The Burnout Recovery Podcast

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 experience, she learned that healthcare resilience isn't about developing thicker skin, but about maintaining openness and choosing connection even in challenging situations. The episode explores how reframing complaints as information about unmet needs can transform patient relationships and offers practical tools including the "Fresh Eyes" approach, curious questioning techniques, and complaint reframing strategies. Thank you to our sponsorMIGA: https://miga.com.au Resources:https://drjobraid.comwww.instagram.com/burnoutrecoverydrwww.linkedin.com/in/drjobraid I acknowledge that I create this podcast on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, who have been the custodians of this land around Orange, New South Wales, for thousands of generations. I pay my respects to Wiradjuri Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuing connection to land, waters, and culture. This acknowledgment is a small but important step in recognizing the sovereignty of First Nations peoples and the deep historical and ongoing relationship with Country. Disclaimer: The information provided on or through our Site, products and/or services is intended to be for informational purposes only. It does not constitute or replace professional advice for individual or specific situations and nor does it take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Under no circumstances should the content made available on our Site, or regarding our products and/or services be relied upon as professional legal, medical, financial, business or other advice. You agree to obtain these services if you need these. Our Site may have articles and content that is of a general nature and is intended to be for informational purposes only. Your access to and use of they Site is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 research from the Mayo Clinic and Stanford's WellMD Center, this episode examines the "arrival fallacy" - the belief that reaching the next career milestone will bring lasting fulfilment - and offers evidence-based strategies for reframing work as a means to support your life, not define it. Perfect for healthcare workers and helping professionals seeking to prevent burnout while maintaining meaningful careers, this episode provides practical tools for identity diversification and sustainable excellence.Resources:https://drjobraid.comwww.instagram.com/burnoutrecoverydrwww.linkedin.com/in/drjobraid I acknowledge that I create this podcast on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, who have been the custodians of this land around Orange, New South Wales, for thousands of generations. I pay my respects to Wiradjuri Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuing connection to land, waters, and culture. This acknowledgment is a small but important step in recognizing the sovereignty of First Nations peoples and the deep historical and ongoing relationship with Country. Disclaimer: The information provided on or through our Site, products and/or services is intended to be for informational purposes only. It does not constitute or replace professional advice for individual or specific situations and nor does it take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Under no circumstances should the content made available on our Site, or regarding our products and/or services be relied upon as professional legal, medical, financial, business or other advice. You agree to obtain these services if you need these. Our Site may have articles and content that is of a general nature and is intended to be for informational purposes only. Your access to and use of they Site is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 pressure to be thankful becomes another source of stress - and introduces evidence-based micro-gratitude practices designed specifically for overwhelmed helpers. Learn why your inability to feel grateful isn't a character flaw, but a predictable neurobiological response to sustained occupational stress, and discover practical strategies to rebuild your gratitude pathways without adding more pressure to your already stressed system.Resources:https://drjobraid.comwww.instagram.com/burnoutrecoverydrwww.linkedin.com/in/drjobraid I acknowledge that I create this podcast on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, who have been the custodians of this land around Orange, New South Wales, for thousands of generations. I pay my respects to Wiradjuri Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuing connection to land, waters, and culture. This acknowledgment is a small but important step in recognizing the sovereignty of First Nations peoples and the deep historical and ongoing relationship with Country. Disclaimer: The information provided on or through our Site, products and/or services is intended to be for informational purposes only. It does not constitute or replace professional advice for individual or specific situations and nor does it take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Under no circumstances should the content made available on our Site, or regarding our products and/or services be relied upon as professional legal, medical, financial, business or other advice. You agree to obtain these services if you need these. Our Site may have articles and content that is of a general nature and is intended to be for informational purposes only. Your access to and use of they Site is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 calm and clarity. I'll walk you through the exact technique I use before every keynote and workshop, plus share two additional breathing tools (box breathing and triangle breathing) that you can use anywhere, anytime. By the end of this episode, you'll have three evidence-based breathing techniques in your stress management toolkit that you can start using immediately.Resources:https://drjobraid.comwww.instagram.com/burnoutrecoverydrwww.linkedin.com/in/drjobraid I acknowledge that I create this podcast on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, who have been the custodians of this land around Orange, New South Wales, for thousands of generations. I pay my respects to Wiradjuri Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuing connection to land, waters, and culture. This acknowledgment is a small but important step in recognizing the sovereignty of First Nations peoples and the deep historical and ongoing relationship with Country. Disclaimer: The information provided on or through our Site, products and/or services is intended to be for informational purposes only. It does not constitute or replace professional advice for individual or specific situations and nor does it take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Under no circumstances should the content made available on our Site, or regarding our products and/or services be relied upon as professional legal, medical, financial, business or other advice. You agree to obtain these services if you need these. Our Site may have articles and content that is of a general nature and is intended to be for informational purposes only. Your access to and use of they Site is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 using the "minimum viable routine" approach and the 80% scheduling rule for busy holiday periods. Plus, discover how mastering this simple boundary builds the skills you need for bigger boundary-setting challenges, especially during family gatherings and end-of-year pressures. Perfect timing for healthcare professionals feeling the December squeeze of last-minute patient bookings and holiday chaos.Resources:drjobraid.comwww.instagram.com/burnoutrecoverydrwww.linkedin.com/in/drjobraid I acknowledge that I create this podcast on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, who have been the custodians of this land around Orange, New South Wales, for thousands of generations. I pay my respects to Wiradjuri Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuing connection to land, waters, and culture. This acknowledgment is a small but important step in recognizing the sovereignty of First Nations peoples and the deep historical and ongoing relationship with Country. Disclaimer: The information provided on or through our Site, products and/or services is intended to be for informational purposes only. It does not constitute or replace professional advice for individual or specific situations and nor does it take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Under no circumstances should the content made available on our Site, or regarding our products and/or services be relied upon as professional legal, medical, financial, business or other advice. You agree to obtain these services if you need these. Our Site may have articles and content that is of a general nature and is intended to be for informational purposes only. Your access to and use of they Site is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.