2025 Reflections on Alignment, Gratitude, and Letting Go | Ep52

As the year winds down, reflection becomes unavoidable — especially after a season filled with change, growth, and transition.

In this solo episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin looks back on 2025 through the lens of alignment — learning to move toward what feels true and away from what no longer fits. Rather than forcing a polished “word of the year,” Laura names the complexity of the past twelve months, holding gratitude and grief at the same time.

She shares openly about the personal and professional moments that shaped her year: her daughter leaving for college, shifts within the scientific community, navigating injury and identity loss, and stepping more fully into CEO-level leadership in her business. Along the way, Laura reflects on people-pleasing, letting go of over-explaining, and the importance of surrounding yourself with values-aligned community.

Looking ahead to 2026, Laura shares what’s coming next — including the launch of her first leadership course — and invites listeners to reflect on where their time and energy truly belong.

This episode isn’t about resolutions or productivity. It’s about clarity, alignment, and choosing what matters.

What This Episode Covers

• Why “alignment” became the defining theme of 2025
• Holding gratitude and grief at the same time
• Identity shifts when children leave home
• Disillusionment — and hope — within the scientific community
• Losing a grounding practice and learning to listen to the body
• Letting go of people-pleasing and over-explaining
• Thinking like a CEO instead of an operator
• Finding values-aligned community
• What’s ahead in 2026
• A reflection framework for the year ahead

What’s Ahead in 2026

• Launch of The Clinician Leadership Compass
• Continued growth of the podcast
• Building a leadership community rooted in alignment
• Expanded speaking and impact
• Healing, recovery, and redefining movement

About the Show

Designing Healthcare That Cares is where leadership meets humanity. Hosted by Dr. Laura Suttin, the show explores what happens when compassion, connection, and courage come together to transform how we care—for our patients, our teams, and ourselves.

About the Host

Dr. Laura Suttin is a physician, leadership coach, and lifelong advocate for designing systems that truly care. After years of navigating the complexities of healthcare, she realized that compassion and connection aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re the foundation of great medicine.

Today, Laura brings that vision to life through her work as a consultant, speaker, and host of Designing Healthcare That Cares. She helps healthcare leaders and clinicians rediscover their purpose, build resilient teams, and lead with both strategy and soul.

When she’s not interviewing changemakers or guiding organizations, you can find her sharing stories that remind us all why we got into medicine in the first place—to make a difference, together.

🌐 Website: drlaurasuttin.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-suttin-md/

📸 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlaurasuttin

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlaurasuttin/

The Designing Healthcare That Cares Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding personal or organizational decisions.