Are you a woman in medicine looking to rediscover joy and balance in your career and personal life? Welcome to "Create Meaning in Medicine," the podcast where women physicians come to rewrite the rules and reclaim their fulfillment.
Hosted by Dr. Joanne Sotelo and Dr. Erin Hurley, this podcast offers a sanctuary for candid discussions on the tough topics no one else is talking about, such as burnout, mental health, and the intricate balance of relationships and professional obligations. Each episode brings insights from expert guests, offering you strategies to overcome the unique challenges faced by women in healthcare.
Subscribe to our podcast to navigate the complexities of your career with greater clarity and intention. Join us and explore actionable steps to enhance your well-being and achieve a sustainable, fulfilling lifestyle. Your path to creating meaning in medicine starts here!
176. Dr. Joanne Sotelo on What Women in Medicine Need Now
Why does a life that looks successful on paper still feel unfulfilling? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley sits down with Dr. Joanne Sotelo to explore what high-achieving women in medicine need now, especially when guilt, shame, and burnout make it hard to hear themselves clearly. Joanne introduces her Harmony Method, a framework built on reconnecting, realigning, and rising, to help women in medicine move out of autopilot and back into a life that reflects their truth. Press play for a powerful conversation on self-connection, alignment, and the small, consistent actions that can help you reclaim a life that finally feels like yours again.
Key Takeaways To Listen For
Why many women in medicine can look successful externally while feeling disconnected internally
How guilt, shame, and "should" programming keep physicians stuck in lives that no longer fit
What it means to reconnect with yourself and ask better questions in this season of life
Why awareness without action keeps you stuck, and how alignment creates forward movement
The three parts of Joanne's Harmony Method: Reconnect, Realign, and Rise
"We can be very grateful to where we are and honor it, and still ask the right questions that will help us identify where we are in this season of our lives and where we want to go." - Dr. Joanne Sotelo
Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!
▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine
🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820
7 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
175. Discernment, Momentum & Smarter Goal Setting with Dr. Erin Hurley
If your New Year's resolutions have quietly unraveled, it's not because you failed; it's because not all goals are created equal. In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley breaks down the critical difference between habit goals and project goals, and why using the wrong strategy leads to frustration and self-blame. Together, Erin and Joanne explore discernment, momentum, accountability, and the neuroscience behind self-compassion. You'll learn how to stop treating every goal the same, how to match the right energy to the right outcome, and how to get back on track without burning yourself out. Press play to reset your approach and move forward with clarity instead of criticism.
Key Takeaways To Listen For
The "burst" vs. "drip" method and how momentum creates inertia in your favor
How emotional weight and hidden resistance can derail project goals
The importance of discernment: matching the right strategy to the right goal
Internal vs. external accountability — which one works better for you?
Why paying for help or hiring support can accelerate success
"If you don't give yourself grace, you're going to be sabotaging your next efforts." - Dr. Erin Hurley
Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!
▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine
🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820
LN
31 Mar 2026
174. National Doctors Day: Reconnecting with Your Why in Medicine with Dr. Erin Hurley & Dr. Joanne Sotelo
What keeps physicians going when medicine feels overwhelming? In this National Doctors Day episode, Dr. Erin Hurley and Dr. Joanne Sotelo explore the deeper meaning behind the profession and why being seen, supported, and appreciated matters more than most people realize. Inspired by the story of Eudora Brown Almond, who started the tradition of honoring physicians with handwritten notes in 1933, they reflect on the ripple effects of gratitude, connection, and remembering why we entered medicine in the first place. Press play for an honest conversation about burnout, rediscovering purpose, and simple ways to refill your cup while continuing to serve patients and the community.
Key Takeaways To Listen For
The surprising origin story behind National Doctors Day and how handwritten gratitude started a national tradition
Why remembering your "why" in medicine can reconnect you with purpose during difficult seasons
The role of community, connection, and shared stories in combating physician burnout
How redefining success and asking better questions can help physicians rediscover fulfillment
The ripple effect of celebrating what's good in medicine, even when the system feels challenging
"Here on Create Meaning in Medicine, we don't just want to celebrate what doctors do. We want to talk about what keeps them going, what fills their cup, and why being seen matters." - Dr. Erin Hurley
"We do not need to suffer in silence, and there's so much that we can do for each other and for ourselves." - Dr. Joanne Sotelo
Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!
▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine
🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820
Inside a recent episode
176. Dr. Joanne Sotelo on What Women in Medicine Need Now
Published 14 Apr 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And I have one simple but so powerful question that you can think of right now. And that question is how have you been feeling really? And I'm going to say what I always say don't take the word fine as an answer because fine is then bad for letter word that starts with an F that gets us in trouble. […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
