The PLA Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The PLA Podcast, host Dr. Stephanie Costa sits down with PLA founder Phil Cass for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about his recent journey into end-of-life coaching. After decades of leadership, coaching, and service to physicians, Phil shares how a silent retreat, personal loss, and his own health scare led him to explore a new purpose: su...

Send us Fan Mail In part two of our conversation with aesthetician, artist, and craniosacral therapy practitioner Amy Linville, host and PLA Director of Alumni Programming Dr. Stephanie Costa continues their conversation focusing on biodynamic craniosacral therapy (CST) and its relevance for healthcare professionals managing chronic stress and trauma. Amy explains how stress can lead to “chronic b...

Send us Fan Mail Host and PLA Director of Alumni Programming Dr. Stephanie Costa speaks with Amy Linville, an aesthetician who also incorporates biodynamic craniosacral therapy, about building a creative life through drawing. In Part 1 of their conversation, they discuss approachable practices such as 10-minute drawing challenges focused on process over product, noticing nervous system regulation...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The PLA Podcast, host Stephanie Costa, Director of Alumni Programming at the Physicians Leadership Academy (PLA), talks with PLA graduate Dr. Dean Agra, formerly a nephrologist and now a full-time addiction medicine physician, about how martial arts support mindfulness, grounding, and leading as one’s truest self. Dean shares how he first explored martial arts a...

Send us Fan Mail Amy Marzluff shares her coaching journey and unique approach to helping people rediscover their dreams. This episode explores physician burnout, leadership, retirement, and life transitions—and how reconnecting with purpose can support both personal and professional well-being.  Produced by the Columbus Medical Association Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhysiciansLeadershipAca...

Send us Fan Mail Psychiatrist and OhioHealth Medical Director of Provider Well-Being Dr. Carol Chung joins host Stephanie Costa to discuss physician well-being, trauma, and the importance of seeking support in medicine. They explore burnout versus depression, peer support, trauma-informed care, and how EMDR can help clinicians heal and return to work stronger. A thoughtful conversation about leade...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the PLA Podcast, host Dr. Stephanie Costa sits down with Dr. Danny Eiferman, Ohio State surgeon, educator, and author of Cut Open: A Surgeon’s Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Growth.   Dr. Eiferman shares an honest, deeply human look at the realities of surgical practice, the emotional weight of complications, and the healing power of community. He discusses wh...

Send us Fan Mail In part two of this heartfelt conversation, host Dr. Stephanie Costa and PLA founder Phil Cass continue their dialogue with contemplative forester and longtime meditation teacher Jim Dresher. Together, they explore the essential role of community in physicians’ well-being, the deeper meaning of boundaries, and how solitude and self-care expand our capacity to serve. Listeners will...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The PLA Podcast, host Dr. Stephanie Costa is joined by Dr. Phil Cass, founder of the Physicians Leadership Academy. Drs. Costa and Cass have a heartfelt conversation with contemplative forester, longtime meditation teacher, and PLA faculty member Jim Dresher.  Together, they explore the value of solitary retreat, the lessons nature offers on resilience, and the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the PLA Podcast, host Stephanie Costa (Director of the Alumni Program at the Physicians Leadership Academy) sits down with PLA alum and pediatrician Dr. Mary Lynn Niland for a candid and powerful conversation about The Pitt, an HBO Max medical drama that’s strikingly resonant with physicians across the country. Far from just another TV show, The Pitt dives into...

Send us Fan Mail In this joyful and thoughtful episode of the Physicians Leadership Academy Podcast, host Dr. Stephanie Costa is joined by Dr. Mike Prats—emergency physician, educator, and creator of the Worldwide GEL Podcast—for a conversation about mindfulness, medicine, and birding.   Mike shares how a neighbor's curiosity sparked a hobby that became both a personal joy and a practice of p...

Send us Fan Mail In this calming and deeply affirming episode of the Physicians Leadership Academy (PLA) Podcast, hosts Dr. Stephanie Costa and Phil Cass are joined by beloved PLA meditation coach Janice Glowski for a thoughtful exploration of meditation, mindfulness, and what it means to “remember your wholeness.”   This episode offers a powerful reminder that you are not something to fix—you are...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of the Physicians Leadership Academy (PLA) Podcast’s conversation with transformation expert Jim Marsden, hosts Dr. Stephanie Costa and Phil Cass continue their deep and compassionate exploration of physician burnout.    Part 1 focused on practical strategies for overcoming burnout. This episode offers a refreshing, non-judgmental approach to stepping off the "hamst...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Physicians Leadership Academy Podcast, hosts Dr. Stephanie Costa and Phil Cass are joined by transformation expert and coach Jim Marsden to explore burnout through a new lens. With deep experience across healthcare and corporate sectors, Jim introduces a powerful metaphor—the “left and right sides of the road”—to help leaders understand the inner tension beh...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Physicians Leadership Academy (PLA) Podcast, brought to you by the Columbus Medical Association. Hosts Dr. Stephanie Costa and Dr. Phil Cass sit down with complexity theorist and dialogue practitioner Chris Corrigan for a rich conversation on why linear thinking falls short when tackling healthcare’s most difficult challenges.   From ER staf...