The Burnout Recovery Podcast

What if the key to transforming your workplace culture isn't fixing what's broken, but amplifying what's already working? In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid shares insights from her Stanford WellMD Director of Wellbeing Course and explores how Appreciative Inquiry can shift team dynamics from problem-focused to possibility-focused conversations. Drawing from real examples and research-backed strategies...

Feeling flat and unmotivated after what should have been a restorative break? You're not alone. In this episode, Dr. Jo explores the science behind post-holiday blues, including the role of dopamine crashes and why healthcare workers are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. She shares practical, evidence-based strategies for gradual re-entry, maintaining holiday elements in daily routine,...

In this episode, Dr. Jo shares a personal story about stepping into a locum position where she inherited a "difficult" patient situation involving family complaints and communication challenges. Rather than approaching the interaction defensively, she chose curiosity over preconception and discovered that the family wasn't difficult—they were scared and feeling unheard. Through this experien...

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Jo Braid shares a conversation with her mother that fundamentally changed how she views career success and professional identity in healthcare. Through her mother's journey from university lecturer to teaching retirees, Jo explores how healthcare professionals can avoid the dangerous trap of tying their self-worth to professional achievements. Drawing on resear...

In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid explores why healthcare workers and helping professionals often struggle with gratitude despite doing meaningful work. She breaks down the neuroscience behind how chronic stress and burnout literally rewire our brains, making it harder to experience positive emotions like appreciation. Dr. Braid explains the concept of "toxic gratitude" - when societal press...

Feeling overwhelmed before that big meeting or presentation? In this episode, I share my go-to stress management technique that can shift your entire nervous system in under 30 seconds. You'll discover the science behind the physiological sigh - a simple two-breath pattern that Dr. Andrew Huberman introduced me to - and learn how it activates your parasympathetic nervous system to bring instant ca...

In this December episode, we explore how protecting your morning routine and arrival time creates a foundation for better boundaries in both professional and personal settings. Learn why getting to work on time isn't about perfectionism—it's about honouring your commitments to yourself and modelling healthy boundaries for others. We dive into creating a realistic, sustainable morning routine...

In this episode, Dr Jo explores why the latest burnout statistics in healthcare actually give her hope, revealing that 69% of healthcare professionals are experiencing burnout - making it a systemic issue, not a personal failing. She breaks down the key drivers affecting all healthcare disciplines, from increasing patient complexity to overwhelming administrative burdens, and explains why being pa...

In this episode, Jo explores the critical importance of rediscovering your identity beyond your medical profession and the transformative power of personal hobbies in burnout recovery. She shares her own journey back to social tennis in Orange, NSW, and how this simple hobby reminded her who she is when she takes off the white coat. Jo discusses the dangerous trap of "White Coat Syndrome" - where...

In this episode, Dr Jo Braid explores two powerful professional support systems that have transformed her own burnout recovery journey. She shares her experience as a facilitator of Schwartz Rounds at Bathurst Health Service, explaining how these monthly forums create healing through shared storytelling and witnessing rather than problem-solving. Jo also discusses the value of indep...

Discover how one night shift nurse transformed her sleep and beat burnout with a simple 30-day experiment that prioritized sleep consistency over duration. In this episode, we explore the "Sleep Architecture Experiment" and reveal four game-changing strategies for shift workers, including the Anchor Sleep Method and strategic light exposure timing. Learn advanced sleep hygiene techniques like the...

In this powerful 10-minute episode, we tackle the imposter syndrome that's plaguing healthcare professionals and explore why your unique combination of experiences, perspectives, and skills makes you irreplaceable in healthcare. We dive into how self-doubt often affects the most caring professionals and why your struggles and background aren't separate from your professional value—they ARE y...

What if the way you're trying to "rest" is actually making your burnout worse? In this episode, we follow Sarah, a resident doctor who spent hours every night binge-watching Netflix, thinking she was taking care of herself - only to wake up more exhausted than ever. We explore the fascinating science behind why passive consumption isn't real rest, how your brain's natural cleaning system only work...

In this deeply personal episode, I share the story that changed everything - the moment I realised I had become the toxic colleague I once feared. What You'll Learn: How burnout transforms good people into toxic colleagues The 6 key drivers that create toxic workplace cultures Why complaining becomes a survival mechanism in broken systems The unconscious ways we perpetuate harmful workplace dynami...

In this deeply personal episode, I share my story from early 2021 - juggling three kids under 10, a private clinic, and hospital shifts during COVID uncertainty - when a colleague's marathon post on Instagram sent me spiraling into comparison and self-doubt. I explore the transformative concept of "imperfect consistency" and why your five-minute walk matters more than someone else's marathon when...

Learn why your brain keeps cycling through work thoughts even when you're physically home - it's called rumination, and there's real neuroscience behind why it happens. You'll discover four practical strategies to break this mental loop: the Brain Dump Transition, Physical Transition Rituals, the "Worry Window" technique, and Present-Moment Anchoring that actually signal to your nervous system it'...

🎉 Milestone Alert! We've reached episode 150 of The Burnout Recovery Podcast! Join Dr Jo Braid and a special guest (her 9-year-old son Lachy) as they celebrate this incredible milestone together. In this heartfelt episode, Dr Jo shares her personal journey from being the "yes doctor" who worked two jobs simultaneously - full-time as a rehabilitation medicine registrar plus evening GP house calls...

Discover the Trust Triangle framework that's improving how healthcare professionals build stronger relationships with patients, families, and colleagues. Based on neuroscience research, this episode explores how trust operates through three pillars - Logic, Authenticity, and Empathy - and why your brain releases oxytocin when genuine connections are made. Dr Jo Braid shares practical strategies to...

When a patient's unexpected verbal attack left me shaken after a routine clinic appointment, I had a choice: let it fester or use it as a learning opportunity. In this episode, I share how asking for support and creating transition rituals transformed a difficult interaction into personal growth. You'll discover three practical steps to process challenging patient encounters without letting them p...

In this powerful RU OK? Day episode, singer-songwriter Lynda Manwaring joins Dr. Jo Braid for an intimate conversation about using music as a pathway to mental health healing and authentic connection. Lynda shares her personal journey from bottling up emotions to embracing vulnerability, including how the loss of her closest friend to mental health challenges inspired her to speak openly about the...

Ever wondered why you can feel like a fraud even when your workplace encourages vulnerability? This episode explores the fascinating intersection of imposter syndrome and psychological safety—two psychological phenomena that are crucial for healthcare professionals but rarely discussed together. You'll learn the key differences between internal imposter syndrome and environmental psychologic...

Chelsea Pottenger, founder and director of EQ Minds, shares her deeply personal journey from corporate high achiever to mental health advocate after experiencing severe postnatal depression that led to a five-week psychiatric hospital stay. She reveals how this life-changing experience inspired her to dedicate her career to helping others achieve high performance without burnout through mindfulnes...

After 20 years as a doctor and hundreds of hours coaching healthcare professionals, Dr Jo Braid knows that imposter syndrome hits our field particularly hard. In this episode, she shares why 70% of healthcare professionals feel like frauds despite their expertise, and reveals the three daily practices that transform your inner critic into your inner coach. You'll discover how to rewrite the story...

In the final episode of our Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing series, Dr. Jo Braid explores how true wellbeing comes from within by addressing the learned helplessness patterns common in healthcare and sharing her personal journey of learning to ask for help. Discover how to build inner safety, cultivate inner trust, and break free from the belief that your actions don't matter. Resources: Work w...

In Episode 2 of our Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing series, Dr. Jo Braid introduces powerful micro-moment techniques that function like tuning pegs for your nervous system. Learn science-backed tools that take less than a minute each but can shift your entire state from overwhelm to calm, anywhere and anytime. Resources: Work with Dr Jo:  https://tidycal.com/drjobraid/power-hour From Survi...