Kathy: by having our own backs, we feel joy. We can connect with joy, but also we can better help the people that we're helping.
Chrissie: presence is a prerequisite to connection. If you have two people who are not present, their connection will not be profound enough to mitigate trauma.
Kathy: Joy is, an essential piece Of Every moment of every day and all of our work in medicine and it walks along with the sorrow that we see in our patients and everything else that it's all there. It's all right there in every moment.
Chrissie: You're listening to Solving for Joy. I'm your host, Dr. Chrissie Ott.
Hello, everybody. And welcome to today's episode of the Solving for Joy podcast. We are so delighted to welcome our dear friend, Dr. Kathy Stepien to the podcast today. Kathy is a leader in the physician coaching and wellness space. She is the founder of the Institute for Physician Wellness. She is the founder of the Physician Coaching Summit. She helps teach physicians to become chief wellness officers, and she leads incredibly impactful, inspiring retreats. She is also a pediatrician for the Indian health service and is a former PT and philosophy major. So, uh, If you haven't met Kathy, I know that you're just dying to now after hearing that bio. So, Kathy, welcome. Please tell me, what did I leave out there?
Kathy: Oh, let's see. Thank you for that kind introduction. Um, I'm also a mom. I have two teenagers, um, that are, that keep me busy. Um, and during the pandemic, we were one of the many families that adopted a puppy. So we have this golden retriever in our lives now that is, um, a lot of fun.
Chrissie: I love it. I love it. Mom was the first thing I thought of when I said those words. What did I forget? So I'm so glad to, to bring both the human and furry children into the mix. Um, Kathy, we like to talk about joy on this podcast and you have a lot to say about joy. I know this for a fact, um, after being in your containers and spaces over the last two to three years, um, we see a lot of the things in similar lights and I'm just really excited to ask you to share with us a little bit about your relationship to joy, how it may have evolved over the years and what's true about it right now.
Kathy: Such a good question. I love that. Um, I think we were born for joy. I really do. I, you know, when you look around the globe and there's so much struggle and strife and in medicine, um, so much heartache, um, but also joy. in all of that. And I do think that I truly think we were born for joy. And I think if we get so caught up in all of our striving and miss joy, then we've missed out on something really central to life.
Chrissie: I could not agree more. Born for joy is such a powerful and simple phrase. I think that the work that, that we both do in supporting healthcare professionals and others is often, um, a return to joy. It's an invitation to return to joy. And it's, you know, many fingers pointing at the moon. It's a variety of tools, but what they have in common at some point is, you know, wanting to serve the true, the good and the beautiful, which we could equate to returning to joy.
Kathy: I agree, and I think that sometimes we get caught up in life and, and I know I'm, I do this where I'm racing from point A to point B and despite trying to be mindful of my surroundings, I, you know, I arrive at point B without even remembering the drive, for example, or, you know, where we're all racing through our days and, um, but it is easy to, to to miss it. And so taking moments for that through the day, having these bells of awareness, like Thich Nhat Hanh talks about, that, that reconnect us to the present moment and the joy in, in the present moment, um, is, it's, uh, central. It's absolutely central to navigating, I think, um, navigating a life in medicine and, and out of medicine.
Chrissie: I really relate to that everyday amnesia kind of thing, where you actually Realize that you've been semi vacated out of the situation of your own life for some period of time. And then you have some bell of awareness and realize, Oh, here I am in my body and my surroundings. I'm back. Where was I?
Kathy: It's almost comical to me where like, Oh, did it again? Like, shouldn't I be a little bit better at being present by now? But, um, it's just part of humanity.
Chrissie: As I mentioned briefly, uh, the top of the episode, Kathy started this incredible gathering of physician coaches six years ago, first gathering was in 2019. It is called the physician coaching summit. And this year, Kathy has decided to hand the reins over to me, which I cannot tell you what an honor that that is. And, um, have big, big, wonderful shoes to fill. And I'm remembering our, our last gathering, November 24, um, and one of the talks that you gave was about presence, which is one of my favorite things to talk about. Um, do you have thoughts about how, how our presence, um, actually helps us to solve for joy?
Kathy: I think it's the flip side of the amnesia that you mentioned. The, when we are present, it opens us up to all of life. , it opens us up to experiencing everything that's here, including joy.
Chrissie: It feels true as it's settling into my body. And there is this somatic sense to presence, um, that I'm having a hard time wording right now, but it is like, you know, when you click in, when you feel yourself really arrive, um, Yeah. The very first Physician Coaching Summit that I attended, you had arranged for Dr. Kimia Sharif to present to us on, um, trauma informed, trauma responsive practices, uh, which is so important, especially for coaches and including physician coaches, because we don't always, um, have those tools handed to us in our, um, initial education as coaches.
And the takeaway phrase is connection mitigates trauma. But shortly after that, my response as a secondary is that presence is a prerequisite to connection. If you have two people who are not present, their connection will not be profound enough to mitigate trauma. So maybe that is like overstating or, you know, restating the same concept. But It sticks with me. What do you think about that?
Kathy: I love how you phrase that, um, and absolutely is true. It reminds me of years when my boys were little, and at the end of the day, we'd be reading books together. And I may have just, Like finished a 30 hour stretch or something just exhausting. And, um, I remember reading books like with one eye open and one eye closed because, because I thought, well, at least one eye gets to rest. And I wanted to so much to be present wholeheartedly, just savoring these, these really precious moments in our lives. And also at the same time. I only had so much steam left.
And, um, and I think about that. I mean, that's been a long time since my boys were that age. And I think about the, that I was not present in a way that I would have liked. I know I was as present as possible. Um, and I did my best at the time, but I, but I, I wish, um, perhaps things might've been different where I could have been present in a different way. Not so exhausted. Uh, and that too is part of our shared humanity as women in medicine, if we are parents, um, that this is what it's like to sometimes not have energy left over, um, for what else is really important in our lives. So, so yes, I, I absolutely agree with your idea that presence is a prerequisite for connection. And when we're half present, I think we half connect.
Chrissie: That sounds true to me. When there is like really good contact, there is really good presence. And you can just feel the sparkle of when that occurs. And, you know, it's, it's quite rare because of the speed at which we are operating in this, you know, semi post industrial capitalist, uh, pseudo democracy. Oops. Did I say that out loud? Um, and it's, it's a rough time to, to actually work against that momentum and deepen presence. And I know it's true for the majority of adults who are probably listening to this podcast and not just those in medicine, I'm thinking about educators and thinking about service professionals, thinking about, you know, laboring workforce. Everybody is exhausted from what we are doing. Just, um, my heart, my heart is going out to all of us in our exhaustion right now.
Kathy: There's, there, people are juggling a lot physically and emotionally. more than ever. Yeah. And yeah, the invitation is always there. And I think that's one of the really special and incredible, um, parts of this whole ride is that there's always this opportunity to drop into the present moment. Um, that it's, it literally is one millisecond away of showing up. more fully with whatever capacity we can to arrive in this moment for just this. That's when it's almost like that's when the sparkle is there for me. It's like, Oh, I notice I tune in and I, um, I experienced in such a different way.
The really fun part about that in medicine, I think is, um, we get to listen differently, right? So when we're listening to what our patients are sharing with us, when we are more present, we hear what they're saying in a very different way. It lands differently. And we even pick up all the nonverbal cues differently. So we really do connect differently. Don't we, when we are fully. When we arrived.
Chrissie: Yes. It's like turning on a whole nother set of receptors.
Kathy: Yeah.
Chrissie: And receiving, we become much better receiverS.
Kathy: And it's so, connected to joy. Isn't it? I, to be honest, I don't know how, I don't know what it would be like to have joy without that. I'm trying to think if I have a life experience of, of that, I probably do somewhere. But when I think of my joyful, like connecting to joy, there is this connecting with others in the shared experience that is a piece of it.
Chrissie: Absolutely. I want to share with our audience what a jewel you are actually for holding presence and space. It's something that I know that you've cultivated for many years, and I just also feel moved to name that so many aspects of my adventure and joy point solutions, and as a coach really have been incredibly transformed and catalyzed by the three, three day, um, conferences or summits that I have attended under your guidance, leadership, um, this very podcast, you know, learning that I too could do this, learning to use different, um, technologies, really just profound amount of information gets transmitted from this community. And it's also, you know, So different from most, um, conference learning spaces and that it's small enough to be a really intimate community, but it just, you know, it occurs to me that I owe a lot of my growth in the last 18 months to, you know, two and a half years, even to getting acquainted with people through your container. So thank you so much, Kathy.
Kathy: Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. And for also coming, I think when we gather in person at something like the summit, it takes an act of courage to show up and connect, um, with peers who are also physician coaches, um, at various stages in training and practice, um, just various stages in their lives. And so to show up and, and be vulnerable and have. amazing conversations. Um, and, um, so thank you for taking the risk, right?
Chrissie: You know, absolutely. there is like this FOMO and imposter syndrome. It's one of the invitations that you could have an experience of when you join a whole room of other physician coaches who you assume are probably more brilliant or more connected or more successful or more skillful and you're like, ah, I just was a baby coach at the time. And you said something like there are no baby coaches here. Like we're all experts in something, you know, which is, it's certainly very true. Um, But I have such distinct memories. I was sharing yesterday with Shideh Shafie like we started off with a dance party, um, at my first summit, and then we went to speed networking and it was such a great couple of icebreakers and set everyone immediately at ease. And there's just such free flowing kindness and connection there.
Kathy: Well, and it really speaks to the people who, you know, Who come. The people who show up, these are physicians who went on to have additional training and coaching and, and then chose to come and connect with other physician coaches. And I, you know, it really speaks to just incredible human beings that we get to hang out with.
Um, so I also, you mentioned, um, something about the sharing and that really is integral to how I designed the summit. I wanted it to be a space where we could co create and meet each other, knowing that we all have something to share. We all have some, something we've learned, some insight, some skill, um, that we. our experts in our own way and can share with the group. And I think when we, when we can come as peers, as cohorts, rather than more of a patriarchal ego driven relationship, um, and you can probably hear the judgment in that. When we are coming, when we're coming meeting each other as fully human and setting aside perhaps some of the posturing and, and pretentiousness that we might see in other spaces. Um, it's a lot more fun and I think we, uh, it's such a more uplifting experience and we just learn so much more.
I I've mentioned this and I don't mean to be, um, biased, but I always say powerful things happen when physicians gather. I, I really believe powerful things happen when we gather in the ways of women. When we gather, where we, we listen as much as we share. Um, we meet as equals and curious to learn and grow together and, and lift each other up. Um, knowing that, That we all rise together. Um, it's a very different way to connect and, and it's absolutely at the core of how I lead. Um, and what I would like to have, see more of in the world.
Chrissie: Yeah, it's a. It is in a holistic approach. It's like, yes, bring your sorrows, bring the scabbed knees as well as the victories. Bring them all and let us just gather and be together.
Kathy: I don't know if you remember one year we talked about, uh, we all took turns sharing some of our big mistakes and actually like, saying them out loud to a room full of people. And it was almost comical because we all had some really huge mistakes in all of this. And just to be able to be okay. It's like, Oh, it doesn't mean I I'm terrible at what I do. It doesn't mean I'm a flop or, you know, I'm not able to help people or whatever it is just to recognize like, Oh, you mean, everyone, um, you know, falls down and stands up and falls down and stands up. It's really, um, it was a, it was such a beautiful moment.
Chrissie: It's like, hello again, shared humanity. Hello again, imperfection.
Kathy: And letting go of the judgment of that and the shame and all the other inner, that mental chatter that we might have, the stories we create.
Chrissie: Absolutely. Um, this year's theme is having our own backs. Um, and I am excited. I'm excited. I'm excited to hear what you think when you hear having our own backs and, um, what you would, like, where would you go with that as a prompt?
Kathy: That can be interpreted in so many different ways and what resonates for me is the idea that it's kind of connected to what I said earlier about we all rise, that when we have our own backs, we are able to show up in a way, um, that is up leveled. That is our better self, if you will, not that we're broken currently, but that we're, um, we are more developed and, um, are just functioning at a different level.
Chrissie: And the word sufficient keeps coming to mind. Does that resonate with you? Like when we're in our sufficiency?
Kathy: Yeah. Yeah, that there's not this sense of lack or scarcity as much as we're, we're showing up in an elevated way. Um, and the, so when I think about having our own backs, it's like in virtue of this greater service to each other and to the people we get to help, um, that it's all connected. Um, so there's not this sense of separateness. Or the, in a way the, uh, it's almost like this isolation or this, this, um, this distancing that we can have at times instead of it, there's this connection. It's like, Oh, by having our own backs, we feel joy. We can connect with joy, but also we can better help the people that we're helping.
Chrissie: Yes, we can give our gifts to the world. Thank you for sharing that. what are you most excited about and creatively compelled about right now, Kathy?
Kathy: Um, I have really, really been enjoying the coaching and the retreats I've been doing. I just got back from our latest retreat and every time I think, Oh, this one was really special. I just love this retreat. And it's so funny. Um, I had that same thought this time, um, to be able to gather. Physicians and take a break.
Chrissie: And that's not just for physician coaches, that is for
Kathy: right. That's just for physicians. For all physicians. Mm-hmm . And at the retreats, I welcome people of all genders. Um, primarily the large majority of people who come are women. Um, but people of all genders are welcome at the retreats. Um, the retreats I'm doing now the most current, um, focus has been much smaller, much more intimate with me, um, a group of maybe 10 to 15 physicians gathering for a few days. And it's just been delightful. It's really been a joy that the creativity, the connection, the fun, um, ah, it's just, it's been fantastic. Um, and you know, what is really meaningful for me is seeing, um, the transformation that, people experience in a short period of time.
And it's so interesting, I always want to do a screenshot, um, or take a picture the first day and then take a picture of the last day. I think people, we lose 10 years. We look so much younger and more vibrant and vital. And, um, so that's, that's truly a joy and, and it's connected to the coaching, um, the coaching group that I have as well. And so to be able to bring people together, whether it's virtually or whether it's virtually or whether it's, um, in person and, uh, coach on whatever it is that we're working on at the time. That's keeping us stuck. Uh, it's been, it's been incredibly fun. I've been doing coaching now for quite a few years and it's still feels fresh and exciting and I'm always learning and discovering new things. And so that's really been lighting me up actually.
Chrissie: That is awesome. Kathy, I would love for you to share a little more with us about the content that you're creating right now. I know that you are always creating and getting into new ideas and I'm excited to hear about all the ways that you're solving for joy right now.
Kathy: Um, one of the things I love about the Institute for Physician Wellness is throughout the many years that we've been around, it has grown and developed in all kinds of ways. And it's been such a joy to allow it to grow and develop, um, Organically in ways that light me up, um, and to be able to be creative in that and consider, well, what else is possible? What else might be fun? What else might be helpful? What else is needed? Um, what else stretches me to keep up leveling my skills and, and growth?
so, let's see, content wise, I mentioned that I've been, um, holding the smaller retreats, um, with a smaller group and that's been just, Incredible. And then my coaching program, um, and in the coaching, we've been talking a lot, this is both in the program and then in the, um, individual coaching sessions I've had with physicians lately. We've been talking a lot about staying grounded and feeling some sense of peace and safety despite the turbulence of our times. And in medicine, um, it's, Uh, it's a pretty scary time to see what's going on across our country, and then outside of medicine as well. And especially when we're getting, uh, sound bites all the time about things that can really scare us and trigger us.
So we've been talking a lot about safety and about trust, um, and about staying grounded, kind of despite the, all of the turbulence, um, and that's been really, that's been lighting me up as well. It's, um, I think of the really heart of, of a lot of the work that we do is, um, coming home to ourselves and finding that still point, finding that inner wisdom and knowing, um, which is very, connected to our safety. Um, so, so that's been really fun.
One thing I do want to mention is that, as I mentioned, IPW just continues to grow and evolve. And, and with that, um, I want to say thank you for assuming leadership of the Physician Coaching Summit. Um, it has truly been such an incredible joy to create that space to hold the container., uh, it's such a creative endeavor and I'm sure you are already experiencing that in the time since you've taken leadership. Um, it's such a creative thing to pour ourselves into and also recognizing for me, um, that there, there was a beginning, middle, and now end of leadership of that and feeling so comfortable passing the baton to your capable hands, knowing that we have a lot of resonance, I think, in how we approach, um, coaching and how we approach this community, um, and the people that we help.
But also, that you have a sense of courage, uh, and bravery and openness to, to step into new things. Because standing in leadership in that way requires a lot of us. It requires us to show up differently. And, um, so I, I was just, Thrilled when I contacted you to see if, if that was something that you were interested in. So thank you for your, your, um, your generosity, your wise stewardship.
Chrissie: I hope that there's wise stewardship. I am receiving your kind words deeply. It is a practice. Um, to receive and not deflect, uh, words of affirmation. So thank you. Thank you so much. Um, thank you for trusting me with what I know has been a precious baby of your creation. And yes, uh, it has asked me to up level in capacity, in skill, in courage, in risk taking, in service, and I am thrilled to do it and, um, it's a nonlinear adventure. For sure. So I'm, I'm so grateful to, um, have you at my elbow that we get to stay close and, um, that you are a resource. And, and I just, I've beyond honored, um, to be asked to lead the space.
Um, for anyone listening, who is a physician and a coach or a physician coach and training, um, please go to the physician coaching summit, there's definitely a, the, at the beginning there, uh, com for information. Um, early bird registration is open right now until March 1st and our speaker submissions are open as well until March 1st. Um, we are so excited. So welcoming to new physician coaches who haven't been there before. This community is really about, you know, the strength of community, not community as a point of comparison, as Kathy's spoken to so beautifully. So if you're a physician coach out there, know that you're invited, um, and we would love to, to connect with you.
Kathy: And it's been, it's been fun to see coaches come from across the United States, all different training programs, all different experiences, helping all different populations. It's, it's really fun to see the diversity, um, and then not just the United States, but Canada and then internationally as well.
Chrissie: Yes, our Australian friends
Kathy: Um, and then people who are coaching and training. They've been coaching for a while. I love that, that, um, you know, there's such breadth to it. The other piece that the feedback that we've gotten year after year is how, um, some people, when they're still in training, almost feel like a, um, almost like you do when you're a medical student and you're like, you know, I'm not really a doctor yet. Um, and, uh, and they've shared with me how, meaningful it was and impactful it has been to, be able to be there and connect and kind of stand in full ownership of that evolving identity, um, and up level those skills and, and perhaps not have to learn the hard way from, you know, some of us who, who did learn some things the hard way and, and all of that.
And it's, it's just, um, It's so fun to hear from them as well, how impactful it's been, even, even coaches were still in training or at, at whatever stage of their, of their work. So, yeah, it's really exciting. I'm so excited to see what you're putting together and, and what's, what's being co created. So fantastic.
Chrissie: Thank you for creating it in the first place and being a light in the darkness and holding space. I hadn't mentioned yet that I got to go a little over a year ago. Um, I know, I know it was last year, almost this week, because I got a reminder on my photos, um, that I got to join Kathy and a small retreat in Costa Rica at Imoloa, which is an incredible place to retreat to, um, and that was, that was also really special.
Kathy I'm so grateful for your time today. Um, as we wrap up, I, um, I wonder if there are any last things I would love for you to have an opportunity to direct our audience members to IPW, um, and where they might find you to learn more about your wonderful work in the world.
Kathy: Um, People can join me, they can find me at the institute for physician wellness. com. And then I'm on Facebook. There's a Facebook group, um, also with the same name and, uh, I'm on Instagram, Kathy Steipen and MD. So, you're welcome to find me through there.
Um and I think perhaps some parting words might be about the importance of making room for joy. It's not, it's interesting because I think in medicine, um, we think it's a good thing and it's almost like, okay, we're going to take care of the serious stuff and then if there's time for joy, we'll make time for joy or time for play or time for any of that, right? And, um, That's not how I see things. I don't think that's how the world is or how the world works where I think joy is, it's just, it's an essential piece of Every moment of every day and all of our work in medicine and it walks along with the sorrow and with the struggle that we see in our patients and everything else that it's all there. It's all right there in every moment. Yes. Um, so I'm thrilled, thrilled, even that you are addressing, you know, solving for joy. I just think it's a, it's, it's amazing. It's just such a beautiful, um, topic to be talking about.
Chrissie: I love it. I mean, I just, I'm feeling joy first, last, and always.
Kathy: Yes. Born to joy, right?
Chrissie: Born for joy. Cheers to that. Thank you so much for being with us, Kathy. Thank you all for listening today. We cannot wait to see you next time and may you be well.
Before we wrap up, I want to take a moment to share something truly exciting. This year I have the incredible honor of stepping into the role of stewarding the physician coaching summit. This is the premier gathering of physician coaches. It is our national conference and international conference. It's a space that has inspired and connected so many of us over the years. I am so grateful to Dr. Kathy Steppen, whose vision and leadership have made this summit a cornerstone for our community. She has built something truly extraordinary and I'm humbled to carry it forward into its next chapter.
The 2025 Physician Coaching Summit is going to be more than a conference. It's an experience. It's a space where we don't just learn, we connect, discover, and renew. And this year it's all happening November 6th through 8th at Savannah, a breathtaking wellness resort in carefree Arizona, just outside Phoenix designed for exactly this kind of experience. It's a place where you can exhale, where you can slow down, stay present and step into deep connection with yourself, with others and what's next.
Our theme this year is having our own backs. It's all about reconnecting with what truly matters, stepping into your power and holding space for growth, rest, and everything in between. Whether you're looking to reignite your coaching practice, cultivate your joy, or simply reconnect with yourself, the summit will meet you where you are. If this speaks to you and you were a physician coach or physician coach in training, or perhaps you're a well aligned potential sponsor or exhibitor, this is the perfect time to join us.
Early bird pricing is available for a limited time until March 1st. And if you feel called to share your expertise, we are open for speaker submissions as well. All the information is available at the physician coaching summit. com. So check it out, grab your ticket and get in Reach out to us at hello at the physician coaching summit. com with any questions. Details will be in the show notes. May we honor what's been built, embrace what's next and have our own backs together. I want to take a quick moment to acknowledge our incredible team. This podcast is produced by the amazing Kelsey Vaughn, post production and more handled by Alyssa Wilkes, and my steadfast friend and director of operations, Denise Crain. Our theme music is by Denys Kyshchuk cover photography by the talented Shelby Brakken and a special appreciation to my loyal champion and number one fan, Suzanne Sanchez. Thanks again for tuning in everyone. May we continue caring for ourselves, caring for others, and may we continue solving for joy. Take care. We'll see you next time.
