Rebellious Health - Dr. Emma Presern’s Mission to Heal the Healers

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In this episode, Dr. Emma Presern, a GP and founder of Rebellious Health, shares her profound journey through burnout and recovery. After training in anatomical science and neuroscience and practicing medicine across the UK and Australia, Emma faced a significant mental health crisis during her specialist training. This turning point led her to take a year-long sabbatical, during which she embarked on a solo 600-kilometer hike across the Slovenian mountains. Emma discusses the systemic pressures of the healthcare system, the importance of holistic health, and the transformative power of nature, breathwork, and self-care. Out of her experiences, Rebellious Health was born, a movement aimed at challenging systemic pressures and helping clinicians reconnect with themselves and nature.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Emma’s burnout started insidiously with anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks, which she initially struggled to acknowledge due to the perceived immunity of healthcare professionals to mental health struggles.

The current healthcare system often treats clinicians like machines, prioritising productivity over humanity and failing to provide adequate support for their well-being.

Taking an extended break for self-care and reflection can be life-changing, allowing for deep rest and the discovery of new wellness tools like breathwork and nature connection.

True wellness involves an interconnectedness between mind, body, soul, nature, and spirit, moving beyond just treating symptoms.

Building supportive communities and advocating for systemic change is essential to combat the isolation many healthcare workers feel and to create a more sustainable healthcare system.

BEST MOMENTS

"I really didn't want to admit it to myself or to anybody else. I thought I was totally immune to mental health struggles."

"We forget as healthcare professionals, as doctors, that we're human first. It's not even just what we want, it's what the system wants of us as well."

"I'm so much more interested in people's gaps on their CVs now than their CV itself because those gaps actually tell you a lot about who that person is becoming."

"Self-care is so necessary, and it often is really quite messy and very uncomfortable to go through. It's not just massages and bubble baths."

"I'm a big advocate for slow medicine. These 10-15 minute consultations are harmful both to the patient and the doctor."

HOST BIO

Mariam is a GP trainee in Wales passionate about improving our healthcare colleagues' wellbeing. She has experience on the Schwartz Round Steering group and as a facilitator for her health board, and she created and led the Balint Group Programme for Foundation Doctors in her hospital. These are regular spaces for healthcare professionals to speak about real issues that affect their well-being amongst colleagues to improve mutual support and camaraderie in the workplace. She also holds qualifications in Life Coaching and healthcare leadership and management. Whatever your reason for joining us on this podcast, we are glad you have taken the time. 

If you are having stressful days at work, leaving you feeling demotivated, and depleted, I'm hoping I can help here.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/