Research-backed coaching for physicians by Clary Tepper, Ph.D.

 

I am a psychologist who has spent decades working with physicians in my private psychotherapy practice. Inevitably, the topic of burnout came up over and over. Over time, I realized that although psychotherapy could address the psychological issues that were related to burnout, it also had limitations. I realized some of my clients could probably benefit from a list of effective systemic or organizational-level strategies that they could bring to their employer to advocate for change. I also realized that a more solution-focused approach to individual interventions could also benefit many of my clients. However, these types of results-driven approaches are really not what psychotherapy is about. They are a great fit for a coaching practice, however. Accordingly, I decided to launch a coaching practice that is in addition to (and separate from) my psychotherapy practice. This type of practice is not constrained by geography, so I am able to work with professionals around the world via a private video platform.

 

Although I did take the time to earn a coaching certification, I found many traditional coaching techniques were either too vague or too generic. I wanted to go deeper and look at the neuroscience of burnout (and what actually works to mitigate it) and then delve into how each specific client could apply that research to their lives. This second piece is critical--interventions need to be more than a good idea, they need to be a good fit for the individual. Sure, training for a triathlon can lower cortisol and sympathetic arousal, enhance resilience and self-efficacy, and improve sleep and mood, all of which can buffer against emotional exhaustion and promote overall wellbeing (Gerber et al., 2013; Karr, 2019; Weight et al., 2013; Ewens et al., 2024). However, considering only 1% of the global population does a triathlon in any given year, an intervention involving a triathlon is likely to work for . . . well, approximately 1% of the population. Interventions need to be both evidence-based and tailored to an individual to be effective. 

 

I also wanted to take a more innovative approach in my coaching work. Although mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral approaches are well-studied in relation to burnout, I found that my clients were already familiar with these approaches and were looking for something more. They were intrigued to learn that interventions involving nature can activate parasympathetic nervous system pathways, lower cortisol levels, and promote psychological restoration, which all serve to counteract chronic stress and emotional exhaustion (Johansson et al., 2022; Gritzka et al., 2020). Clients were intrigued by the fact that self-transcendent activities (such as the experience of awe) have been shown to help reduce stress, enhance resilience, and foster meaning, which have all been linked to lower rates of burnout and improved wellbeing (Monroy et al., 2023; Bai et al., 2021; Chen et al., 2025; Monroy & Keltner, 2023; Yuan et al., 2025; Ameling et al., 2025). Although I am happy to include familiar approaches to burnout if they are a fit for clients, I also like to go beyond the standard approaches. 

 

I also like to skip the fluff and filler and dive right in. I’m not one for vague generalities or generic recommendations like “Engage in mindfulness practice every day.” Mindfulness is great, but it takes a lot more than a general list of healthy habits to truly address burnout. I am here to help clients focus on what strategies are actually going to be helpful for them. There is no one-size-fits-all solution; strategies might need to occur on a systemic level, an organizational level, an individual level, or all of the above.

 

Although I am doing this work as a coach and not as a psychologist, my knowledge and experience from my decades of work as a psychologist doesn’t go away when I switch roles. Instead, I get to combine all of my accumulated expertise with my knowledge of the field of medicine. I have been steeped in the world of medicine for decades, both professionally (through my work with docs) and personally (through with my husband's experiences with pre-med, medical school, residency, and decades of medical practice).

 

I work with individuals around the world via a private video conferencing platform. If what I offer feels like a good fit for you, let’s dive in. Ready to get started?

 

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Paperwork:

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Click here to read and sign the coaching contract.

 

Rates for coaching:

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• Initial session $350 (50 minute session plus the generation of a document with strategies/interventions developed specifically for you)

• Ongoing sessions: $300 (50 minutes)

 

Payment Options:
 

Credit card or PayPal:

Initial session: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/VESRBAG9JDK6S

Each ongoing session: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/ZNKSCMWXM3JKS

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Zelle: Use email address clarytepperphd@yahoo.com

Venmo: User name @ClaryTepper (use four digit code 4986)

 

FAQ: 

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Q: Do you offer wellness retreats? 

A: My husband, Eric Tepper, MD, and I offer continuing medical education/continuing professional development (CME/CPD) programs in destination settings around the world. They are not all-inclusive retreat packages (participants have the freedom to choose their own lodging and activities), but they provide a chance to learn about neuroscience-backed ways to mitigate burnout while experiencing the restorative effects inherent in a beautiful setting. Click here to learn more.

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Q: Do you offer coaching for healthcare professionals other than medical providers? 

A: Yes, I work with a wide range of healthcare providers, including mental health clinicians.

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References

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Ameling, J., Houchens, N., Greene, M. T., et al. (2025). Sacred moment experiences among internal medicine physicians. JAMA Network Open, 8(5), e2513159. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.13159

 

Bai, Y., Ocampo, J., Jin, G., et al. (2021). Awe, daily stress, and elevated life satisfaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 120(4), 837–860. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000267

 

Chen, Y., Hu, F., Xiao, Q., & Liu, Z. (2025). The shock of awe experience to our soul is more directly on cognitive well-being than affective well-being. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 10619. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95435-7

 

Ewens, M., Carroll, C., & Guenther, E. (2024). Motivations and barriers to exercise among clinicians. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 29(2), 277–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2022.2162938

 

Gerber, M., Brand, S., Elliot, C., et al. (2013). Aerobic exercise training and burnout: A pilot study with male participants suffering from burnout. BMC Research Notes, 6, 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-6-78

 

Gritzka, S., MacIntyre, T. E., Dörfel, D., Baker-Blanc, J. L., & Calogiuri, G. (2020). The effects of workplace nature-based interventions on the mental health and well-being of employees: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 323. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00323

 

Johansson, G., Juuso, P., & Engström, Å. (2022). Nature-based interventions to promote health for people with stress-related illness: An integrative review. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 36(4), 910–925. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.13089

 

Karr, S. (2019). Avoiding physician burnout through physical, emotional, and spiritual energy. Current Opinion in Cardiology, 34(1), 94–97. https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000574

 

Monroy, M., & Keltner, D. (2023). Awe as a pathway to mental and physical health. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(2), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916221094856

 

Monroy, M., Uğurlu, Ö., Zerwas, F., et al. (2023). The influences of daily experiences of awe on stress, somatic health, and well-being: A longitudinal study during COVID-19. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 9336. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35200-w

 

Weight, C. J., Sellon, J. L., Lessard-Anderson, C. R., et al. (2013). Physical activity, quality of life, and burnout among physician trainees: The effect of a team-based, incentivized exercise program. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 88(12), 1435–1442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.09.010

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Yuan, W., Chang, J., Jiang, F., & Jiang, T. (2025). Be kinder to yourself: Awe promotes self-compassion via self-transcendence. Emotion, 25(5), 1244–1255. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001495