This blog platform has been valuable to me in the past as a place to collect ideas about being a doctor, and I think I would like to use it more frequently again, with a slightly new aim. I continue to work part time “within the system” as a family medicine doctor in an FQHC clinic. I continue to have a dream of practicing medicine in a “new” way, that at times seems substantial enough to make walking away from the old structure seem like an obvious choice. There can be so many challenges to navigate working within the system, and others that arise with career transitions. I know there are many people who would like to be in my corner, but often neither they nor I know how they can help. A good step is to write this blog for them (you) and to invite them (you) to read it.

I am planning for my next round of MBSGs. I have sent out about 20 invitations, and have 4 confirmed participants. I think the ideal size is 8-10, but for this particular round, I am committing to do it with whatever size group I end up with. My intention was to invite participants who feel like a “Mastermind Group” to me who are particularly interested in my personal transformation story as a doctor, or who are in wellness entrepreneurship themselves to build a happy little cohort. But I wonder how much flexibility to roll with the way things flow should be balanced with my original intention? I spoke about the groups with a friend at a child’s birthday party, and after a dance workship with folks who made sense to include. It is often much more difficult to communicate the value of these groups than it is for me to see and feel why a person might benefit from participating. I have been asked recently by a business coach to more clearly name the benefit for the participants or clients. This has been a step that I have resisted in the past for feeling too much like sales. Maybe it is a kind of stubbornness that has been impeding me from more easily attracting clients/participants to the groups I am offering?

So a question I am still working on, is who is this next MBSG for? While I set out to build a mastermind group for myself, when I am asked about the benefit for the clients, it seems odd for them to come to support me. They have to come for their own benefit. And these benefits can overlap, but it seems cleaner and true if the group I am offering is designed for the benefit of that participants rather than for myself. Aha! And I still CAN build a mastermind group, but it is just going to be a different process than leading a MBSG group. And by writing about it here on the blog, maybe I can identify my masterminds and build that group in a different way, on a different time scale.

As recently as a few weeks ago, I was feeling increased clarity that I would want to move more fully into doing “new medicine” work, and allowing the old pattern of seeing patients using my medical license to fall away. But in the last two weeks, I have had surprisingly satisfying and meaningful experiences in the clinic that tilt me back into my holding pattern of continuing part-time clinic work while setting up the group visits on the side. (While I also have to name that the days are still exhausting, overfull and HARD. Sometimes I like doing hard things, and “how much of a challenge am I supposed to metabolize?”)

It seems that an important step will be how do I more easily recruit more people to these groups in the future? If I can imagine a broader pool of potential clients (I’m going to stick with that term for now, instead of “participants” in the MBSGs), but I need to create tools like a website that help share the message of who I am and what I am offering. If I had 30 clients ready to go this week, I think leading the groups for them would be no problem (except that I’d be overstretched on time with my current commitments at the clinic.) I don’t think I have to reduce my hours in order to make progress. But I am going to have to decide if I want to keep a foot in that doorway or not. If you consider a full-time doctor to be working 4 full days a week, then my 3 half days could count for 37.5% time. That feels wise and good and fortunate to be able to do that. But I want to cut it to 25%. It would really make such a big difference for me. It would make it easy to add a second group to my week. 1 group a week feels possible with 3 work days. 2 groups feel like they fit with 2 work days without me getting overstretched.

This blog might get long-winded at times. It’s helpful for me to share about this process. I do hope it has value for you, the reader. I guess if you’d like to be supportive, you can let me know by leaving comments.

That’s all for now, more ahead! Thanks for reading.

You are invited!

Hello, I am preparing to lead a weekly Mind-Body Skills Group (MBSG) on Monday mornings from 9:30-11:30am (CT) on Zoom. This will be the 5th cycle of groups I have led. The first meeting will be 1/2/23 and we will plan to end on 2/27/23, though we could decide to add extra sessions if desired by the group. Please contact me if you would like to be one of the 8-10 participants. I completed training to facilitate these groups from the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, and more information describing these groups is available on their website:

https://cmbm.org/onlinegroup/

Why now?

The last group I led was in Spring ‘22, and the group I was planning for the Summer didn’t come together. My own energy dissipated and got lost between struggling with work and navigating the transitions at a new house. I know that leading these groups is part of the way forward for me as I transition from conventional medicine work into what’s next. Sometimes I call that “Subtle Medicine”, mind-body medicine, or wellness entrepreneurship. I feel energy around a “mastermind group” that includes individuals especially interested in my process or who are working on wellness entrepreneurship themselves.

What To Expect During Group Visits

We will meet on Zoom in a virtual sacred circle. Please be in a private location where you can bring your full attention for our two-hour sessions. We will start with a simple relaxing breathing technique, and go over guidelines for our time together. There will be time for introductions, and “check-ins” for every group. Anything shared will be confidential.

Each week, we will practice one technique of self-exploration, and then share about our experience with the group. These techniques can provide powerful insights in a group setting even for individuals with vast experience with similar techniques. They are also accessible to beginners and my facilitation will adapt them to the group.

The group will end on time, and we will close with a gentle relaxation technique. My role is to manage time, lead activities, and support all participants for the best group experience. I am not serving as a therapist or doctor for anyone in the group. Instead we are trusting and allowing for insights and healing to occur spontaneously. Borrowing from Stella Eisenstein’s Resonant Attention technique, we are leaning in for miracles. As a facilitator, I will also participate in the exercises and share my experiences.    

Price, Commitment

It is important to commit to attending all (most) sessions because spaces are limited. I plan to adapt these Mind-Body Skills groups for other audiences and to perhaps someday set a fee as part of a business model that frees me from other employment. At this time, I am happy to receive financial gifts as an energy exchange, but it is not required. I feel fully supported by your presence in the group alone. 

Please be in touch to confirm your spot in the group. I would like to have a conversation on the phone with each participant before Dec 26th if possible, and before the Jan 2nd start if needed.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you can join me.