The Entrepreneurial Clinician

Beyond Burnout: Healing Moral Distress in Healthcare - Interview with Minky Van Der Walt

While not all allied health professionals may have experienced burnout, moral distress may be a more common but less-known experience for many. But what is moral distress and how is it different from burnout? In this episode, Jo is joined by therapist Minky van der Walt to explore this question.

In this conversation, Jo and Minky discuss:

• The difference between moral distress, vicarious trauma and burnout
• The impact of safe systems of work on moral distress
• What does it mean to deliver a safe system of work and how you can build that in your practice or workplace,
• The changes Minky has observed in workplaces that weren’t common 5 years ago
• The impact of a debriefing practice and how to create a safe space for it
• The importance of getting out of our heads into our bodies, and
• Minky’s advice to a new graduate to help them stay in the work

About Minky: Minky van der Walt (she/her) is a clinical member of PACFA, the Australian Music Therapy Association and the Music and Imagery Association of Australia. Within PACFA, Minky is an Accredited Mental Health Practitioner and Accredited Supervisor.

Through her work across medical, education and community settings, particularly as a child and family trauma therapist, Minky has become a passionate advocate for the wellbeing of helping professionals. In her private practice, Tempo Therapy & Consulting, Minky supports health professionals offering therapeutic supports, individual and group supervision and professional learning.

With expertise in chronic stress and post-traumatic mental health, Minky offers support based in trauma-specific practice, including Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and Internal Family Systems Therapy approaches, music, creative arts and somatic processes, as well more traditional talk-focused approaches.

Minky is based in the beautiful lutruwita / Tasmania where she loves gardening, being in, on or near the ocean, or out and about with her not-therapy dog, Pablo.

You can connect with Minky via her website tempotherapy.com.au and on Instagram at @Tempo.therapy.

Special thanks to our podcast sponsor, Practice Conquest!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 If you know you need more support, please visit my website at https://jomuirhead.com

Burnout: The Unique Journey to Recovery Every Clinician Needs to Hear - Interview with Sarah Gilbert

This season of The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast has been focused on burnout and self-care. As a profession, we focus on caring for others, but what does it mean to care for ourselves? That’s the topic of conversation in this episode when Jo is joined by Sarah Gilbert. Sarah is a therapist who helps burnt-out therapists change the way they relate to the work they do.

In this conversation, Jo and Sarah discuss:

• Sarah’s experience with burnout, how she felt and the signs she noticed at both work and in her personal life
• How the mental chatter in our head often changes during times of burnout
• Prompts and techniques that Sarah uses to manage her energy
• The need to change the way you think about your work
• The importance of disrupting the sense of urgency, especially for non-urgent tasks
• The need for time boundaries in our work

About Sarah: Sarah Gilbert is a multi-faceted human who no longer simply identifies herself by the work she does. Sarah is a mom, wife, therapist, coach, bookworm, snarky friend, and Ted Lasso fan. She is located in the US, in Connecticut.  After years of non-profit agency work, Sarah started her private practice, Transitions Therapy LLC in 2014; a practice dedicated to serving transgender adults and their loved ones connect to their most authentic sense of identity. In her coaching business, Sarah helps burnt-out therapists change the way they relate to the work they do to find wholeness, restoration, and sustainability in their work.

You can connect with Sarah via her website at sarahgilbertcoaching.com or on Instagram at @Snark.and.soul.

Special thanks to our podcast sponsor, Practice Conquest!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Keri Nola
• Burnout Recovery Program
• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 If you know you need more support, please visit my website at https://jomuirhead.com

Professional Supervision: More Than Just Oversight — It's Growth with Shannon Heers - The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast

What role can professional supervision play in helping allied health professionals not only avoid burnout but thrive in their careers? That’s the topic of conversation in episode when Jo is joined by Shannon Heers. Shannon Heers is a therapist, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and the founder of Firelight Supervision. 

In this conversation, Jo and Shannon discuss:

• How many private practice owners can feel alone and isolated and how that can contribute to burnout
• Shannon’s experience with burnout
• The direct correlation Shannon has seen between her clinical capabilities and her ability to thrive as an allied health professional, with the amount and type of supervision she had at the time 
• The struggles many allied health professionals experience asking for help
• Why some mental health professionals struggle with the idea (and need) of supervision once licenced
• How becoming a clinical supervisor has been good for Shannon’s development and wellbeing
• Shannon’s advice on how to enjoy longevity in the profession
• The type, and amount, of support Shannon has in her life helps her avoid burnout and thrive as a clinician

About Shannon: Shannon Heers is a therapist, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and the founder of Firelight Supervision. Firelight Supervision provides clinical supervision to counsellors and social workers pursuing licensure, as well as clinical consultation for post-licensure professional growth and development. Shannon is also the owner of Catalyss Counseling, a private-pay group private practice located in Colorado. Shannon is passionate about decreasing therapist isolation, preventing burnout, and providing private practice therapists with the clinical support they deserve.

You can connect with Shannon via her website at Firelight Supervision.

Special thanks to our podcast sponsor, Practice Conquest!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 If you know you need more support, please visit my website at https://jomuirhead.com

Surviving the Unthinkable: How Brad's Business Defied Destruction - Twice with Brad Williams

Many factors can contribute to burnout in allied health professionals that are outside our control, including changes by Government or insurance companies. In this episode, Jo is joined by Brad Williams, an Occupational Therapist who has experienced this twice. Brad shares his experience about how his practice has defied the odds and thrived through two difficult periods and protective measures he has put in place to protect his relationships and his health.

In this episode, Jo and Brad discuss:

• Brad’s experience with burnout
• The importance of being able to adapt quickly when decisions are made by others that impact your business
• The Impact of a policy change that has had a massive impact on his industry and his business
• The personal costs he has experienced as a practice owner
• The extra-circular activities and other measures Brad has put in place to protect his health, energy and relationships 
• The power of creating an organisation chart and detailing all the hats and roles that you wear as the owner of an allied health practice
• How Brad turned Covid into an opportunity for refinement in his business, and 
• How he helps his team members adopt a similar positive, proactive and forward thinking mindset.

About Brad: Brad Williams is a CEO and wearer of many hats. He is the founder and CEO of Williams OT. He moved around a lot as a kid and didn’t grow up soon enough during school (maybe he still hasn’t). After ten years as a baker and pastry chef, he jumped into Uni and completed a bachelor’s degree in OT. Here, he was introduced to driving and has not looked back. After several years of working in a public hospital, he broke the shackles and started Williams OT in 2011. He developed an award-winning service, Williams Occupational Therapy, that has the clients at the heart of everything. A proud family man, Brad is a qualified OT Driver Assessor and Rehab practitioner with additional qualifications in Heavy Vehicle and Motorbike assessments and is a qualified Motor Driving Instructor. Along with continuing to help clients and run Williams OT, Brad is a creator of the Drive-Able Podcast, a board member of the road safety initiative, The Get Home Safe Foundation, and he is an invited representative on the National OT Australia Driver Task Force

You can connect with Brad via his website at https://www.williamsot.com. 

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Practice Conquest! 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 If you know you need more support, please visit my website at https://jomuirhead.com

Evolving Workforce Dynamics: Navigating Burnout and Barriers in Health Care - with Dr Julie Bajic Smith

Burnout doesn’t just happen to busy practice owners. It can happen to our staff too. So how do safe (and unsafe) systems of work impact on the risk of burnout for our workforce? Dr Julie Bajic Smith returns to the podcast this week to explore this question with Jo.

In this episode, Jo and Julie discuss:

• The implications of having a burnout workforce and the impact it can have on the quality of care delivered by staff
• Julie’s experience with burnout and realising that she didn’t want to manage people
• The importance of giving yourself permission to do things differently
• How Julie’s mission and passion have shaped her service delivery
• The importance of safe systems of work to protect staff from burnout
• What ‘emotional contagion’ is
• The impact emotional contagion can have (good or bad) on the culture in an workplace and on service delivery to clients
• How to separate positive and negative emotions in the workplace
• The importance of understanding what helps you switch off from work and better balance work and life, and
• Examples of workplaces that are managing the burnout risk well.

About Julie: Dr. Julie Bajic Smith is a registered psychologist who has over 15 years clinical experience in aged care. Julie is a board-approved psychology supervisor and she regularly delivers clinical supervision to intern psychologists and other mental health professionals. Julie is also an experienced researcher and writer. Her doctorate research examined wellbeing in home care workers and postdoctoral research focused on supported decision-making in dementia. She has significant experience in the assessment and the application of psychological treatments to older adults and recently published a book on enhancing emotional wellbeing in residential aged care environments.

You can connect with Julie via her website at wisecare.com.au.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Practice Conquest!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 If you know you need more support, please visit my website at https://jomuirhead.com

Finally, if you loved this episode, please make sure you subscribe and leave us a review.

Rewiring the Brain: A Journey of Neuroplasticity and Overcoming Burnout with Angela Lockwood - The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast

Prompted by a question from the Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group about neuroplasticity, Angela Lockwood returns to join Jo on this week's episode of The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast to discuss neuroplasticity and its role in burnout and recovery from burnout.

In this episode, Jo and Angela discuss:

• what neuroplasticity is (and isn’t)
• that neuroplasticity isn’t reserved for certain people, professions or ages
• how neuroplasticity can contribute to health professionals experiencing burnout
• the need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of burnout
• the importance of creating space and taking an extra moment to enjoy moments of joy or peace and how it helps to reset our nervous system and brain
• how to utilise the neuroplasticity of your brain to recover from burnout

About Angela Lockwood: Angela is an Occupational Therapist, Podcast Host, Guest Expert, Speaker and Author. 

With over two decades of experience as an Occupational Therapist, Angela has immersed herself in the exploration of focus—examining how individuals think, learn, and interact with their surroundings, their work and their mindset. As the author of “The Power of Conscious Choice" and "Switch Off: How to Find Calm in a Noisy World," Angela delved deeply into the intricacies of mindful decision-making and attention management. Her podcast, "Distracted," serves as an invaluable resource for those seeking clarity amidst the chaos.

You can find Angela via her website at www.angelalockwood.com.au 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 

From Burnout to Renewal: A Clinical Psychologist's Story of Self-Care and Scaling Back for a Better Life - with Dr Natalie Green

There is no doubt that burnout is prevalent in the allied health professional field. Some may try to ‘blame’ allied health professionals who experience it for not looking after themselves properly. However, this perspective fails to recognise the impact of the systems we work in on our mental health and our lives. 

In this episode, Jo is joined by Dr Natalie Green to discuss Natalie’s repeated experiences with burnout and the steps that the profession and society need to take as a whole if we are to create safe and healthy spaces that enable people not just to survive but thrive.

In this episode, Jo and Natalie discuss:

• Some of the times in Natalie’s life when burnout was prevalent and the steps she took to overcome it
• The behaviour patterns that Natalie now recognises that contributed to her burnout cycle
• The importance of talking about our experiences with burnout
• How the systems we work in are perpetuating our illness and burnout
• Why the profession needs to have more conversations about money and making sure that allied health professionals look after themselves, and
• The advice Natalie would give newly qualified allied health professionals.

About Dr Natalie Green: Dr Nat Green is a Trauma Breakthrough Coach, an Author and Podcast host with a background in Clinical and Health Psychology. Dr. Nat is passionate about transforming lives and revolutionising the trauma landscape.

With over 34 years’ of working in trauma, and having experienced her own trauma firsthand, Dr Nat is a trailblazer, authored a book ‘Key to Freedom- The 7-Step Model to Triumph Over Trauma’, has chapters in multi-author International Bestselling books Changemakers (Volume 4) and Empowered Women Empower Women and is Founder of the ABS Method™ which accelerates trauma healing and transformation into post-traumatic growth.

She is a nominee in the 2024 Women Who Podcast Awards in the USA and received an Award at the Therapists Rising Industry Awards in 2023.

When she isn’t writing, podcasting or changing lives Dr Nat enjoys coffee by the beach and travel. She lives on the NSW Mid North Coast with her husband and two kids.

You can find Natalie at her website here or you can email her at drnat@drnataliegreen.com.au. Natalie is also on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group

Battling Burnout: A Speech Pathologist's Journey to Innovating Self-Care and Equity in Healthcare with Ed Johnson - The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast

Fatigue and being overtired are two of the most common symptoms of burnout. However there can be a much darker side which can have a significant impact on your mental health. In this episode, Jo is joined by Ed Johnson who openly and vulnerably shares his experience of burnout which culminated in a diagnosis of psychosis and PTSD. 

In this episode, Jo and Ed discuss:

• Ed’s journey from being a child interested in language to being the co-founder of a social enterprise designed to provide access for underserved communities to speech pathology and occupational therapy support,
• The struggle (and cost) of juggling multiple projects at the same time
• The cycle of burnout and (partial) recovery Ed experienced throughout his career
• The work-related circumstances that led Ed to be diagnosed with psychosis and PTSD
• How burnout is often focused on the person, not the environment that contributed to it, and
• The importance of speaking up if you are struggling or if you notice behaviour changes in your colleagues.

About Ed Johnson: Ed Johnson is a social entrepreneur and academic with degrees in linguistic anthropology and speech pathology. He worked in rural and remote Australia (mainly in Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi, and Iningai communities) for over a decade as a speech pathologist before moving into academia. Ed completed his PhD in 2021 at the University of Sydney which focused on the phenomenologies of rural families of children with intellectual disabilities, and humanistic digital allied health support delivery and capacity-building with National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants across rural and remote Australia. He co-founded his scale-up Umbo, based on the findings to support Australians in underserved communities and populations to access speech pathology and occupational therapy support. Umbo has saved NDIS participants over $8m since its inception and continues to invest 50% of profits into funding services for people who can’t afford to see a therapist.

 Ed now lives on Dharug land and is the coordinator of the Remote and Rural Enterprise Program at the University of Sydney which aims to support indigenous and rural communities to create and consolidate sustainable social enterprises in the bush. He lives by the quote from his favourite existentialist, Franz Kafka: “Do what is right, not what is acceptable.”

You can find Ed on LinkedIn here

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group

The Cost of Overwork: Finding Balance and Preventing Burnout in Allied Health – Interview with Yolanda Harper

Last week, Jo was joined by therapist and writer Yolanda Harper to discuss Yolanda’s book, Soul Sabbatical. You can listen to that conversation here.

While supporting Yolanda with the writing of Soul Sabbatical, Jo realised that she needed to take a sabbatical to address her burnout, work and life. So in this episode, the tables (and microphone) are turned and Yolanda returns to the podcast to interview Jo about her sabbatical experience. 

In this episode, Jo and Yolanda discuss:

• The emotional response Jo had when she first read the manuscript of Yolanda’s book
• The moment Jo realised that she had not been living in alignment and knew she needed to take a sabbatical
• The crucial role support played in Jo’s sabbatical
• What the hardest part of taking a sabbatical was for Jo (it might surprise you)
• Jo’s biggest takeaway from her sabbatical experience and
• What Jo would say to someone who was considering taking a sabbatical.

About Yolanda Harper: While many authors know all of their lives that they want to become published, Yolanda Harper’s first book, Soul Sabbatical, started as a series of journal entries written during a burn out “meltdown” that led to her taking a sabbatical from her roles as a trauma and relationship therapist, researcher, trainer, mental health thought leader, and business owner/entrepreneur. As she shared more about her experience, she realised how much people resonate with the idea of a sabbatical, but don’t know how to step back from the demands of hustle culture to take one.

Yolanda is a warm hearted music and nature lover who has a strong faith and likes #TrailLife.  She is real; a therapist, mental health thought leader, entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, Soul Sabbatical Doula, wife, and Mama always to her grown children – but a human first.

You can find Yolanda at https://yolandaharper.com 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Ideal Day Workbook
• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 

The Hidden Cost of Caring: Burnout and Vicarious Trauma in Healthcare - lnterview with Yolanda Harper - The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast

In this episode, Jo is joined by therapist and writer Yolanda Harper. 

Yolanda is a therapist based in Florida who is a specialist in trauma. It was in the process of supporting Yolanda with the writing of her first book, Soul Sabbatical, Jo realised that she needed to take a sabbatical and address her burnout, her work and her life.

In this episode, Jo and Yolanda discuss:

• the concept of vicarious trauma 
• that you don’t work in the traditional field of ‘trauma’ you are likely to be dealing with clients who have experienced traumatic events,   
• the difference between vicarious trauma and burnout
• the shame and stigma associated with burnout
• how Yolanda arrived at the point of realising she needed a sabbatical, and
• why a sabbatical is not a holiday.

About Yolanda Harper: While many authors know all of their lives that they want to become published, Yolanda Harper’s first book, Soul Sabbatical, started as a series of journal entries written during a burnout “meltdown” that led to her taking a sabbatical from her roles as a trauma and relationship therapist, researcher, trainer, mental health thought leader, and business owner/entrepreneur. As she shared more about her experience, she realised how much people resonate with the idea of a sabbatical, but don’t know how to step back from the demands of hustle culture to take one.

Yolanda is a warm-hearted music and nature lover who has a strong faith and likes #TrailLife.  She is real; a therapist, mental health thought leader, entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, Soul Sabbatical Doula, wife, and Mama always to her grown children – but a human first.

You can find Yolanda at https://yolandaharper.com 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Ideal Day Workbook
• Future Proofing Health Professional Facebook group 

 If you know you need more support, please visit my website at https://jomuirhead.com

Finally, if you loved this episode, please make sure you subscribe and leave us a review.