Burning Out? Recommendations For Your Personality Type

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I really wish I could change the healthcare system so it would stop burning out so many hardworking doctors and other healthcare providers. I would gladly be out of a job if it meant this soul-crushing medical system cared half as much about doctor satisfaction as it did about patient scores.

But sadly, I know I alone will not change the system. So every day I ask, “How can I help my doctor clients avoid burnout?”

It’s not a magic wand, but what I offer here is a tool to help you better understand your risk factors for burnout based on personality type, and provide recommendations for healthy coping strategies.

My approach is based on the Enneagram Personality System, which has 9 basic personality types (ennea means nine). If you don’t already know your type, you can take the most accurate $12 Full RHETI test – by clicking here. Alternatively, you can read through the descriptions and see which ones best fit you. Even though you will only have one primary personality type, aspects of the other types are present in you to a lesser or greater degree.

enneagram type 1 mThe Reformer/Perfectionist: Posses high standards, wants to do the right thing, disciplined, focused on improvements. Wants to avoid mistakes, can be self-critical, judgmental of others.

Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Working in an environment where integrity & respect are lacking
  • Being obsessive/compulsive regarding charting and tasks
  • Feeling guilty when relaxing and not being “productive”
  • Having difficulty delegating and trusting others to do a good job
  • Having a harsh inner critic

Recommendations:  Since you have a very high degree of integrity and care deeply that things are done correctly, you can suffer greatly in a work environment that is not aligned with your values. You may be spending extra time and energy trying to change a system that does not see things as you do. If this is the case and conflict is arising, you may need to find a different approach or a better job fit. You have high standards for your work, including documentation, but if charting is taking an inordinate amount of time, do a trial period of more succinct notes for two weeks. You can always go back to the longer notes, but perhaps shorter notes (with even a few typos) may be acceptable. The Type One has a very strong inner critic, which can be very hard on itself (and others). See how it feels to take on a kinder, more forgiving tone with yourself. There is often a subconscious fear in Ones that if they give themselves a little slack, they will turn into slackers, but this is not a risk! Allow yourself more freedom for guilt-free indulgence, and simple, pure fun.

enneagram type 2 mThe Helper: Enjoys doing for others and being needed. Warm, compassionate, connecting. Can over-do and get caught in people- pleasing.

Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Becoming overcommitted
  • Having difficulty saying “No” and setting boundaries
  • Allowing others to take advantage of the desire to please
  • Losing focus on your own needs and wants
  • Being overly empathic and suffering compassion fatigue

Recommendations: You truly enjoy helping others, connecting and seeing how you can meet the needs of others. As a physician, this can put you at high risk for compassion fatigue and burnout from giving too much. Examine your current personal and professional commitments. Where are you being stretched too thin? What can you let go of? Before saying “yes” to additional commitments, press the pause button and consider whether this obligation serves you. Is it something YOU want to do? Take stock of your self-care and personal time. Is all your time going towards work and family, with little left over for you? Try putting yourself first for a few weeks and see how that changes things. To do this, you will likely need to ask for more from others and redefine some boundaries. If others’ needs are so important, why would yours not be just as important?

Enneagram type 3 picThe Achiever: Focused on accomplishments and getting things done. Motivating, efficient, adaptable. Likes to check off boxes and climb the ladder. Image conscious, competitive.

Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Looking to achievement for self-worth
  • Being a workaholic
  • Losing self in the pursuit of goals/status
  • Letting relationships suffer from neglect
  • Having difficulty slowing down and just “being”

Recommendations: You excel at setting goals and achieving. You thrive from performing well and having the high regard of others. Doing so can result in career success and a great CV, but it can also leave you feeling empty and disconnected from your heart. Ask yourself what is important about your goals, why do they matter to you? What have you had to sacrifice to achieve your goals? Are there other things more important to you now? As an achiever type, you may have put your feelings aside to reach your goals. Slow down in order to find out what is driving the achievement. Ask yourself if there is something else your heart desires. Even in spite of significant achievement, Threes can have self-esteem issues. A good counter to this is fully accepting who you are, and letting go of comparisons with others. Finding your own authenticity and being comfortable with all aspects of yourself, including your appearance, will create more inner peace than any outer achievement.

Enneagram type 4 fThe Individualist/Romantic: Values self-expression, creativity, and finding the deeper meaning. May express universal truths through art, music and writing. Appreciates beauty. Can be moody and overly sensitive.

Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Working in an environment that is a mismatch for your True Self
  • Being hypersensitive to criticism, feeling shame from mistakes
  • Being prone to moodiness, melancholy, depression
  • Becoming quickly dissatisfied with accomplishments, circumstances or people
  • Allowing emotions to get in the way of staying on task, not being disciplined

Recommendations: You are highly creative, intuitive, and seek meaning and connection in your work. As you like to express your ideas and unique approach, a work environment that is too confining and does not value your individuality will not be a good fit. Having a job primarily for income will not be sustainable. Look for ways to custom tailor your work to match you. Allow yourself time for creative pursuits in your personal life: writing, music, interior design, acting, cooking, etc. If your emotions are getting in the way of finishing more mundane jobs such as charting and completing projects, schedule specific times for these tasks. Melancholy is not uncommon for this type, but if you find yourself slipping into depression, seek help. See where you can acknowledge the goodness in yourself and what you have created in your life and find satisfaction there, without anything having to be different.

Enneagram type 5 fThe Investigator/Observer: Tireless learner and experimenter. Perceptive, innovative. More comfortable acquiring knowledge and working with ideas than interacting with others. May feel socially awkward. Likes time alone for thinking.

 Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Excessive patient and staff interactions (strong introversion)
  • Having to be in a noisy, busy clinic or hospital setting
  • Feeling intellectually stagnant in routine practice
  • Avoiding dealing with issues because of emotional content
  • Being preoccupied with “what if’s” – worries, scary thoughts

Recommendations: You are an innovator and deep thinker. Your ideal work setting is one where you can focus deeply without interruptions and work independently in your areas of interest. A clinic setting with high patient volume, interruptions, and too many routine cases is going to burn you out quickly. Diversifying patient care with research, teaching, and projects can be helpful. Try to find a quiet place to do your work and ask others to minimize their interruptions. Wealth and prestige are not huge motivators for you, but internal success is. You do what you do because it fascinates and intrigues you. If your work is not feeding this need, it may be valuable to reexamine your job.


Enn type 6The Loyalist/Questioner: Dependable, hardworking, reliable. Wants to know the rules, do what’s expected. Engaging, loyal. Concerned with security and preparing for the future. Prone to “what if” thinking, self-doubt, and anxiety. ***At least half of my clients are Type 6’s. Very common for doctors.

Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Over-working and over-preparing in order to exceed expectations
  • Worrying about patients and catastrophizing
  • Focusing on problems instead of possibilities
  • Staying in a bad situation out of loyalty
  • Being uncomfortable with uncertainty
  • Second guessing decision making

Recommendations:  You excel in organizations due to your hard work, problem-solving abilities, people skills, and desire to exceed expectations. Patients often remark that you are great at explaining complex medical information in a very understandable way. You easily over-work yourself, so set healthy limits on your own expectations and set boundaries in your work environment. Because anxiety and self-doubt can be an issue, make a realistic assessment of your abilities and have more confidence in your own decision-making capacity. Try to avoid spending unnecessary time second-guessing yourself and asking other’s opinions. Pay attention to how often you are worrying about the future. See what you can take care of in the moment to relieve your anxiety, and counter the habit of perseverating. Trust that you have the resources, both internal and external, to meet what the future holds. This trust can help you move forward if you need to face uncertainty in order to make positive changes.

enneagram type 7 mThe Enthusiast/Adventurer: Optimistic, quick thinker, social, multiple interests and activities. Resists limits. “Bright shiny object syndrom.” Can become easily bored, scattered.

Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Becoming bored from limitations of routine practice
  • Being impatient and seeking adventure can lead to impulsive decisions, risk taking
  • Getting scattered from too many spinning plates
  • Becoming dissatisfied with present, focusing on future
  • Avoiding underlying feelings by keeping busy

Recommendations: You are a glass is half full kind of person and bring energy, high spirits, and a sense of adventure and fun to those around you. You will do best in a work environment with a lot of variety, stimulation, and interaction with others. Jobs where you can take on new projects and then move on, such as consulting, or jobs with excitement and the fast pace of the ER are good options. If you’re feeling bored in your career, take time to understand yourself and your needs before leaping into something else. Be careful not to overload yourself with so many activities that you get scattered, impatient and drained. The desire for adventure and excitement, can be a way to avoid dealing with underlying feelings and issues. Slowing down an focusing on the present

Enneagram Type 8 pic maleThe Challenger/Leader: Assertive, big energy, likes to be in control, lead others. Entrepreneurial, may be a risk taker. Will suffer in order to protect others. Not overly concerned with others’ opinions. Avoids showing vulnerability and softer side.

 Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Pushing beyond healthy limits, overworking
  • Getting into conflict/power struggles
  • Not wanting to show vulnerability, not seeking help
  • Taking risks that jeopardize financial stability
  • Making decisions when in a reactive mode versus taking time to process emotions

Recommendations: As a Type 8, you like challenges, autonomy, truth, and being able to be your own boss. You may be in a surgical subspecialty and or have a leadership role. You are no stranger to hard work, and may put in longer hours than your colleagues. However, know that you’re human too, and need rest and healthy limits. Take a look at your weekly schedule. Are you overdoing it? Is there any downtime? Try to understand what is driving you to push yourself so hard. What do you want to achieve from your efforts? If you tend to be overly self-sufficient, see where you might allow others to meet some of your needs and provide support for you. There may be times when you are feeling passionate about something, but others may interpret this as anger. A rousing discussion to you could feel like an argument to someone else. If you are experiencing conflict with others, it could be helpful to hear their perspective and solicit feedback.

Enneagram Type 9 PicThe Peacemaker: Grounded, calm, agreeable. Goes-with-the-flow and keeps peace at any cost. Able to see all sides of a situation. Patient. Non-confrontational.

 Risk Factors for Physician Burnout

  • Putting others needs, wants, and preferences first
  • Failing to advocate for self by being conflict avoidant
  • Having difficulty knowing what you really want
  • Procrastinating, escaping reality (reading/TV, etc)
  • Discounting your value, selling yourself short

 

Recommendations: You bring a calm, accepting energy to your workplace and like to be in a comfortable environment where you feel connected to others and valued. You listen deeply and have a gift for seeing things from someone else’s perspective without judgment. These are great things, however your adaptability and sensitivity to others can cause you to lose sight of your own needs and wants. Often there is something you need to express or ask of someone else, but you discount its importance or do not want to stir up conflict. Try writing out exactly what you want to say or ask for, whether it is to your boss, spouse, colleague or friend. Find a diplomatic way to then address the issue. It is important for you to know that you can have a voice and express yourself. As a type 9, you may be staying way too long in a job that you don’t like. Inertia can take over and days can turn into years. Procrastination is rarely due to laziness. There is usually some underlying fear, concern, or false belief that is maintaining the status quo. Give yourself a pinch, set a deadline for action, and know that when you align with your own inner driver, you are unstoppable.

Something you may already be realizing about these different types is that they each have unique qualites and gifts. Expressing these gifts bring a lot of satisfaction and success to each type. However, when a gift is overdone, such as being a helper type, it becomes a liability.

The Enneagram helps us to see our gifts and own them, but also understand the subconscious drivers that can cause us to “over-do” our gifts so they don’t become liabilites.

The Enneagram is not here to put you in a box, it is here to help you get out of a box you may have put yourself in by thinking you have to be a certain way.

Viva la freedom of being you – out of the box!

Want to learn more?

Take the RHETI Enneagram Personality Test – $12 takes 35 – 40 mintues

Enneagram Institute Website

Podcasts:

 

Books:

The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso and Hudson

The Career Within You: How to Find the Perfect Job for Your Personality Type, by Wagele and Stabb

The Enneagram: 9 Gateways to Presence by Russ Hudson – Audio Course

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10 Comments

  1. Jeff Mack, MD on May 4, 2016 at 10:10 pm

    What a great read! Thank you for introducing me to the enneagram and associated tips to help avoid burnout. I plan to apply much of this advice immediately.

    • Heather Fork on May 4, 2016 at 11:14 pm

      Thank you so much Jeff! You made my day. I am really glad that you enjoyed the post and feel that the advice will be useful for you. Please feel free to report back to us when you’ve had the chance to test drive some of tips! Feedback is always welcome. All the best to and thanks again for reading.

  2. Gary Levin on January 2, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    Heather, thank you for your advice and specifically the enneagram. I am a retired and looking for a new activity.

    I publish two blogs, Digital Health Space and Health Train Express (for over ten years).

    • Heather Fork on January 2, 2019 at 8:16 pm

      Thank you so much for comments Gary! I checked out your blogs – they are both filled with excellent content. How do you write so prolifically!??

  3. […] If you would like recommendations for burnout based on your Enneagram Personality Type, you can read them here.  […]

  4. JOH on September 24, 2020 at 12:04 am

    As an 8 in the mental health and addictions field in a hospital, setting i can relate wholeheartedly to your comments. I tend to like doing excess. Have for years. Time to retire at 67 to spend more time with family, rest and slow down while I have my health.

    If your readers want to see a panel of their type go to utube and look for Beatrice chestnuts panel presentations using volunteers within each type. The enneagram comes alive. With wisdom and personal sharing. A brilliant system for helpfulness over the years.

    I don’t seek help easily or allow vulnerability. Try to avoid sparring or being dominating. Listen to others truth than refuting. My growth work. Excellent summary on the topic of burnout. Thank you Gary.

    • Heather Fork on September 24, 2020 at 1:47 am

      Gary, thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on this blog. I have a lot of respect for Type 8’s! They often have what seems like superhuman energy levels and the capacity to move and empower others in profound ways. It sounds like you have a lot of self-awarenes and I’m glad you are going to take more time for yourself and family. Your recommendatino of Beatrice Chestnut’s panel presentations is an excellent one! I just had a look at the panel for the 6’s ( as so many physicians are 6’s) and I like her approach and how she was describing this type. I”m excited to watch more and recommend her Youtube panels. Thank you for sharing. Much appreciated.

  5. Eric on January 1, 2021 at 4:09 am

    Optometrist practicing in high pathology academic ophthalmology practice. 10th year of practice. Probably at the worst stage of burnout since I started practicing. I’m a textbook INTJ and #5 according to your Enneagram traits listed above. The thing that makes my current practice burn me out so bad is that I don’t have a dedicated technician. So I have to work up all my patients solo (note: most of my encounters will require pupil dilation and this means that I essentially have to see nearly every patient twice).

    Only about 10% of my practice is routine, the rest are mostly 80+ year old patients with dementia, orientation and mobility issues, advanced glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and various stages of macular degeneration. I’m the only black doctor male doctor in a department of about 50 ODs and MDs, so I feel like I have to “play the part” down to the T to maintain my stellar patient satisfaction score, when other extrovert docs pretend like they can’t keep up.

    I’m burned out as sh*t. Truly in the wrong field. My brain is too fried to persevere through another degree. I’m at the point where despite being very effective with patients and a great clinician, I’m sick and tired of working in an environment where I can’t think or process random and/or creative thoughts. All my attention is on fixing the patient, running on time, answering questions, and typing in EPIC.

    • Heather Fork on January 1, 2021 at 4:41 am

      Hi Eric, it does sound like you are really, really burned out. I’m truly sorry to hear this. I have been going to the ophthalmologist recently, and have been wondering how those in this field deal with having to look in the eye all the time and have such a focused area of practice? I’m sure you get asked the same questions over and over. Being a type 5 on the Enneagram certainly can make it challenging to see a lot of patients and have multiple interactions all day long. I can understand how you are very frustrated with your current work arrangement. Seeing so many patients and having to be on the computer and talking to patients and multitasking can be draining even for extroverts. I hope you can take some time to figure out what will work better for you. Don’t lose hope. Keep us posted. May 2021 bring some positive changes for you.

    • JD on March 8, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      Eric,
      I found your comment because I’m also a textbook INTJ/Enneagram 5. I cringed at your description of your workplace. Do you and your colleagues ever discuss your personality profiles and how they relate to your work environment? I have found it very cathartic, and you might try it. It will allow your peers to see how cerebral your outlook on the world is (which they will respect), and they may even begin to look to you for insight on their own workplace issues. Nothing pumps up an INTJ like analyzing issues and effective problem solving.

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modupe

"Heather’s approach was great! She would listen to me and helped me appreciate who I am."

I remember when she said ‘do your resume before our next meeting’, I was about to push back but she gently nudged me along and I’m glad I did exactly what she wanted me to do. We also did interview prep via Zoom and I was offered a great job in UM. She has continued to follow up even after I was offered this job, helping me with pointers about negotiating. I will totally recommend the Doctors Crossing and Heather to anyone feeling stuck like me and looking for a great coach! Thank you Heather!

- Modupe Oladeinde, MD

Family Medicine
Tim O

The coaching I have had with you has been life changing."

You helped me find the courage to seek out leadership positions and become a medical director as well as a physician advisor. I am grateful we crossed paths and am a different person because of it. You have inspired me to "believe" in spite of my inner skeptic. I consider you one of my most important mentors and am proud to also call you a friend. This says a lot given the apprehension I felt when I took a chance with our first coaching session. Even though I have already made a successful transition, I still value your ongoing mentorship and can enthusiastically attest that the value of your services is tremendous!

- Tim Owolabi, MD

Family Medicine
Lynette Charity

“I was at a crossroads in my medical career. I asked myself, "Do I stay or do I go?" 

I met Heather at the SEAK conference. She and I revisited this question.  Did I want to quit being medicine completely? She helped me to identify my needs, wants, and my vision for my FUTURE, not just in medicine, but in life!!!

She was able to listen to my "ramblings" about becoming a stand-up comic, lounge singer and voice-over actor and translate them into action steps.  I chose to become a composite of all of these. Now I am a more confident, healthier, happier person. I credit this in its entirety to the tutelage I have received and continue to receive from Heather.  She cares. She listens. She was there for ME.  She will be there for YOU!

- Lynette Charity, MD

Anesthesiologist
Gail Miller

“I am forever grateful to Heather for helping me to recognize, I am more than just my M.D." 

Heather helped me understand that I am more than just a doctor and that my experiences in clinical medicine are valuable in so many arenas.  As a result I realized that there are other ways to use my background, still be able to help people and continue to challenge myself and grow.  To that end I discovered coaching - specifically health coaching.  I am on my journey becoming a health coach and truly loving it!

- Gail Miller, MD

OB/Gyn physician
Steve

“Thank you, Heather, for helping me transform my career, my faith and my life."

What started out as an initial thirty-minute consultation call turned into an amazing four-year journey that transformed my life, personally, spiritually and professionally. 

Heather helped me to discover my passions...by doing so, I discovered I still had a calling for medicine but it now came from a place of truth...

Today...my wife and I are opening our first concierge medicine clinic in a community we love. I’m actually excited to have the opportunity to practice medicine the way I believe it’s meant to be, with a focus on the doctor-patient relationship and an emphasis on faith. I know if I had not reached out to Dr. Fork, my life would not be where it is at today.

- Steve Lapke, MD

Papillion, NE
Sue Zimmermann

“Heather gave me the confidence to create a new livelihood by following my heart."

She is incredibly knowledgeable about the range of careers available to physicians and provided me with advice and connections which I would not have found on my own.  From the start she encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try different things.  I was laid off unexpectedly in early 2017, and Heather gave me the confidence to create a new livelihood by following my heart and making decisions based on trust, not fear.  Now I am enjoying working part-time in a clinical setting in addition to teaching and writing.

- Sue Zimmermann, MD

Orthopedic Surgeon
Devki Patel

After months of struggling to find a non-clinical career that matched my values and passion, I stumbled upon Heather's website which truly changed my life."

Heather's insightful and personalized approach to career coaching made me think outside the box since she took the time to evaluate my personality, values, interests, and preferred lifestyle.

Through her encouragement, practical advice, and professional connections, I was able to find a non-clinical position at a state Medicaid agency that aligned with my passion for population health and serving low-income communities. In addition to her coaching sessions, Heather has built a community of like-minded physicians through her blog, and I feel honored to recommend her to friends and colleagues who seek to make positive changes in their professional and personal lives.

- Devki Patel, MD

Pathologist
Jay Macregor

Working with Heather ultimately helped me leave my job in corporate healthcare and find a path that was much more fulfilling."

My career was going reasonably well but I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling I could do better; or at least find a better long-term career fit.  

I was able to find a surgery job that better aligned with my goals and professional interests.  Additionally, Heather helped me start a consulting business which has allowed me to pursue a true passion: helping medical students, residents, and attendings surgeons navigate the challenges of high-stakes standardized exams.    

If you are reading this as a “Type A” surgeon who doesn’t think coaching is for you, I would encourage you to give Heather a shot.  I’m very glad I did!

- Jay MacGregor, MD

Colorectal Surgeon
LI

“I gained the confidence in myself to develop an action plan that blended the best parts of my experiences and interests into a cohesive career." 

Through our work, I learned to trust myself to make good decisions for my own future – something I hadn’t realized I was struggling with because as an emergency physician, I make life-changing decisions with patients every day. 

By feeding my creativity and interests in other realms of my professional life, I’ve found renewed compassion for my patients and myself, making every shift an opportunity to actually care for people. Thank you Heather. I really couldn’t have made these changes without your help!

- Liz McMurtry, DO

Emergency Medicine Physician
Amie

The simple truth is - Heather Fork totally helped me change my life."

I never would have had the courage to make the changes I’ve made without her unwavering support, wealth of knowledge and commitment. 

When I first started working with Heather, I was downtrodden...I’d been practicing medicine for 20+ years and yet had never quite found my place.  During the first year I worked with Heather, I left the practice I’d been working at, and recreated an entirely new professional purpose.

I’m now an executive and leadership coach, a university professor, and a Brené Brown Daring Way facilitator, and I have never looked back.  I love what I am doing more than at any other time in my professional life and I credit Heather with seeing in me what I was never able to see in myself, until now.

Don’t hesitate, don’t doubt yourself, schedule your time with Heather as soon as possible- she can help you reconnect to your purpose and reinvent your life.

- Amie Langbein, DO

Family Physician
KB Karen Barnard Photo

"After 30 years in academic medicine, I wanted a career change but had no idea where to start. Medicine was all I knew."

I signed up for coaching with Heather and it transformed my life. She helped me get clear on what I wanted my life to look like. We reviewed my skills, values, and strengths. She instilled hope in me that change IS possible after 50 years! 

The outcome is that I have created a life I love! I practice endocrinology part-time and own a life coaching business! Coaching with Heather is one of the best investments I have made in my life. 

- Karen Barnard, MBBCh, MPH

Endocrinologist and Life Coach
IMG_05-22-2021_9-11-9

"Heather was my source of hope during a time when I felt stuck and confused. She gave me the permission and confidence to reach higher than I believed I could."

After graduating from residency and starting a family, I lost sight of why I became a physician. I struggled to convince myself to stay in a career that was clearly the wrong fit for me and my family. My anxiety about work was at an all-time high when I reached out to Heather. She provided something that my mentors, friends, and family could not – rather than just offering career advice, she changed the way I think about my life so that I could understand how my career would fit into it. I realized I wasn’t ready to give up on medicine and eventually found a job in academic medicine. I finally feel that excitement for medicine that I used to feel when I was in training. More importantly, I feel like I can be the role model to my young daughter who may one day also face similar challenges between career and family. Thank you, Heather, for all your kindness, support, and skillful coaching! The experience was life-changing!

- Yuri Shindo, MD

Internal Medicine Physician
Camille Gardner-Beasley

"As a Physician, your personal and even professional needs are often overlooked. I learned how to prioritize my career goals by working with Dr. Heather Fork."

She taught me how to put into practice what I knew in theory, that taking care of myself was a priority. I learned to give myself permission to make the career choices that would give me the work-life balance I desperately craved and needed. The process of confronting fears and insecurities was a bit scary, but well worth it in the end. I am now a happier version of myself with a non-clinical job that I truly enjoy!

- Camille Gardner-Beasley, MD

Family Medicine
Anna testimonial

"After 10 years in outpatient family medicine I felt stuck and knew I needed a change but I didn’t know where to begin. Thankfully I found Heather and she guided me every step of the way."

She helped me carefully assess my interests, strengths and passions while also providing me with constructive changes to implement in my job search and resume. With Heather’s help, I just landed a fully remote UM position and I am also exploring coaching as well. Now I feel like the possibilities are endless and I’m excited for this next chapter in the nonclinical world! Thank you Heather for changing my life for the better.

- Ana Jacobellis, DO

Abbey

"I'm truly thankful to have had the opportunity to be coached by Heather, she is not only a resourceful mentor but a wise and supportive friend. I'm honored to recommend Heather to all my friends and colleagues."

I had been a practicing Internist for 20 years when I reached a point when I needed to make a serious change in my career path. While I enjoyed seeing patients, I was not satisfied with my life-work balance. My job was taking me away from my family and left me little time and energy to do other things that are important and meaningful to me. I came across Dr. Fork's podcast; The Doctor's Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast, it is such an informative and enjoyable podcast for any physician who wants to do more with their career and life in general. Then I had the pleasure to get career coaching from Heather, it was truly an amazing experience. Heather has broad knowledge of all the different career paths that are available for physicians, she is so insightful and very easy to talk to. She helped me clarify my goals, examine my own mindset and definition of success. Together we developed a clear plan and actionable steps to reach these goals. I eventually made a career transition to a remote non-clinical position that allows me to do meaningful work which aligns with my personal and professional goals and priorities. 

- Abbey Awad, MD

Internal Medicine
Maria

"There have been a handful of people who have come into my life and changed it, and Heather is one of those people."

From the very first interaction with Heather, it became abundantly clear that she possessed a systematic approach and a methodology firmly rooted in my focusing on my goals and aspirations. Heather's coaching sessions helped me dismantle limiting beliefs and unearth the capable woman, mother, and physician within me. Under Heather's guidance, I began to dream again. I rediscovered my passion for writing, found the courage to share my stories, and even launched my own coaching practice. Today, I specialize in helping others conquer imposter syndrome and overcome burnout, empowering them to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. Working with Heather fundamentally shifted my perspective and allowed me to show up authentically in every facet of my life, resulting in a profound sense of fulfillment.

I am deeply grateful that I can continue my work in the emergency department and serve my community as a physician as well as a coach. Working with Heather was a transformative gift that enabled me to rediscover my true self, find clarity in my life's purpose, and unlock my full potential. Through her guidance, I not only reignited the powerful, confident, and bold version of myself I had lost sight of but also realized the boundless possibilities that lay ahead.

- Maria Dominguez 

Emergency physician and coach