Episode 145: Emotional Intelligence for Physicians & Why Self-Stewardship Matters

Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smith is joined by Dr. Archana Shrestha—an emergency physician, certified coach, author, and founder of the Mama Doc School and Physician Wellness Solutions. Together, they dive deep into the journey of physician burnout, particularly from the perspective of emergency medicine. Dr. Shrestha shares her personal story of navigating the double burden of clinical and parental burnout, and how she transformed her approach to wellness by addressing not just physical exhaustion, but also the crucial mental and emotional components.

Listeners will hear about practical strategies for reclaiming energy, building emotional resilience, and making time for life outside of medicine. Dr. Shrestha opens up about the challenges women in medicine face, the importance of self-stewardship, and why addressing the dread around tasks like charting can have far-reaching impacts on personal health and quality of life. Whether you're looking to overcome burnout, manage stress eating, or simply feel more fulfilled in your medical career, this episode is packed with insightful advice and real-life inspiration for making clinical practice more sustainable.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Burnout has multiple layers: It isn’t just physical exhaustion. Addressing mental and emotional fatigue is just as crucial for true recovery and lasting wellness.
2. Processing emotions is a skill, not a luxury: Dr. Shrestha details a practical method
   (the “H & P” approach) for health professionals to name, rate, and process difficult emotions—crucial in high-stress environments like the ER.
3. Self-stewardship is essential: True self-care goes beyond the occasional treat; it’s about reclaiming basic needs like sleep, movement, healthy food, and time for yourself—so you can give your best at work and at home.

Meet Dr. Archana Shrestha:

Dr. Archana Shrestha is an emergency physician, certified coach, author, and speaker who is passionate about helping physicians create lasting wellness. She is the founder and Chief Wellness Officer of Mama Docs School and Physician Wellness Solutions, where she leads programs designed to reduce burnout and help doctors reclaim their health, energy and joy in medicine. Drawing from both her personal journey and professional expertise, Dr. Shrestha’s mission is to empower physicians not just to survive the demands of medicine—but to truly thrive.

You can find Dr. Archana Shrestha on:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightymommd/
• https://www.mamadocsschool.com/
• https://physicianwellnesssolutions.com/

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