Single session
$175 / session
1 session
ICF-Credentialed Physician Coaching
Coaching for physicians
dealing with burnout, moral distress, and the weight of difficult clinical decisions.
Grounded in published psychology and neuroscience research as well as time spent inside a hospital system, working alongside physicians and members of the medical care team.
Schedule discovery callPhD, Philosophy, Psychology, and NeuroscienceICF credentialed coach · ACC300+ coaching hours since 2021
About
I'm Maria.
Maria · she/herI spent a lot of time working inside a hospital system: end-of-life care, capacity disputes, family conflict, and cases with no clean answer. Those moments take a real toll, and I built my coaching practice around what's left afterward: the burnout, the moral weight, and the cost of years spent putting the job first.
I hold a PhD in philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis. My published research on emotion regulation, self-control, and motivation is the foundation for my approach, and I draw on it, along with the broader research on physician burnout and coaching, to build session materials tailored to what each client is working through.
I have logged more than 300 coaching hours since 2021, working with clients on perfectionism, burnout, identity fused to achievement, and decision-making under pressure.
Background & credentials
- Medical Team Advisor at WellStar, supporting physicians and care teams through high-stakes clinical decisions
- PhD, Philosophy, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis
- ICF credentialed coach (ACC, Associate Certified Coach)
- HEC-C certification in progress
- Numerous publications on emotion regulation, self-control, and identity/authenticity in top interdisciplinary journals, including Synthese and Philosophical Psychology
The work
Six patterns I work with most
These are patterns, not diagnoses. They describe where physicians tend to get stuck and where the work usually begins.
01Discipline that stops working
The same discipline that got you through pre-med, residency, and boards is now making you miserable. Rest feels like falling behind. This is not weakness. It is a system built for training, not for a twenty-year career.
What we do
Figure out which parts of your discipline still serve you and which ones are just running on old momentum.
Related research for Discipline that stops working (opens in a new tab)02Knowing what's wrong, but staying stuck
You can describe the problem exactly: the schedule, the charting, the weight of difficult decisions. Naming it hasn't been enough to picture anything different.
What we do
Rebuild the part of you that can picture something different, not as a fantasy, but as something you could actually do next week.
Related research for Knowing what's wrong, but staying stuck (opens in a new tab)03Trying harder makes it worse
Some shifts you're sharp. Others, you're on autopilot, and pushing harder only makes it worse. This is not a willpower problem.
What we do
Build a different relationship with effort, one that doesn't treat rest as the enemy of performance.
Related research for Trying harder makes it worse (opens in a new tab)04Going through the motions
You are doing the job well by every metric that gets measured. You cannot remember the last shift, or the last dinner with your family, that actually felt real.
What we do
Figure out where the disconnect started and what it would take to feel present again, at work and at home.
05Carrying other people's weight
You are the one your team calls. Families trust you with their fear and their grief. You carry it home. You are proud of being able to hold it, and it is wearing you down.
What we do
Build the actual skills for putting it down at the end of a shift, not just the advice to "set boundaries."
Related research for Carrying other people's weight (opens in a new tab)06One bad outcome undoes your whole week
Your sense of yourself is built on being excellent. One hard case, one difficult conversation with a family, and it does not just sting. It threatens how you see yourself.
What we do
Build other places for your sense of worth to stand, so one bad outcome doesn't threaten the whole structure.
Related research for One bad outcome undoes your whole week (opens in a new tab)Sessions
What to expect
- 01
A free 30-minute discovery call
You describe what's bringing you in. I describe how I work. No obligation.
- 02
An initial session
If we move forward, we start with a longer session to map history and what you want the work to address.
- 03
Ongoing sessions
Most clients meet weekly or every other week for 50 minutes, virtually.
Packages
Virtual coachingCore package
$150 / session
12 sessions
$1,800 total
Extended package
$135 / session
24 sessions
$3,240 total
Deep work package
$120 / session
36 sessions
$4,320 total
Coaching
FAQ
What's the difference between coaching and therapy?
Therapy treats clinical conditions and works with the past. Coaching is forward-looking, for people who are functional but stuck, numb, or burned out. My academic training is in the science of how minds and habits work. My ICF training is in how to help you change them. If therapy is the better fit, I will say so.
Do I need a coach who is also a physician?
No. Physician coaching is a distinct skill from clinical medicine. It's about burnout, identity, and decision fatigue, not medical judgment. If it seems like clinical care would serve you better, we will work together to help you find the right person.
Do you take insurance?
No. Coaching is not a clinical service and is not covered by insurance. Fees are discussed on the consultation call.
Do you see clients in person?
Most coaching is virtual, so I can work with physicians regardless of location.
How long does coaching take?
It depends. Some clients work with me around a specific transition. Others stay for a year or more. We set goals at the start and revisit them regularly.
Is everything confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is core to the coaching relationship and to ICF standards. The narrow exceptions (imminent harm to self or others) are reviewed in the first session.
Begin
Schedule a free, no-obligation discovery call.
Choose a time that works for you. The call is brief, free, and meant to see if we're a fit.
30 minutes
A free 30-minute discovery call
You describe what's bringing you in. I describe how I work. No obligation.
Schedule discovery call (opens Calendly in a new tab)Placeholder booking link: this opens Joseph’s calendar. Maria’s scheduling link is awaiting an update.
Contact
Or send a note.
If you would rather start with a message, write me directly. I read every inquiry personally and respond within two business days.
mashawills@gmail.com