I’M THAT GUY

If you know me, it’s hard to believe that I could have tried to kill myself. That being a doctor would bring me to the breaking point and make me snap. I came so close to throwing it all away. I didn’t realize the pressures of being a physician were building and building until a series of unfortunate events caused me to implode. It sucks being the guy to get up and tell his story about how he tried to kill himself. I have had so many successes in my life, yet I am repeatedly asked to speak about this, my most public failure, my moment of greatest weakness. So let me tell you a few other things about me.

I LOVE BEING A DOCTOR

I have always loved medicine and helping people. According to my medical school, I came from a “disadvantaged background”. I moved out of the house at 16 to go swim for a high school so I could get a division 1 scholarship to pay for college. I was married young and we started our family young. We both put ourselves through school together while raising 4 children without help from our families. I was the only one of 8 children that graduated from college. Having little money, I learned how to work hard. My road to becoming a physician was certainly unconventional, but it was what I knew I needed to do. Many of you feel the same way.

I’M ALWAYS TEACHING

I am residency trained and board certified in emergency medicine. I am a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians as well as the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, in part due to my efforts. Teaching medical students and residents was one of my favorite things. Coaching is a great fit because my job is to teach you how to look at your thoughts more objectively. 

IT IS ALL ABOUT MY FAMILY

You might notice I frequently talk about my family because they are my everything. I’m grateful for the bonus years I now have with them and don't take this time for granted. Life is too short. Now with adult children, we vacation, spend holidays, and participate in our hobbies together.

I’M ADHD

Many of us ER doctors are. The adrenaline from trauma and critical care medicine is a natural treatment for ADHD. I thrive in chaos being able to make decisions quickly and confidently. That’s all I ever wanted to do. It was a perfect fit. I love the pace going from 0 to 100 miles per hour in an instant. Even with all of that, I tend to take my time with each patient no matter what the diagnosis to make sure that they are comfortable with what is happening around them.

YOU WILL CATCH ME OUTDOORS

Again, I’m your typical ER doc who is an adrenaline junkie. My rush comes from launching myself down the mountain on my bike after a grueling climb to get there.  During the winter you might find me on the slopes. I am a brand new skier, having learned with my wife in our 40's, and yet still ski at speeds that my wife would consider "excessively fast". I’m obsessed with training for Ironmans with my wife as our empty nester activity (#shemademedoit). I love guns, scuba, camping, hiking, fishing and pretty much anything active, and if I can do it with my family, even better. 

I SERVE AND VOLUNTEER A LOT

As a physician you probably understand the joy it brings to serve and help others. In addition to multiple medical missions including in Croatia, Bosnia, and Haiti, I also have served as a scoutmaster, soccer coach, Sunday school teacher, and served a 3 ½ year medical mission for my church that is an essential part of my life. My religious beliefs are the backbone of who I am. I’m also of course the neighborhood doctor for friends and families.

THIS COULD BE YOU

Over and over, I hear, “This could be me. I get it,” from the hundreds of doctors I’ve talked to. They have thought about killing themselves, attempted it, or died. Physicians need help and for a myriad of reasons they aren’t getting it. I’ve done lectures to medical students, residents, attendings and survivors. I don’t like to go and speak, but I’m willing when they ask, because I know I’m making a difference. I’ve put myself out there and have those conversations with physicians and their spouses because they need to talk to someone. 

HOW COACHING CHANGED MY LIFE

After my attempted suicide, I began looking for answers. My depression was gone almost as quickly as it had come, but I still didn't understand what had happened to me. I went to therapy, which was extremely helpful, but I was looking for more. I spoke with psychiatrists and reached out to other doctors who were trying to help burnt out physicians. Then I discovered life coaching because I saw the results with my wife. It had such a positive impact on my life as well. 

Coaching fills in the gap where we learn to focus on our thoughts and how they are affecting us now. Looking back, coaching could have prevented what I did. I saw how coaching could have a positive effect on both the professional and personal lives of physicians, so I decided to become a certified life coach to have a lasting impact on the wellbeing of physicians. Life coaching has allowed me to stop blaming others and take control back in my life! Let's talk and see what it can do for you.