Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare

On this episode of Compassion & Courage, Marcus and The Hotness talk about when it’s time to just move on and let go. It can be hard to know when it is better to just let go, especially because we can all be a little stubborn at times, but we have to practice putting ourselves first. Listen to this episode to how to help ourselves, and just let go.   Resources for you: More communication tips...

Brian Lee, Certified Speaking Professional and healthcare guru, sits down to talk about what is missing in American (and Canadian) healthcare. In this week’s personal and in-depth interview, Marcus and Brian spend some time reminiscing before they talk shop and how to nature compassionate healthcare communication. Brian shares an incredible act of compassion he felt from a wildly unlikely source....

Have you ever wondered where Seeing Eye dogs come from? Maybe how they are trained, or raised? Listen to this week’s episode of Compassion & Courage where Marcus and The Hotness reveal the origin story of some of our favorite companions and about The Seeing Eye.   Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate compassion: https://marcusengel.com/freeresources/ Le...

Join Marcus in listening how an incredible patient experience leader, Sven Gierlinger, has transformed care to millions of patients in and around NYC. Sven shares how he uses his own patient story to orient healthcare professionals. Sven shares a store of his wife while he was in intensive care and some of the special moments of compassion show by his providers and caregivers. New rapid-fire quest...

On this episode of Compassion & Courage, Marcus and The Hotness talk about staying resilient and advocating for yourself. When standing up for yourself, and your rights, be sure to not fall into that victim mindset. Use these tools to help yourself and stay healthy! Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate compassion: https://marcusengel.com/freeresources/...

Marcus chats with Rick Evans, MA., one of the foremost thought leaders in the realms of patient experience. Listen in to hear Rick share his early aspirations and why his work took a drastically different direction…or did it? The two discuss the importance of feeling heard as an essential component of caregiving and how we can help those who are suffering to feel held. The two discuss the future o...

Yep, you read that right. Our team is seeing a significant shake up that you’re going to want to hear about. Join Marcus to hear about all the changes and transitions that have already happened and more about what’s coming next. Is this staff turnover? You’ll have to tune in to find out. If you’ve met Marcus in the last half dozen years, you’re going to want to listen in to learn what’s up.    P.S...

Compassion and clothing aren’t really thought of in the same breath, but listen to how they are. Dr. Richard I. Levin, CEO and President of the Gold Foundation joins Marcus to talk ancient history, humanism in medicine and healthcare and how a simple piece of clothing emblemizes empathy. Can you imagine growing up in a house that doubled as a doctor’s office? Dr. Levin can…and did. Hear Marcus ask...

On this episode of Compassion & Courage, Marcus and The Hotness talk about Thanksgiving as a verb. Come help us reflect on all the things we should be thankful for. Happy Holidays and stay safe! Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate compassion: https://marcusengel.com/freeresources/ Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusengel...

On this episode of Compassion & Courage, Marcus and The Hotness talk about the recent Hurricane Ian that hit Florida and the heartwarming response of their community. Thank you for all the things people are doing to help others! Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate compassion: https://marcusengel.com/freeresources/  Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn: http...

This time around on Compassion & Courage, Marcus sits down to talk with Cassandra Crowe of Sharp Health in southern California. Learn what she learned from bad leaders that she chose not to emulate in her career. Marcus and Cassandra both share why they’re not cut out for clinical work, but why and how both are drawn to helping caregivers. Discover who inspired Cassandra’s early life and what...

Could you forgive someone that murdered your child? In this episode of Compassion & Courage, Marcus and The Hotness talk about this idea of extreme forgiveness and its impact on the self. Hopefully, this look down the compassion trail will help our understanding of compassion and improve our journey of forgiveness. Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate c...

Marcus sits down with Dr. Michael Schmitz, an emergency physician in Maine, to discuss how docs can notice burnout and compassion fatigue as soon as they start…and what docs can do about it. Learn what term Dr. Schmitz has coined to describe emotions and conditions that go beyond burnout, beyond compassion fatigue and beyond exhaustion. Find out what is on both Dr. Schmitz’s play list and compare...

Well, surprise surprise, Marcus does a fantastic impression of a grumpy old man! And social media can be a wonderful gift – in many settings. Marvelyne ran across a post about what some neighboors have been up in the wee hours of the morning that has her getting up predawn with hot coffee… and that is a small miracle! If we all do some things – it all gets done. Resources for you: More communicati...

Want to raise up compassionate leaders? Join Marcus for this special interview with Mark Scheinberg, the founding president of Goodwin University in East Hartford, CT. Their conversation discusses the “secret sauce” Goodwin uses is based in compassion; creating educational and life advancements for non-traditional students. Marc and Mark talk over some of the unique programs and opportunities the...

Are you already someone’s favorite person? What does it require? Marcus and Marvelyne interviewed a ten-year-old to find out what it takes to rate as a “favorite person.” It turns out you already have what it takes – and big surprise – it doesn’t cost a thing! Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate compassion: https://marcusengel.com/freeresources/ Connect wi...

In this episode, Dr. Saul Ebema, a hospice chaplain, shares a dramatic story of growing up in a war-torn country and the compassion extended to him during a time when he lost everything. Literally, everything. This conversation will show how to survive through great loss, what we can all do to provide compassionate presence to others who are suffering and how to stay grounded in the midst of huge...

For this super special one-year anniversary episode, Marcus sits down with Jason Wolf, Ph. D., CPXP to talk compassion, patient experience and how the two cross and mingle. Jason shares a fundamental experience in his early life that guided his work in Patient Experience and the two discuss what CPXP stands for and what CPXPs actually do. For this special episode, Marcus shares the wisdom and insi...

In this episode, Marcus interviews Captain Henry Biemann, RN, US Army Captain about military nursing and health professions. Captain Bieman shares how his father’s diagnosis of cancer while Henry was still in high school set his nursing journey. Henry explains the levels of compassion he and his family received from his father’s hospice nurses which showed him a new path. Henry shares how, after g...

Is it even real if we don’t document it? Don’t forget to stop and reflect on the small compassion all around us everyday. Key topics: 00:00 – Introduction 00:35 – Marcus reminds us how important it is to examine things we experience 01:23 – What does Marvelyne remember most about Marcus from yesterday? 05:00 – What did Marcus do that made the biggest difference recently? 08:13 – How did a Kinderga...

Dr. Tim Cunningham, a nurse leader at Emory Health, shares stories of his journey into nursing and how his father’s struggles founded his commitment to help others. Dr. Cunningham shares a deeply moving tale about his time in Sierra Leone treating patients with Ebola virus. Tim tells how assisting a dying woman in her time of need was such a meaningful moment of presence. Yet, he questioned who wa...

Has the pandemic made a difference in the person you are? Your personality or beliefs? Marcus and Marvelyne talk about ways the last two years have impacted them personally and things they have witnessed in others they have encountered in their travels. Key topics: 00:00 – Introduction  01:40 – Marcus talks about the surprising effect the pandemic has had on him personally. 04:15 – Marvelyne admit...

Dr. Orsini, the host of Difficult Conversations podcast, shares the importance of compassionate communication in healthcare. Marcus shares his admiration for Dr. Orsini’s professional work, not only as a pediatric critical care doc, but as an entrepreneur in the world of education and training through writing, speaking, and podcasting. The two then talk of Dr. Orsini’s early history growing up, in...

Marcus kicks off this episode by sharing a story he learned from an audience member and how he responded to that story. This story was heartbreaking, but the storyteller still felt hope. Marcus and The Hotness break down what hope means, how to have it and how to be sure we’re focused on keeping hope alive. The two then share some   narratives about how stories of others overcoming adversity help...

Trigger warning: This episode contains the true story of the attempted murder of the guest, Caitlin. Please listen with caution if you’ve been touched by domestic violence. Caitlin shares a little background about her life in southern California, then what drew her to work in higher education administration, specifically fraternity and sorority life. Then, Marcus asks Caitlin to share the experien...