The Brave Enough Show for Women Physicians

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Terri Hanson Mead discuss:   Creating flexibility instead of rigid success   Values-based decision-making   How to future-proof yourself against burnout   Teaching women to check in before crisis hits   "Rather than seeing midlife as a crisis, I want women to see midlife as an opportunity." - Terri Hanson Mead     Brave Enough 2026...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt discusses: Why women hate uncertainty   The nervous system during transition   How to stop rushing clarity   Anchoring yourself when there are no answers   "There is  a period of time , a few minutes, where you have intubated  an hypoxic patient, and the sats are still low. Everyone around you is second-guessing  you, because  the pulse...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Barb Edelheit discuss:   The silent grief of the empty nest   Reclaiming desire, ambition, and agency   Redefining purpose beyond caretaking   Giving yourself permission to want more again   "Not every stage of life is fabulous, and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as working moms. We can be intentional in the moments of mo...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt discusses:   Myth: You must blow it all up to be brave   How to test change safely   Strategic vs. emotional decision-making   Regulating fear while planning next steps   "Quitting  things, and  removing tasks are key to growing as a woman. Otherwise, if you try and evolve without quitting, you will end up in two places: staying  stagna...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Brittney Anderson discuss:   Naming ambiguous grief   Letting yourself mourn what  could have been   Guilt about leaving roles, teams, versions of yourself   Rituals for closure "With changes in our jobs and our lives, we mourn the loss of the expectation. How we thought our life would be, and what we expected to happen."  - Dr...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha  Shillcutt  discusses:   Why growth often means relational loss   The grief of being misunderstood   Releasing the need for approval   Making peace with changing friendships   " Growth often costs you proximity, but it gives you alignment." - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt   Brave Enough 2026 CME Conference   For ten years, women have gathered at the  Brave...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and  Dr. Christina Radics  discuss:   Confidence  follows action—not the other way around   Taking routine mini retreats to hold yourself accountable   Normalizing career pivots   "We must be brave enough to take time to ask ourselves what is it that I really want? And not be afraid to follow the answer." - Dr. Christina Radics   Dr.  C...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt discusses:   When  it's  time to leave vs. when  it's  time to renegotiate   How to exit without over-explaining   Letting go of the need to be "the good one"   Scripts for graceful transitions     "One of the hardest things high-achieving women do  isn't  starting something.  It's  leaving something."  - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt   Brave Eno...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha  Shillcutt  and  Jane Hanson  discuss:   Career identity loss (doctor, leader, achiever, caregiver)   Why we as women undervalue ourselves and how to stop doing it   Changing people and friendships as you evolve   Practical exercise: separating  who you are  from  what you do   "When your friends change, you have not failed. The opposite is true:...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha  Shillcutt  discusses:   Why transitions feel destabilizing (even good ones)   Why women feel guilt for wanting "more"   Naming the  invisible grief  of change   Normalize the "What is wrong with me?" phase   " You're grieving a version of life that no longer fits who you're becoming."  – Dr. Sasha    Brave Enough 2026 CME Conference   For ten ye...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Nikia Smith discuss:   The different symptoms of burnout   How important it is to understand the types of rest   Healing in community    The cure for burnout isn't what you think   "Self-care is not the cure for burnout. It is engagement with both yourself and others." -Dr. Nikia Smith   Dr. Nikia Smith is a board-certified anes...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Sunny Smith discuss:   Being lonely in a room full of people   How to tear down the walls we build   Not believing everything we think   "We are meant to live in community with others. When we are vulnerable, authentic, and truthful, we open ourselves up for real connection."  - Dr. Sunny Smith   Dr. Sunny Smith is the Founder a...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt discusses:   Friendship used to happen by proximity — now it requires intention   The hidden fears that stop women from reaching out   Where new friendships  actually form in midlife   " Friendship is built through repeated small moments, not one big one." - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt   The Boundaries Blueprint , my new, short, on-demand cours...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt , Krystal Eicher, & Wendy Guth discuss:   How "having it all together" can keep us from meaningful friendship   Why friendship is so important for women leaders and entrepreneurs   Why "messy" friendships matter   "Women have shared wisdom and the ability to listen to problems without the need to "fix" things. We have empathy, compassio...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha  Shillcutt discusses:   Digital familiarity is not emotional intimacy   Why high-functioning women are especially vulnerable to fake connection   Your nervous system can't regulate through a screen    Real community requires intentionality in a digital world   "Fake connection fills your time. Real community fills your soul. " - Dr. Sasha  Shillc...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Lindsay Pinchuk discuss:   How to reinvent your career after 40   How to protect your boundaries when you are in a career transition   How to find the community YOU need to thrive   "When you don't want to put yourself out there, when you want to cancel the girl's night out and stay in, the answer is always NO. GO. Get in front of y...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Zarya Rubin discuss:   The importance of Vitamin "J"   How to downregulate our nervous system   Our stress response and why it is important to understand in building female relationships   "Social media is the Saber-tooth tiger of our generation." -Dr. Rubin     Guest Bio:    Dr. Zarya Rubin is a Harvard-educated functional medi...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha  Shillcutt and Guest, Dr. Ashley Smith discuss:   Loneliness is a call to action How to break out of thought spirals How to create authentic connections in the busy years How to turn anxiety into a positive response   "We are intended to live in community, but we are living in a hyper independent society, and our nervous system is craving real co...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Erica Howe discuss:   How successful women get so isolated   How to come back after a failed friendship   How communities of strangers can be the place to find your true connection "When I am struggling, my default is to withdraw. But it is only when I reach out and am vulnerable with my friends that true healing can begin." - D...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt discusses:   Loneliness Doesn't Mean You're Broken, It Means You're Human Busyness Is the Most Socially Acceptable Form of Isolation The Armor That Protects You Is Also What Keeps You Alone   Connection Is Built Intentionally, Not Accidentally "The ache you feel isn't weakness, it's your nervous system asking for belonging." - Dr. Sasha...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha  Shillcutt and Dr Karyn Shanks discuss:   Holding space for yourself through hard times   Being brave enough to pause and be   Overcoming the need to constantly do more     "Our addiction to distraction have led us to not be able to just 'be'." - Dr. Karyn Shanks     Guest Bio:   Karyn Shanks, MD is a board-certified physician, author, and pionee...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt discusses: Redefining Ambition   Productivity vs. Purpose   Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) as Self-Trust   Perfection is a Thief of Presence     Quote:    "Peace is not found by doing more; it's found by doing what matters." - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt   YOU'RE INVITED TO LEGACY COLLECTIVE A beautifully designed club built just for women who are b...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Cy Wakeman discuss:   The power of re-remembering   Finding your voice in your 50s   R einventing yourself and leaving past versions behind     "At some point I started to realize I had lived a dream life. I am just not sure it was my dream." - Cy Wakeman     Cy Wakeman: Drama Researcher, NY-Times Bestselling Author and Leadership C...

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Amy Shah discuss:   Why your gut health is critical to everything   Intentional and easy ways to increase your fiber intake   How to establish a circadian rhythm as a busy woman   How our body changes as we age and what we can do about it     "Your gut is the girl boss of your life. She handles a million things, and so you must...

In this episode Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Amy Vertrees talk about:   Being brave enough to take risks Breaking free from an employee mindset Opinions of others and letting go of likeability     "Once I realized I could take chances, the world opened up for me in ways I could not have imagined." - Dr. Amy Vertrees     Guest Bio:   Amy Vertrees, MD is a board-certified general surgeon, Army vetera...