Physician Mental Health with Dr. Shin Ock
Listen to Full Episode Here
About My Guest
Shin Ock, PhD is a clinical psychologist and founder of Ezar Psychology, a practice specializing in providing actionable and values-guided mental healthcare for physicians and high-achieving professionals, whom she calls "exhausted exemplars." She practices in Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, and all PSYPACT-authorized states.
You can find Dr. Ock on her website at www.ezarpsychology.com.
In This Episode
Dr. Ock and I discuss the unique strengths held by people who pursue physician careers, such as not running away from stress and anxiety. We explore how this career can bring challenge and overwhelm as they navigate complex and demanding environments. Dr. Ock shares her insights around how our weaknesses are often "our strengths misapplied" and that performance improvement plans at work may be better understood as a sign that someone is struggling and needs support.
Experiencing failure as a physician can carry significant consequences. Combine this with rigid and demanding learning environments and many physicians end up significantly burned out, overwhelmed, or disconnected because the burden is so high. Dr. Ock discusses ways we can bring compassion and boundaries into demanding careers, adjust our expectations, and build a life that is in alignment with our values.
Finally, Dr. Ock shares one of her own experiences from graduate school that helped her refine her identity as a clinician and her sense of purpose in her career.
