What happens when science, leadership, and joy converge?

This week, I’m joined by Coach Meg Margaret Moore—co-founder of Wellcoaches, the Institute of Coaching, and the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching—for a profound and forward-looking conversation about the future of well-being, the evolution of coaching, and the art of living a life of purpose.

From her early career as a biotech executive across four countries to becoming one of the architects of modern coaching, Coach Meg shares how decades of work in neuroscience, psychology, and leadership have shaped her latest projects: the Well-Being Index and her new book, The Science of Leadership.

Together, we explore the nine parts of the mind, the relationship between stability and disruption, and what it means to make well-being—not productivity—the measure of success. With candor and clarity, Coach Meg invites us to see joy as both a practice and a responsibility: the thunder that moves us toward wholeness.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why our true purpose in life is to promote the well-being of ourselves and others
• How The Science of Leadership and The Well-Being Index are redefining evidence-based coaching
• What the “multiplicity of mind” reveals about personality, purpose, and integration
• How AI and technology can support human flourishing—when guided by compassion
• Why “joy is thunder” and what it means to stabilize during times of rapid change
• How measurement, meaning, and mindfulness come together in modern leadership

If you’ve ever wondered how science and soul meet inside the practice of coaching—or how joy can be both data-driven and deeply human—this episode offers a luminous window into the next era of well-being.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please consult your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Coach Meg Margaret Moore:

Website: https://www.wellcoaches.com
The Well-Being Index: https://www.wellcoachesnetwork.com
Institute of Coaching: https://www.instituteofcoaching.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmeg/

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd/

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

Learn, connect, and recharge at the Physician Coaching Summit, November 6-8 at Civana Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, AZ.
https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Sheri Rosenthal, a former podiatrist turned retreat strategist, joins me to share how she helps heart-centered entrepreneurs design transformational retreats that are both impactful and sustainable.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When suffering shows up, what does it mean to let no pain go untransformed?

This week, I’m joined by physician, coach, author, and artist Dr. Sarah Bamford Seidelmann for a whimsical and deeply human conversation about joy, creativity, and the sacred absurd. Together, we explore how boundaries sustain our gifts, what it means to make a “feasting table of our wounds,” and why even in moments of grief, laughter and delight have their place.

Sarah shares her journey from fourth-generation physician and pathologist to bestselling author, shamanic practitioner, and coach. We talk about animal messengers, the 100-day projects that changed her life, the power of sustainable boundaries, and the role of self-expression in healing. With warmth and humor, she reminds us that joy doesn’t have to wait—and healing doesn’t have to be linear.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why joy and grief often travel together—and why neither cancels the other out
• What it means to “make a feasting table of our wounds” and transform suffering into service
• How to recognize and honor animal messengers in your own life
• Why boundaries are both compassionate and essential for sustainability
• How self-expression—through art, dance, writing, or story—creates a path back to wholeness
• Why playfulness and delight are not frivolous, but vital

If you’ve ever wondered how creativity, spirit, and science can coexist in the messy middle of being human, this episode is a generous invitation to explore.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Sarah Seidelmann:

Website: https://www.followyourfeelgood.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahseidelmann/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sarah-Bamford-Seidelmann/author/B007P7GRXI

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Margaret Moore (Coach Meg), pioneer in evidence-based coaching, joins me to talk about the nine parts of the mind, her new book The Science of Leadership, and what it means to lead from the inside out.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When the world feels divided, dialogue breaks down, and “othering” becomes the language of the day—how do we return to what makes us most human?

This week, I’m joined by internist, public health professional, and trauma-informed coach Dr. Kemia Sarraf, CEO of Lodestar Coaching, for a powerful conversation about choosing humanity, even in dark times. Together, we explore why joy, hope, and courage are muscles to be flexed, how dialogue (not debate) protects our humanity, and why connection literally rewires our nervous systems for safety.

Dr. Sarraf shares her story from public health to medicine to founding a trauma-informed nonprofit and eventually creating her own coaching practice. We talk about the neuroscience of safety and threat, the dangers of othering, and why language matters—because all genocide begins with words. And yet, the shortest distance between two people is story, and dialogue rooted in humanity remains our best bridge.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “default to your humanity” is a practice that protects connection in times of division
• How joy, hope, and courage are muscles we flex daily—not states we wait to feel
• The neuroscience of safety, threat scanning, and why uncertainty is so exhausting
• How trauma-informed coaching helps physicians and leaders unlearn “shellacked” training and reclaim their humanity
• Why dialogue is different from debate—and how story opens the shortest distance between two people
• How to resist othering and instead show up as a cue of safety for those around you

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay human in the face of trauma, division, or uncertainty, this conversation is a call back to presence, connection, and the courage to choose differently.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Kemia Sarraf:

Lodestar Coaching: https://www.lodestarpc.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkemia/

Stay connected with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Website: https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Sarah Seidelman—physician, coach, and author—joins me for a spirited conversation about wild creativity, spirituality, and finding joy in unexpected places.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When medicine starts to feel like a factory line—and your smile no longer feels like your own—what then?

I’m joined by integrative pediatric dermatologist, children’s book author, and founder of The Joyful Path, Dr. Meena Julapalli, for a conversation that sings with story, presence, and the reminder that joy is not a reward, but a practice.

Meena shares her journey from academic burnout and 50-patient clinic days to creating Bluebird Dermatology, a direct care practice where connection—not the clock—guides healing. We talk about her moment of awe on the shores of Antarctica, the post-traumatic growth that reshaped her purpose, and why joy, curiosity, and play are not luxuries but essential medicines. Together, we explore mindset coaching for kids, storytelling as a healing tool, and the simple practices that return us to safety, laughter, and wonder.

We also talk about the deeper integration of medicine and meaning: how nutrition, Reiki, hypnotherapy, laughter yoga, and forest walks find their place alongside dermatology, and how these practices help children (and adults) not just survive, but truly thrive.

In this episode, you’ll learn
• Why joy is an inherent radiance—not something you earn after the hard parts are over
• How awe, nature, and presence (even penguins!) can reset your nervous system and restore connection
• A practical framework for educating, empowering, and advocating—so kids and families leave with tools, not just prescriptions
• How storytelling and mindset coaching help children build resilience, curiosity, and self-trust
• Why laughter, play, and micro-moments of safety are signals that unlock deeper healing
• What it means to practice medicine as a “joyologist”—and how curiosity keeps joy alive across a lifetime
• The power of community healing: when “I” becomes “we,” illness becomes wellness

If you’re a parent, clinician, or seeker ready to rediscover what makes your heart sing, this conversation is a guide back to joy—for you and the children you love.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Meena Julapalli:
Website: https://www.thejoyfulpath.org
Bluebird Dermatology: https://www.bluebirddermatology.com
Books: Listen to the Song in My Heart and Bluebird, Oh Bluebird, What Makes Your Heart Sing?

Stay connected with me:
Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Kemia Sarraf—internist, trauma-informed coach, and CEO of Lodestar Coaching. We’ll talk about chronic toxic stress, how to find safety inside your own nervous system, and why connection is not just nice, but literally keeps us human.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When the “good doctor” script starts to feel too tight—and excitement won’t carry you through the week—what then?

I’m joined by emergency physician, performance coach, and Physician Coaching Summit co-host Dr. Shideh Shafie for a grounded, joyful conversation on High-Vibe Sundays, why community is the evidence you’re not alone, and how to find a right-dose of clinical work that preserves meaning without the martyrdom.

Shideh shares the origin story of High-Vibe Sundays (breathwork, a silent garden walk, and a shared vegetarian meal), how gratitude becomes a gateway to serenity, and why dancing for three minutes before a keynote can shift your chemistry faster than white-knuckling mindset work. Together, we talk non-dual joy (wholeness over either/or), co-regulation, redefining success beyond “leave clinical or bust,” and permission to iterate your season—again and again.

Together, we unpack the pull to sameness in medicine, the relief of finding your people, and a kinder metric of success that honors both meaning and joy.

In this episode, you’ll learn
• How High-Vibe Sundays raises the room: breathwork → presence → shared meal → co-regulation you can feel
• Why serenity lasts longer than spark—and how gratitude opens steadier states you can actually live in
• A practical way to right-dose medicine so meaning stays while over-giving fades
• How to spot the “good doctor” sameness trap—and return to what’s truest for you now
• Why community is evidence (you’re not alone) and a shortcut to sustainable coaching
• Simple movement resets (hello, 3-minute dance party) that shift anxiety before big moments
• A reframing of success for physician coaches that isn’t “leave clinical” or “match your old salary”
• How to expand your capacity (the “bigger vessel” idea) so more light/joy can be received

If you’re a physician coach craving steady energy, real community, and doable rituals that raise the vibe, this conversation is a reframe and a reset.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Shideh Shafie:

Website: https://www.shidehshafie.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shideh.shafie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drshidehshafieperformancecoach

Stay connected with me:
Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd
Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com
Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:
Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Meena Jullipalli—dermatologist, coach for kids and families, and clinical hypnosis practitioner. If you’re curious about helping young people regulate and thrive, don’t miss it.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

Content note: This episode includes discussion of burnout, panic attacks, insomnia, and a brief mention of suicidal thoughts (non-graphic). Please listen with care.

When achievement stops feeling like joy—and the “perfect life” shows up with panic in tow—what then?

I’m joined by surgeon, coach, and Surgeons with Purpose host Dr. Mel Thacker for a candid look at hero culture in medicine, fiduciary ethics, and how we return power to patients (and to ourselves). Mel shares the moment her “shaking hands in the OR” became a wake-up call, why creation has to be for you first, and how suffering—when witnessed with compassion—can become fuel for purpose.

Together, we unpack the Drama Triangle and the Empowerment Dynamic, the subtle creep of “get energy,” and practical ways to stay in integrity when compensation and convenience tempt us off-center.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• How panic, insomnia, and “I must be broken” thoughts can be early sirens of burnout—and what healing looked like for Mel
• The Drama Triangle (victim–hero–villain) vs. David Emerald’s Empowerment Dynamic (creator–coach–challenger), with real clinical scenarios
• Why the “healthcare hero” narrative can unintentionally disempower patients—and how to coach instead of rescue
• Fiduciary ethics in the exam room: naming incentives, protecting integrity, and keeping decisions in the patient’s hands
• Why creation must be “for you first”—and how that shifts your voice from performative to powerful
• What agency looks like in career evolution: closing one chapter so another can fully begin
• How to transmute suffering into service without bypassing the hard parts (hello, Viktor Frankl)
• The vision of the Hippocratic Collective: every physician’s voice belongs—plus an Artist-in-Residence translating patient journeys through dance

If you’re a clinician who looks “successful” on paper but feels misaligned, over-responsible, or stuck in hero mode, this conversation is a reframe and a reset.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Mel Thacker

• Website: https://www.melthackercoaching.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_surgeon_coach

• Podcast: Surgeons with Purpose — Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surgeons-with-purpose/id1756605849

• The Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocratic-collective.com

Stay connected with us

• Dr. Chrissie Ott (IG): https://www.instagram.com/chrissieottmd

• Dr. Chrissie Ott (website): https://www.chrissieottmd.com

• Joy Point Solutions (IG): https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions

• Solving for Joy Podcast (IG): https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

• Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Physician Coaches:

• Physician Coaching Summit: https://www.thephysiciancoachingsummit.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Shideh Shafie—emergency physician, performance coach, and co-host of the Physician Coaching Summit. If you’re craving more energy, alignment, and doable rituals (think high-vibe Sundays and 3-minute dance resets), don’t miss it.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

Content note: This episode includes mention of childhood sexual abuse (non-graphic). Please listen with care.

When loss feels unbearable—or when caring for others leaves us searching for answers—we may wonder if joy can still be found.

Pediatric palliative care physician, Episcopal priest, and author Dr. Bob Macauley (Because I Knew You) joins Chrissie to explore how children and families facing serious illness teach us about courage, gratitude, and the surprising ways joy shows up—even in the midst of grief. With honesty, humor, and tenderness, Bob shares stories of resilience, silence, and presence that reframe what it means to love and to care.

In this heartfelt conversation, we explore the search for the “least-bad” option, how suffering can be transformed into compassion, and why his memoir is, at its heart, a thank-you note to courageous kids and their families.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why stories of children in palliative care can be both heartbreaking and life-giving
• How redefining joy means looking beyond the “number one” wish and finding hope in what’s still possible
• The power of silence—and why sometimes the best support is simply not saying the next thing
• What two blank pages in Bob’s book teach us about loss, faith, and unanswered questions
• How pop-culture touchstones (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Princess Bride, Top Gun, Wicked) show up in the most unexpected places
• Why gratitude is at the center of Because I Knew You—and how thank-you notes reframe caregiving
• The balance between selflessness and the “selfishness” of doing work that sustains you
• How children’s resilience and families’ courage reveal new ways to hold meaning in impossible situations

If you’ve ever found yourself holding both deep love and deep loss—and wondered what joy could look like there—this episode is for you.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from Dr. Bob Macauley:

• Website: https://BecauseIKnewYou.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrBobMacauley

• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@DrBobMacauley

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrBobMacauley

• Memoir: Because I Knew You — available wherever books are sold

Stay connected with us:

• Dr. Chrissie Ott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd

• Joy Point Solutions: https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions

• Solving for Joy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast

• Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Mel Thacker—surgeon and coach, host of Surgeons with Purpose. If you’re a surgeon (or physician) feeling stuck, burned out, or hungry for alignment and a clear voice, this one’s for you.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net

When relationships feel hard—especially across differences—it might be time to rethink how we relate. What if joy isn’t always something to solve, but something we can allow?

Relational facilitator James-Olivia Chu Hillman (Inquisitive Human; creator of REGARD) joins Chrissie to get precise—and playful—about desire, skill, and capacity; the four skills of relating; and the quiet ways “helping” turns into control.

In this honest, spacious conversation, we explore congruence, empathy that follows rather than fixes, and why prizing difference can deepen trust—even when values clash.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The three-part foundation for right relationship: desire, skill, capacity
• The four relational skills: empathy, empathic listening, congruence, and unconditional positive regard
• How to practice empathic listening so the other person confirms you got them—no mind-reading required
• Congruence in real life: sharing your inside so others can locate you (without oversharing)
• What “benevolent contempt” looks like—and how to stop helping people up the wrong tree
• Sovereignty vs. agency (and why sovereignty isn’t a moving target)
• Disobedience as alignment: when breaking a rule is the most honest way to care
• A gentler stance on joy: shifting from problem-solving to allowing

If you’re longing for steadier, kinder conversations—at work, at home, or in care settings—this episode is your invitation.

Think of this as your reset button.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.

More from James-Olivia Chu Hillman:
Website: https://inquisitivehuman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inquisitive_human/

Stay connected with us:
Dr. Chrissie Ott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissieottmd
Joy Point Solutions: https://www.instagram.com/joypointsolutions
Solving for Joy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/solvingforjoypodcast
Full transcript and more: https://www.solvingforjoy.com

Next week on Solving for Joy: Dr. Bob Macauley—pediatric palliative care physician, Episcopal priest, and author of Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul—on the search for the least-bad option and the moments that hold us together.

Music by Denys Kyshchuk (AudioCoffee): https://www.audiocoffee.net