admit that!). But if you have a professional resource that can help you to stay on track and maintain that positive attitude and outlook on a regular basis, then you are on your way to lasting and permanent changes that will enrich your life forever.

Once my clients get that they actually do have the power to change their current reality - even if from where they stand it doesn't look like the stress and hectic schedule will ever change, they feel more empowered and see positive results in their life. I teach them how to shift their mindset each and every day so that they can eventually feel more at peace and witness the positive shifts in their overall energy level and outlook on all areas of their life.

6) What piece of advice would you give to a non-physician spouse in a medical marriage?

You need to keep a Mind Set that is aligned with the type of relationship and life that you really want to have with your spouse. I get more spouses or fiancées calling me about my Life Coaching than the actual Doctors themselves due to the unique challenges that arise when being married to a Doctor & the Medical profession! Hire a Life Coach to help you to manifest the life you want with the love of your life who happens to be a Doctor.

All of us create our own reality by the type of thoughts & feelings we have. The key is in shifting those thoughts & feelings to ones that empower us and match our ultimate desire to be happier in our lives. Many of the doctors' wives come to me with a laser focus on all the things they DO NOT like about their relationship. Matter of fact, they are consumed with these thoughts and feelings that do NOT feel very good. I explain to them that what they concentrate on expands (the premise of the Law of Attraction). I help them to start identifying and getting really clear as to what they want their relationship to look like, feel like, be ... and then I teach them some daily mind exercises that they can personally do to start attracting a more desirable relationship with their doctor husband or wife.

Click here to find out more about my Life Coaching Services for Doctors and their families. You can also contact me directly via e-mail at Maria@InvincibleMD.com.

If you are a Physician who is approaching burnout and wants to stop the insanity NOW, then check out this 12-week Life Coaching Program for Doctors where you will learn pertinent strategies to reduce stress, feel more at peace and significantly improve your relationships with your loved ones.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Helping Physicians Reduce Stress and find more Balance in their lives!

This blog is devoted to helping physicians avoid burnout, reduce stress and start to feel less overwhelmed and have a life that has a healthy balance of quality time with family and providing superior service to their patients!

You may be a physician who is looking to transition into a new career that allows you the freedom to spend MORE quality time with your family. You know who you are -- you have just reached that point where "enough is enough" and you fear "missing out" on seeing your kids grow up and regretting all of it once they are older and don't want any part of you. You also find that the quality time you spend with your spouse is dwindling down to the minimal and would like to rekindle that special something that you once had.

I help many of my doctor coaching clients do just that! If that sounds like you, contact me today at Maria@InvincibleMD.com and let's discuss how the coaching process will work for you!

As always, you can visit my two websites specifically for physicians who are looking to improve their own overall health and well-being:

1) 12-week Life Coaching for Doctors Coaching Program, where you can download a free audio coaching message from me on my top 7 tips to reducing stress and avoiding physician burnout!

2) Invincible MD website Life Coaching for Physicians and their entire family (Yes, the Doctor's wife or husband can benefit from hiring a Life Coach too!)

Here are just a few of the reasons of why doctor clients hire me as their life coach:

* To get back into shape and lose that excess weight that has creeped up on them over time with all the stress of their lifestyle.

* To transition to a new practice or even a new career -- one which gives them more time with their family so that they don't miss out on their kids growing up. To these clients there highest priority is to spend more quality time with their family.

* To deal with difficult patients and staff more effectively so that their schedule runs far more smoothly.

* To communicate more effectively with fellow doctors/business partners who have very different ways of running their practice and to come to a resolution that works more effectively for my clients.

* To find peace in all the chaos that exists within the medical profession. My clients walk away with specific techniques they can use during the course of their hectic day that help them to get more centered and feel more calm in the middle of a "storm".

* To feel more joy in the course of their day, no matter what is going on around them -- it's a skill that can be learned which benefits both their professional and their personal life!

The above reasons are just a few of the topics I work on with my doctor coaching clients.

Let me know how I can help you!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Life Coaching for Doctors and Medical Marriages - Part I

Ever since I became a Certified Life Coach for Doctors, I have been contacted by more spouses of Doctors than the actual Doctors themselves. There are a lot of unique life challenges that arise in a Medical Marriages and it is my intent to be the go-to coach that helps the spouses of Doctors address their specific issues and improve their overall quality of life. Whether you are a Doctor's wife or a Doctor's husband, you may be looking for that perfect support to help you with the hectic lifestyle of your spouse and the slim to none amount of time you have with them. I am sure that you dream of the time where she or he is home on time or at least early enough to spend some quality time with you (and the kids).

A while ago, I had a Doctor's wife contact me and asked if I would be open to being interviewed and have my answers posted on her blog in order to share with people how a Life Coach for Doctors can be an invaluable resource for Doctors AND their families.

Bea's blog, Finding Equanimity, is about medical marriages and relationships. She writes about ways to find evenness of mind (equanimity) despite the myriad of stresses that a medical marriage can encounter. Bea started her blog because she wanted to chronicle her research on medical relationships and tips that have helped her (and others) along the way. As a result of her research, Bea found my site, and she interviewed me to learn more about life coaches for doctors and the type of advice I give to doctors and their families.

Here's part I of the interview with the answers to the questions that Bea posed to me:

1) What got you interested in becoming a personal coach for doctors?

I was doing Health & Wellness Coaching & specializing in working with people who were dealing with health challenges (especially chronic health conditions and stress-related health issues). Then I met an ER doctor at a business conference who told me that if he ever had any health issues, that I would be the coach he would hire. He also told me that my expertise was extremely needed in the Medical community and that I should consider getting Certified as a Life Coach for Doctors. I went through an intensive Coach Certification Training Program geared towards understanding the Doctor’s lifestyle and the issues that they have to deal with on a regular basis – both personal and business-related. I was trained by a Doctor who had the inside scoop to the Medical Community and the challenges within it. It’s still an untapped resource that many Doctors don’t know exists. Hopefully, with this blog post far more Doctors will take advantage of this professional resource (i.e., Life Coaching) which will help them to avoid burnout and improve their personal relationships with their spouses and families.

2) Why should doctors have personal coaches?

Doctors are human too. They deal with a lot of stress on a daily basis, which impacts their own overall health & well-being. Even though they are in a profession where they are looked at as the one who is supposed to have all the answers, many times, they don’t – especially when it comes to their own life challenges. If more Doctors worked with Life Coaches like me who have been trained to coach Doctors, they would have more balance in their lives, manage the stress more effectively and be an even better physician to their patients than they already are. Their personal lives would also improve because “relationship issues” often come up in the coaching sessions since this area of their life seems to suffer the most as a result of their demanding and hectic schedule. Stress is just a part of a Doctor’s life, but there is a much better way of managing the stress so that it doesn’t have a negative impact on their own overall health and ability to provide the superior service their patients come to expect.


3) What does a typical session with you involve? (For example, do you usually have weekly meetings; do you ever go to their office to meet them or do they come to your office to meet you; what is the typical span of your relationship with a doctor?)

Each month, a typical coaching client has three 1-hour coaching sessions by telephone. It is important that my clients are willing to invest in the coaching process for a minimum of 3-6 months. Some of my clients even hire me for an entire year. Permanent changes happen over time, not over night. If the Doctor wants to see a significant improvement in the quality of their life, then there has to be a commitment on his/her part to invest in the time to do so.

I also make myself available via e-mail and for laser coaching via telephone (brief 5-10 minutes) in between sessions for those moments that my clients need that extra support and guidance, especially when they feel stuck or something “came up” that has thrown them off their path. I want to make sure that all my clients feel fully supported during our coaching relationship and that they know they have a resource that they can tap into when they need it most.

I have a special 12-week Doctors Coaching Program was designed specifically for the medical professional to help Physicians improve their overall health & well-being. This curriculum is weaved into our coaching sessions, along with any other area that they want to address. The ultimate goal for any of my clients, Doctors and non-Doctors, is that they want to be happy more often. It’s all about being happy with your life, right? I am sure that you have noticed that when you are happy and more at peace with your life, you manifest more positive things into your life. But when you are stressed and overwhelmed, you attract more things to be stressed out about!

All my coaching is based on the principles of the Law of Attraction and my clients learn how to shift their thoughts and feelings so that they attract more of what they want into their life and less of what they don’t! Helping doctors manage their stress level more effectively and to improve their personal relationships are two popular concerns that we address during the coaching process. I also have them rank other areas of their life to get a complete snapshot of how they perceive their current state of happiness & wellness.

Stay tuned for Part II of my Interview with Bea (a Doctor's spouse). You can find her blog at http://equanimityfound.blogspot.com/

To find out more about my Coaching Services for Doctors & their families, contact me via e-mail at Maria@MariaLesetz.com. You can also visit my Doctors website for Life Coaching.

Have a Lovin' Life day!

Maria C. Lesetz, Certified Life Coach for Doctors

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Life Coaching for the Doctor's Wife / Doctor's Spouse & Family!

What about the doctor's wife ... or more generally, the doctor's significant other -- doesn't he or she deal with stress and have challenges just by being the spouse of a doctor? Of course they do!

Doctors have long hours, stressful days, deal with government interference all day long (Medicare and HMOs are cutting back), patients are demanding, the list of admistrative work is overwhelming and taking over the type of work the doctor loves to do ... treating patients, solving medical mysteries, helping people feel better! I don't think that being a doctor is the same job that it was 20 or 30 years ago. The culture of being a doctor has changed. Things have become more complicated. Doctors are being taken away why they came to the profession and beginning to say "boy, if I knew then, what I know now, I wouldn't have entered this profession!"

Sometimes you may even see that your spouse (that is the doctor) is starting to come home "run down", not appear as healthy, vibrant and energetic as he or she once was. But dare you address the issue of his health? Sometimes, that topic is like the pink elephant in the room -- it exists... but no one wants to talk about it!

Now, back to the doctor's family .... Your loved one comes home ... whatever time that is and then he or she has to shift to "family" mode. Do you think that is an easy shift to make? Do you think that the spouse or kids get their doctor family member at his or her best? Or do they get the left over of that exhausting, long and stressful day?

So, as the Doctor's wife or husband or significant other, how do YOU deal with that stress? How do you maintain a healthy relationship with your loved one? What type of stressful situations do you experience by being a wife of a doctor or a significant other of a doctor?

Do you sometimes wish that you could have more free time with your spouse? Do you wish that he or she wouldn't have to work such long hours? Do you wish that more money was being made so that it would free up time for both of you and you could start living life together, enjoying the things you love, vacationing as long as you want or maybe even starting your own little side business together that you have talked about but never got around to doing?

Maybe you are worried about the closeness of the relationship because the two of you do not spend as much quality time with each other as you would like to. You feel that your relationship is getting lost in all that stress that exists when being married to the Medical Profession.

But it doesn't have to be that way!

As a Certified Life Coach for Doctors who specializes in Law of Attraction Coaching, I will often work with the spouse of the doctor in addition to the doctors themselves --- this can be quite productive and enhance the relationship and the dynamics of your family. You will see improved communications and learn how to shift your focus so that you DO attract a more healthy relationship with your loved one!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Physicians ... Avoid Burnout with a Life Coach for Doctors!

Most of my Doctor coaching clients initially came to me where they were at the point of "total overwhelm" mode. Do you know the feeling? They told me that if they continued at the pace they are going, they will definitely burn out! That's one of the main reasons why they have hired me as their life coach.

Who really suffers when you are under a lot of stress? Well actually ... everyone, especially you! But your patients, your spouse, your children all feel the pressures of the medical profession and as a result those relationships are less than optimal.

The question is ... What do you REALLY want?
* More personal time with your family
* A new career that is less stressful
* Better health
* An office staff that helps make your schedule more efficient instead of hindering it
* To be more productive in your day and run "on time" instead of always running late and making your patients & family wait for you ...

Yes, the list can go on. But you need to identify what you really want to change in your life and then you must believe that there is some way that your desire can manifest.

Many of my physician clients want major change, but their belief around whether it can happen or not is slim to none. Why? Because, they are trying to figure out the HOW. Now, I understand that in your profession, it is important for you to figure out things and come up with a plan to assist your patients to wellness; however, in life, you sometimes have to let go of the how it is going to happen.

One of my doctor clients would love to have her own business which allows her the flexibility to be home by 5:00 / 5:30 pm to spend time with her family. She gets stuck in her head trying to figure out how that is going to happen and then, as a result convinces herself that it is not possible. But it is!

If you had a patient who had a defeatist attitude around their overall health before they even started any wellness plan, what would you say to them? You probably would tell them that their attitude & belief are the most important factors in their success! Well, the same goes for you.

Whether you are a physician, nurse or any other Medical professional, you deal with a lot of stress in your profession and that stress will impact your overall health & well-being. But you know that, except you don't do anything about it because you don't have the time to or you think you are invincible, or you just don't want to invest the money in yourself and your overall health & well-being. Whatever the reason -- they are all excuses - every single one of them. Excuses keep you from living your passion and your dreams; Excuses keep you from true Happiness!

If you want to listen to my Top 7 Secrets to Reducing Stress and Avoiding Physician Burnout, visit: LifeCoachforDoctors.com and download my free audio coaching tips!

Get rid of those excuses and hire a Life Coach to help you to reduce the stress and avoid total burnout! Your overall Happiness depends on it. If you are not happy in life and enjoying life with every fiber of your being, what's the point?

Somewhere along the line, the passion for what you do dwindled because you got caught up in that feeling of overwhelm that is prevalent in the Medical Profession. You have lost sight of what is really important - -to be happy and to Love Life!

Contact me today and find out more about Life Coaching for Doctors and how it will benefit you!