There’s a moment many people are living in right now where the body knows something before the mind catches up.
You feel braced. Alert. A little stunned that certain conversations even need to be happening. And while you may technically feel supported in your work or community, safety still feels conditional.
That’s where this episode begins.
In today’s conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Anna Larson (she/any), a family medicine physician with over 15 years of experience in LGBTQ+ leadership, advocacy, and gender-affirming care. Anna is also a coach and intuitive healer who understands—both personally and professionally—what it means to live, parent, and practice medicine in a climate where identity, autonomy, and care are under scrutiny.
As a queer clinician myself, I’m Chrissie Ott, MD (she/her), and Anna and I talk honestly about how political rhetoric doesn’t just live in headlines—it lives in nervous systems. We explore how fear reactivates old survival patterns, why burnout is often a long-held scream rather than a personal failing, and what happens when people are forced to edit themselves in order to belong.
Anna shares deeply personal stories, including advocating for her patients and community while breastfeeding her infant—holding tenderness and resistance in the same moment. It’s a powerful reminder that care, joy, and justice are not mutually exclusive.
We also spend time talking about trans joy and queer joy—not as performance or bypass, but as embodied truth. Joy as regulation. Joy as resilience. Joy as something that becomes possible when people no longer have to explain, code-switch, or protect themselves in order to be safe.
This conversation naturally weaves into the origins of the Cultivate Pride retreat, a space Anna and I are co-creating for trans, queer, and allied people to rest, process, reconnect, and remember who they are when they’re not in survival mode.
In this episode, we explore:
• The difference between being supported and being truly safe
• How political and cultural pressure lands in the body
• Why burnout often masks years of suppressed expression
• The real impact of disrupted gender-affirming care on patients, families, and clinicians
• Trans joy and queer joy as grounding, non-performative, and deeply human
• Community as a form of medicine
• Advocacy that is sustained by tenderness rather than depletion
• What becomes possible when people heal together
This episode isn’t about debating identity or ideology.
It’s about autonomy. Dignity. Care. And joy.
And it’s an invitation to remember: you were never meant to carry all of this alone.
Learn more about the Cultivate Pride retreat:
https://www.cultivatepride.com
Connect with Dr. Anna Larson (she/any):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queerdoc.anna
Stay Connected
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website & transcripts: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
For Physician Coaches
Physician Coaching Collective: https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
So let me tell you a story...
A day ago, I sat across from someone who has reshaped the way many women think about running. Not as punishment. Not as performance. Simply as a gentler path back to themselves.
That someone is Dr. Michelle Quirk.
Michelle is a pediatrician and run coach who talks about movement in a way that softens the nervous system. She offers a kind of grounded wisdom that makes you wonder what might be possible if running felt kinder and more connected.
Early in our conversation she said something that caught my attention. There is something called the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause, and when women start estrogen replacement, many of the aches and pains they think are running injuries go away.
For so many midlife women, especially physicians, this matters. You are not too old to run. You are not imagining the discomfort. And joy is still available to you.
Michelle did not grow up a runner. She began the way many of us do, with limiting beliefs, self-doubt, and memories of forced fitness tests. Everything shifted when she started running slowly, listening to her body, and leaving her headphones at home. Running became a mindfulness practice and even a place where she processed her grief after losing her father.
In this episode, Michelle and I talk about:
• Why running can be a kind activity rather than a punishing one
• The identity myths that keep women from seeing themselves as runners
• What perimenopause and menopause change in the body
• The often overlooked relationship between hormones and joint pain
• How slowing down can make running safer and more joyful
• How running supported Michelle through grief
• The possibility of redefining athleticism in midlife
• What it means to let movement be an invitation instead of a mandate
This episode is not about becoming an athlete. It is about reclaiming your relationship with your body and reconnecting with joy, especially in midlife.
Michelle brings warmth, clarity, and a deeply human perspective to the idea that movement can be a pathway back to yourself.
Connect with Dr. Michelle Quirk
Website: https://mindful-marathon.com/coachmichelle
Podcast: https://mindful-marathon.com/podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindful.marathon/
Stay Connected
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website and transcripts: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
For Physician Coaches
Physician Coaching Collective: https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
So let me tell you a story.
A few weeks ago at the Physician Coaching Summit, I walked into a room where the energy felt… different.
Warm. Bright. Alive in a way you can feel in your chest.
And at the center of it was Dr. Zarya Rubin.
She’s one of those people who radiates something you can’t fake — joy, yes, but also this grounded wisdom that only comes from having walked through some real fires. I’d already known her work around burnout and midlife wellness, but meeting her in person? Seeing the way she held the room? Hearing her talk about midlife, the nervous system, and the realities we don’t say out loud?
I immediately knew we needed to have this conversation.
Because here’s the thing Zarya understands better than almost anyone:
Midlife is not the beginning of the end.
It’s the beginning of finally telling the truth.
She’s lived the unraveling — the panic attacks, the autoimmune crash, the sleepless nights, the identity confusion, the “why am I doing everything ‘right’ and still falling apart?” exhaustion.
She’s lived the perimenopause plot twists no one prepares you for.
She’s lived inside that very specific flavor of perfectionism that looks like competence on the outside and feels like collapse on the inside.
And she’s lived the rebuilding, too.
The healing.
The choosing joy not as a perk, but as a lifeline.
In this episode, Zarya and I talk about:
This is not a conversation about “fixing” midlife.
It’s a conversation about reclaiming it — your autonomy, your voice, your nervous system, your pleasure, your meaning.
Zarya is funny, brilliant, deeply human, and refreshingly honest about what it takes to go from burnout to balance, and from balance to actual joy.
If you’ve been navigating your own midlife reckoning (or wreckoning, I promise you’ll exhale hearing this one.
Connect with Dr. Zarya Rubin
Website: https://www.zaryarubinmd.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaryarubinmd
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outsmart-burnout-midlife-wellness-for-women-with-dr/id1816580256
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaryarubinmd
TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdg5sbx-Fpc
Stay Connected with Me
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website + transcripts: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
🎧 Full transcript + more at: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
For Physician Coaches
Physician Coaching Collective: https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
If you’ve ever wondered “Who am I when I’m not my role?” or “What comes after medicine?” this is the episode you want in your ears.
Today, I sit down with my dear friend Dr. Anne Pendo — internist, former chief wellness officer, certified physician coach, grandmother-with-a-tea-set, and lifelong hope giver — to talk about something we don’t talk about enough:
Life… after.
After the pager.
After the identity.
After the decades of being the one people turn to.
After the grief that rearranges your entire insides.
After the moment when you say, “I can’t keep doing this the way I’ve always done it.”
Anne shares how she spent more than 30 years in medicine asking herself four questions:
What matters most?Those questions stayed with her through leadership, culture change, and personal tragedy.
They stayed with her after her son Robbie died.
And they stayed with her when she realized she couldn’t “work her way through” that grief — that the only way forward was to feel it fully and trust the helpers around her.
And eventually, those same four questions led her toward something new.
Not a quitting.
Not a losing herself.
Not a walking away.
But a gentle, honest, deeply intentional choosing of a life after medicine that still holds purpose, connection, presence, and meaning.
In this conversation, Anne talks about:
This episode is tender and honest and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from someone who has truly lived through the dark and still chooses hope — on purpose.
If you’re in a season of transition, grief, burnout, or asking yourself what comes next… you’ll feel so seen here.
Connect with Dr. Anne Pendo
Website: https://www.annependomd.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annependo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annependomd/
Stay Connected with Chrissie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
🎧 Full transcript + more at: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
For Physician Coaches
Physician Coaching Collective: https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
What do you do when the work you love begins to hollow you out?
When you’re showing up for little patients with big needs—and your own family at home—while quietly wondering how long you can keep going?
If you’ve ever felt that tension between your vocation and your wellbeing, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of Solving for Joy, I sit down with Dr. Kirin Palmer, pediatrician and founder of Pure Joy Pediatrics, to explore what it means to stay human in medicine. Kirin shares openly about navigating burnout, motherhood, and identity, and how receiving coaching gave her something physicians rarely talk about: permission to be supported.
In the middle of a season that asked more of her than she had to give, Kirin realized her only way through wasn’t more grit—it was more presence. She began choosing small, grounding practices that tethered her back to herself and back to the joy she built her practice around.
What emerged wasn’t balance in the traditional sense. It was sustenance—a way of moving through medicine that centers humanity, connection, and the simple joy of caring for children with her whole, grounded self.
Together, we talk about how receiving care reshapes the care you give, why presence matters more than perfection, and how joy can become a compass when everything around you is pulling at your edges.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
• What burnout looked and felt like for Dr. Kirin Palmer
• How coaching supported her through a demanding and vulnerable season
• Why presence—not performance—is the foundation of her pediatric practice
• How she keeps joy at the center of caring for kids and caring for herself
• What “sustenance” means in medicine, and why so many physicians are running on empty
• The power of receiving support when you’re usually the one providing it
• What helps her stay grounded when her mind starts future-tripping
If you’ve been longing for space to breathe, to soften, or to simply come home to yourself in your work, I hope this conversation opens a gentle door back to curiosity, compassion, and a more sustainable kind of joy.
More from Dr. Kirin Palmer:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirinpalmermd/
Practice IG: https://www.instagram.com/purejoypediatrics/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirin-palmer-md-13476524/
Website: https://www.purejoypediatrics.com/
Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
https://www.physiciancoachingcollective.com
https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
What if depression isn’t a flaw to fix—but a signal calling you back to yourself?
In this episode of Solving for Joy, I sit down with Dr. Ardeshir Mehran, psychologist, researcher, and author of You Are Not Depressed. You Are Un-Finished, for a conversation that reimagines emotional suffering as an invitation to wholeness.
Dr. Mehran’s groundbreaking Emotional Rights Framework identifies seven core human needs—from belonging and mattering to self-expression and purpose—and shows how depression, anxiety, and burnout emerge when those needs go unmet. Together, we explore how reconnecting with our innate emotional “rights” can transform disconnection into vitality, numbness into meaning, and survival into joy.
We also talk about the difference between depression and burnout, how emotional pain can become a compass for healing, and why the journey toward joy always begins with remembering who you are.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
• What the seven Emotional Rights reveal about healing and human flourishing
• Why depression and anxiety are intertwined signals, not separate diagnoses
• The three forms of depression—transition-based, disconnection-based, and surrender-based
• How somatic work and emotional awareness can restore calm and agency
• What it means to turn depression into energy, focus, and purpose
• How meaning, alignment, and delight converge in the experience of joy
If you’ve ever felt like success left you empty, or that healing means something deeper than managing symptoms, I hope this conversation helps you see emotional pain not as a dead end—but as a doorway back to connection, wholeness, and joy.
More from Dr. Ardeshir Mehran:
Website: https://ardeshirmehran.com
Book: You Are Not Depressed. You Are Un-Finished
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ardeshirmehran
Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
We’ll be taking a short break over the next couple of weeks as we prepare for and recover from the Physician Coaching Summit at Civana Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, Arizona. It’s the perfect time to catch up on previous episodes you may have missed—we’ll be back soon with more conversations to help you solve for joy.
But did it ever actually fit?
So much of what we were taught about health, weight, and nourishment has shaped how we care for children—and ourselves. But if you’ve ever felt like those rules never quite matched the real world, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of Solving for Joy, I sit down with Jill Castle, pediatric dietitian, parent coach, and author of Kids Thrive at Every Size. Together, we explore what happens when we move beyond fixing—when we stop trying to perfect or control—and instead start truly seeing the children, parents, and patients in front of us.
Jill is the creator of The Nourished Child framework and host of The Nourished Child podcast. For decades, she’s helped families release shame and confusion around food and find a more grounded, joyful way to nourish their kids and themselves.
We talk about how expertise meets humility, how joy and health can coexist in every body, and why supporting parents often begins with healing the stories we inherited about our own.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
• What The Nourished Child teaches about compassionate, shame-free care
• How to help kids “thrive at every size” while supporting both physical and emotional health
• Why family culture matters more than perfection or portion sizes
• How you can move beyond fixing toward curiosity, connection, and trust
• What it means to reclaim joy—in feeding, in medicine, and in how you care
If you’ve ever felt the tension between evidence and empathy, or wondered how to hold multiple truths at once, I hope this conversation invites you back to curiosity, compassion, and joy.
More from Jill Castle:
Website: https://jillcastle.com
Podcast: The Nourished Child https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nourished-child/id1149940384
Book: Kids Thrive at Every Size https://a.co/d/f1FuNSR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidnutritionist
Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
Next week on Solving for Joy:
Psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Ardeshir Mehran joins me for a conversation about emotional suffering—not as something to fix or mask, but as a pathway back to meaning, connection, and a life that feels truly well lived.
What happens when every cell in your body says, “It’s time”—but you have no idea what comes next?
In this episode of Solving for Joy, host Dr. Chrissie Ott sits down with Dr. Sheri Rosenthal, founder of Wanderlust Entrepreneur and Journeys of the Spirit, for a conversation about trust, flow, and the serendipity of following what feels right.
A former surgeon and residency director, Sheri didn’t reinvent herself—she simply listened when life called her into a new season. That call led her to study for eight years with Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, and eventually to guide others in creating transformational retreats around the world.
Together, we explore how the teachings of The Four Agreements—especially being impeccable with your word—can shift our inner dialogue, release resistance, and open the door to unexpected joy. Sheri reminds us that letting go isn’t failure—it’s flow. When we stop fighting what’s changing, we create space for what’s meant for us.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How serendipity guided Sheri from medicine to meaning—and why she trusted it
• What The Four Agreements teach about self-talk, ego, and freedom
• Why alignment often feels like ease, and resistance signals it’s time to listen
• How energy exchange and abundance are connected to sustainable service
• The role of faith and trust in moving forward when the path isn’t clear
If you’ve ever felt a quiet inner pull toward something new, this episode is a reminder that life unfolds in perfect timing—and joy often lives on the other side of trust.
More from Dr. Sheri Rosenthal:
Website: https://www.wanderlustentrepreneur.com
Retreats & Events: https://www.journeysofthespirit.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherirosenthal
Stay connected with Dr. Chrissie Ott:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
🎧 Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
Next week on Solving for Joy:
Pediatric dietitian and author Jill Castle, host of The Nourished Child podcast, joins me to talk about feeding both body and spirit—and how to raise thriving kids in a world obsessed with size.
What happens when science, leadership, and joy converge?
This week, I’m joined by Coach Meg Margaret Moore—co-founder of Wellcoaches, the Institute of Coaching, and the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching—for a profound and forward-looking conversation about the future of well-being, the evolution of coaching, and the art of living a life of purpose.
From her early career as a biotech executive across four countries to becoming one of the architects of modern coaching, Coach Meg shares how decades of work in neuroscience, psychology, and leadership have shaped her latest projects: the Well-Being Coaching Inventory and her new book, The Science of Leadership.
Together, we explore the nine parts of the mind, the relationship between stability and disruption, and what it means to make well-being—not productivity—the measure of success. With candor and clarity, Coach Meg invites us to see joy as both a practice and a responsibility: the thunder that moves us toward wholeness.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why our true purpose in life is to promote the well-being of ourselves and others
• How The Science of Leadership and the Well-Being Coaching Inventory are redefining evidence-based coaching
• What the “multiplicity of mind” reveals about personality, purpose, and integration
• How AI and technology can support human flourishing—when guided by compassion
• Why “joy is thunder” and what it means to stabilize during times of rapid change
• How measurement, meaning, and mindfulness come together in modern leadership
If you’ve ever wondered how science and soul meet inside the practice of coaching—or how joy can be both data-driven and deeply human—this episode offers a luminous window into the next era of well-being.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please consult your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Coach Meg Margaret Moore:
Website: https://www.wellcoaches.com
The Well-Being Index: https://www.wellcoachesnetwork.com
Institute of Coaching: https://www.instituteofcoaching.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmeg/
Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd/
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
Learn, connect, and recharge at the Physician Coaching Summit, November 6-8 at Civana Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, AZ.
https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Sheri Rosenthal, a former podiatrist turned retreat strategist, joins me to share how she helps heart-centered entrepreneurs design transformational retreats that are both impactful and sustainable.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When suffering shows up, what does it mean to let no pain go untransformed?
This week, I’m joined by physician, coach, author, and artist Dr. Sarah Bamford Seidelmann for a whimsical and deeply human conversation about joy, creativity, and the sacred absurd. Together, we explore how boundaries sustain our gifts, what it means to make a “feasting table of our wounds,” and why even in moments of grief, laughter and delight have their place.
Sarah shares her journey from fourth-generation physician and pathologist to bestselling author, shamanic practitioner, and coach. We talk about animal messengers, the 100-day projects that changed her life, the power of sustainable boundaries, and the role of self-expression in healing. With warmth and humor, she reminds us that joy doesn’t have to wait—and healing doesn’t have to be linear.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why joy and grief often travel together—and why neither cancels the other out
• What it means to “make a feasting table of our wounds” and transform suffering into service
• How to recognize and honor animal messengers in your own life
• Why boundaries are both compassionate and essential for sustainability
• How self-expression—through art, dance, writing, or story—creates a path back to wholeness
• Why playfulness and delight are not frivolous, but vital
If you’ve ever wondered how creativity, spirit, and science can coexist in the messy middle of being human, this episode is a generous invitation to explore.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Dr. Sarah Seidelmann:
Website: https://www.followyourfeelgood.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahseidelmann/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sarah-Bamford-Seidelmann/author/B007P7GRXI
Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Next week on Solving for Joy: Margaret Moore (Coach Meg), pioneer in evidence-based coaching, joins me to talk about the nine parts of the mind, her new book The Science of Leadership, and what it means to lead from the inside out.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When the world feels divided, dialogue breaks down, and “othering” becomes the language of the day—how do we return to what makes us most human?
This week, I’m joined by internist, public health professional, and trauma-informed coach Dr. Kemia Sarraf, CEO of Lodestar Coaching, for a powerful conversation about choosing humanity, even in dark times. Together, we explore why joy, hope, and courage are muscles to be flexed, how dialogue (not debate) protects our humanity, and why connection literally rewires our nervous systems for safety.
Dr. Sarraf shares her story from public health to medicine to founding a trauma-informed nonprofit and eventually creating her own coaching practice. We talk about the neuroscience of safety and threat, the dangers of othering, and why language matters—because all genocide begins with words. And yet, the shortest distance between two people is story, and dialogue rooted in humanity remains our best bridge.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why “default to your humanity” is a practice that protects connection in times of division
• How joy, hope, and courage are muscles we flex daily—not states we wait to feel
• The neuroscience of safety, threat scanning, and why uncertainty is so exhausting
• How trauma-informed coaching helps physicians and leaders unlearn “shellacked” training and reclaim their humanity
• Why dialogue is different from debate—and how story opens the shortest distance between two people
• How to resist othering and instead show up as a cue of safety for those around you
If you’ve ever wondered how to stay human in the face of trauma, division, or uncertainty, this conversation is a call back to presence, connection, and the courage to choose differently.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Dr. Kemia Sarraf:
Lodestar Coaching: https://www.lodestarpc.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkemia/
Stay connected with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Sarah Seidelman—physician, coach, and author—joins me for a spirited conversation about wild creativity, spirituality, and finding joy in unexpected places.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When medicine starts to feel like a factory line—and your smile no longer feels like your own—what then?
I’m joined by integrative pediatric dermatologist, children’s book author, and founder of The Joyful Path, Dr. Meena Julapalli, for a conversation that sings with story, presence, and the reminder that joy is not a reward, but a practice.
Meena shares her journey from academic burnout and 50-patient clinic days to creating Bluebird Dermatology, a direct care practice where connection—not the clock—guides healing. We talk about her moment of awe on the shores of Antarctica, the post-traumatic growth that reshaped her purpose, and why joy, curiosity, and play are not luxuries but essential medicines. Together, we explore mindset coaching for kids, storytelling as a healing tool, and the simple practices that return us to safety, laughter, and wonder.
We also talk about the deeper integration of medicine and meaning: how nutrition, Reiki, hypnotherapy, laughter yoga, and forest walks find their place alongside dermatology, and how these practices help children (and adults) not just survive, but truly thrive.
In this episode, you’ll learn
• Why joy is an inherent radiance—not something you earn after the hard parts are over
• How awe, nature, and presence (even penguins!) can reset your nervous system and restore connection
• A practical framework for educating, empowering, and advocating—so kids and families leave with tools, not just prescriptions
• How storytelling and mindset coaching help children build resilience, curiosity, and self-trust
• Why laughter, play, and micro-moments of safety are signals that unlock deeper healing
• What it means to practice medicine as a “joyologist”—and how curiosity keeps joy alive across a lifetime
• The power of community healing: when “I” becomes “we,” illness becomes wellness
If you’re a parent, clinician, or seeker ready to rediscover what makes your heart sing, this conversation is a guide back to joy—for you and the children you love.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Dr. Meena Julapalli:
Website: https://www.thejoyfulpath.org
Bluebird Dermatology: https://www.bluebirddermatology.com
Books: Listen to the Song in My Heart and Bluebird, Oh Bluebird, What Makes Your Heart Sing?
Stay connected with me:
Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Kemia Sarraf—internist, trauma-informed coach, and CEO of Lodestar Coaching. We’ll talk about chronic toxic stress, how to find safety inside your own nervous system, and why connection is not just nice, but literally keeps us human.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When the “good doctor” script starts to feel too tight—and excitement won’t carry you through the week—what then?
I’m joined by emergency physician, performance coach, and Physician Coaching Summit co-host Dr. Shideh Shafie for a grounded, joyful conversation on High-Vibe Sundays, why community is the evidence you’re not alone, and how to find a right-dose of clinical work that preserves meaning without the martyrdom.
Shideh shares the origin story of High-Vibe Sundays (breathwork, a silent garden walk, and a shared vegetarian meal), how gratitude becomes a gateway to serenity, and why dancing for three minutes before a keynote can shift your chemistry faster than white-knuckling mindset work. Together, we talk non-dual joy (wholeness over either/or), co-regulation, redefining success beyond “leave clinical or bust,” and permission to iterate your season—again and again.
Together, we unpack the pull to sameness in medicine, the relief of finding your people, and a kinder metric of success that honors both meaning and joy.
In this episode, you’ll learn
• How High-Vibe Sundays raises the room: breathwork → presence → shared meal → co-regulation you can feel
• Why serenity lasts longer than spark—and how gratitude opens steadier states you can actually live in
• A practical way to right-dose medicine so meaning stays while over-giving fades
• How to spot the “good doctor” sameness trap—and return to what’s truest for you now
• Why community is evidence (you’re not alone) and a shortcut to sustainable coaching
• Simple movement resets (hello, 3-minute dance party) that shift anxiety before big moments
• A reframing of success for physician coaches that isn’t “leave clinical” or “match your old salary”
• How to expand your capacity (the “bigger vessel” idea) so more light/joy can be received
If you’re a physician coach craving steady energy, real community, and doable rituals that raise the vibe, this conversation is a reframe and a reset.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Dr. Shideh Shafie:
Website: https://www.shidehshafie.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shideh.shafie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drshidehshafieperformancecoach
Stay connected with me:
Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Meena Jullipalli—dermatologist, coach for kids and families, and clinical hypnosis practitioner. If you’re curious about helping young people regulate and thrive, don’t miss it.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
Content note: This episode includes discussion of burnout, panic attacks, insomnia, and a brief mention of suicidal thoughts (non-graphic). Please listen with care.
When achievement stops feeling like joy—and the “perfect life” shows up with panic in tow—what then?
I’m joined by surgeon, coach, and Surgeons with Purpose host Dr. Mel Thacker for a candid look at hero culture in medicine, fiduciary ethics, and how we return power to patients (and to ourselves). Mel shares the moment her “shaking hands in the OR” became a wake-up call, why creation has to be for you first, and how suffering—when witnessed with compassion—can become fuel for purpose.
Together, we unpack the Drama Triangle and the Empowerment Dynamic, the subtle creep of “get energy,” and practical ways to stay in integrity when compensation and convenience tempt us off-center.
In this episode, you’ll learn
If you’re a clinician who looks “successful” on paper but feels misaligned, over-responsible, or stuck in hero mode, this conversation is a reframe and a reset.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Dr. Mel Thacker
Stay connected with us
Physician Coaches:
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Shideh Shafie—emergency physician, performance coach, and co-host of the Physician Coaching Summit. If you’re craving more energy, alignment, and doable rituals (think high-vibe Sundays and 3-minute dance resets), don’t miss it.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
Content note: This episode includes mention of childhood sexual abuse (non-graphic). Please listen with care.
When loss feels unbearable—or when caring for others leaves us searching for answers—we may wonder if joy can still be found.
Pediatric palliative care physician, Episcopal priest, and author Dr. Bob Macauley (Because I Knew You) joins Chrissie to explore how children and families facing serious illness teach us about courage, gratitude, and the surprising ways joy shows up—even in the midst of grief. With honesty, humor, and tenderness, Bob shares stories of resilience, silence, and presence that reframe what it means to love and to care.
In this heartfelt conversation, we explore the search for the “least-bad” option, how suffering can be transformed into compassion, and why his memoir is, at its heart, a thank-you note to courageous kids and their families.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
If you’ve ever found yourself holding both deep love and deep loss—and wondered what joy could look like there—this episode is for you.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from Dr. Bob Macauley:
Stay connected with us:
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Mel Thacker—surgeon and coach, host of Surgeons with Purpose. If you’re a surgeon (or physician) feeling stuck, burned out, or hungry for alignment and a clear voice, this one’s for you.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When relationships feel hard—especially across differences—it might be time to rethink how we relate. What if joy isn’t always something to solve, but something we can allow?
Relational facilitator James-Olivia Chu Hillman (Inquisitive Human; creator of REGARD) joins Chrissie to get precise—and playful—about desire, skill, and capacity; the four skills of relating; and the quiet ways “helping” turns into control.
In this honest, spacious conversation, we explore congruence, empathy that follows rather than fixes, and why prizing difference can deepen trust—even when values clash.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
If you’re longing for steadier, kinder conversations—at work, at home, or in care settings—this episode is your invitation.
Think of this as your reset button.
Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.
A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.
More from James-Olivia Chu Hillman:
Website: https://inquisitivehuman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inquisitive_human/
Stay connected with us:
Dr. Chrissie Ott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd
Joy Point Solutions: https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Bob Macauley—pediatric palliative care physician, Episcopal priest, and author of Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul—on the search for the least-bad option and the moments that hold us together.
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When life is shattered by loss — especially sudden or violent loss — the path forward can feel impossible to see. Yet even in the deepest grief, joy can still find its way back in.
Dr. Melissa “Red” Hoffman, MD, ND, FACS is a trauma surgeon, hospice and palliative care physician, and naturopathic doctor who has lived through unimaginable personal tragedy, including the violent deaths of loved ones. She shares how she’s learned to navigate the thin veil between sorrow and joy, set compassionate boundaries, and honor the seasons of grief while continuing to show up for life.
In this deeply moving conversation, Red opens up about her own healing, the lessons death has taught her, and how we can support ourselves and others through the hardest moments.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
If you’ve ever walked through profound loss, cared for someone at the end of life, or wondered how to keep your heart open in the face of pain — this episode offers wisdom, hope, and a reminder that joy is still possible.
More from Dr. Melissa “Red” Hoffman:
Stay connected with us:
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
When chronic symptoms don’t make sense and traditional answers fall short, it might be time to look within - at the connection between your brain, body, and emotions.
Dr. Becca Kennedy, physician and founder of Resilience Healthcare, shares her journey from conventional medicine to a deeper exploration of the nervous system, neuroplasticity, and the emotional roots of chronic pain.
In this eye-opening conversation, she opens up about her personal healing path, what shifted when she began listening to her body in a new way, and how self-compassion and joy became essential parts of the process.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
If you’re tired of hitting dead ends in the traditional medical system, or ready to explore a more compassionate, holistic path to healing - this episode is your invitation.
Think of this as your reset button.
Subscribe now and get real talk, radical honesty, and the spark to reconnect with your joy - automatically in your feed every Tuesday.
More from Becca Kennedy:
Website: https://resilience-healthcare.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBeccakennedy
Resources: https://resilience-healthcare.com/the-science/
Stay connected with us:
Dr. Chrissie Ott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd
Joy Point Solutions: https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
If you've ever felt like the noise of life has been turned up too loud and the inner whisper of calm is getting harder to hear, this episode is for you.
Dr. Rashmi Schramm—board-certified family physician turned meditation teacher, coach, and retreat leader—shares her powerful journey from traditional medicine to a life rooted in presence, purpose, and micro joy.
In this candid conversation, she opens up about what it really took to walk away from a decades-long career, how parenting college-aged kids has shaped her perspective, and the daily practices that help her stay grounded in joy, even through transition.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
* Why “micro joys” matter—and how they can quietly shift your entire day
* What it looks like to evolve your identity without losing your purpose
* How mindfulness, coaching, and retreat spaces can support deep healing
* The emotional layers of parenting older children—and how to keep growing through it all
If you're feeling pulled to slow down, shift directions, or reconnect with what lights you up, this episode will leave you feeling seen—and inspired to begin again.
Think of this as your reset button.
Subscribe now and get real talk, radical honesty, and the spark to reconnect with your joy - automatically in your feed every Tuesday.
More from Rashmi Schramm:
Website: https://www.rashmischramm.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/drrashmischrammoptimalwellness
Podcast: https://www.rashmischramm.com/podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.rashmischramm/
Stay connected with us:
Dr. Chrissie Ott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd
Joy Point Solutions: https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net
If you’re a healthcare professional who’s ever felt disconnected from your body, your purpose, or your joy—this episode is for you.
Dr. Sonny Miles, palliative and integrative medicine physician, coach and founder of Healing with Intention Integrative Medicine, joins Dr. Chrissie Ott for a deeply reflective conversation about what it means to live and practice with intention.
Drawing from her own path through medicine—and the tension between productivity and presence—Dr. Miles shares how she’s learned to honor the body’s wisdom, reconnect with her inner wisdom and redefine success on her own terms.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
This conversation explores the inner transformation that happens when we slow down, listen deeply, and trust ourselves again.
If you’ve ever longed for more ease, more alignment, and more meaning in your career—this one’s for you.
Think of this as your reset button.
Subscribe now and get real talk, radical honesty, and the spark to reconnect with your joy - automatically in your feed every Tuesday.
More from Sonny Miles:
Website: https://www.healingwithintentionim.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingwithintentionim/
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2511851
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healingwithintentionintegrativemedicine/
Stay connected with us:
Dr. Chrissie Ott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd
Joy Point Solutions: https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com
Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net