Inspired Mom MDs

Cindy Van Praag, MD

Inspired Mom MDs is hosted by Cindy Van Praag, MD, wellness advocate for physician moms and proud mom of two teenagers. Episodes will cover how to identify and take back autonomy at work and home to find time for activities that invigorate you. The show will also delve into how to prioritize your own wellbeing without guilt and thrive at work and home. Cindy has over 20 years of experience in medicine and 17 years as a mom. She has extensive training in the integrative mindset and a holistic approach to wellbeing.  

  1. 97: Can Teaching Kids About Money Actually Shape Who They Become? With Dr. Michele Cho Dorado

    12 MAY

    97: Can Teaching Kids About Money Actually Shape Who They Become? With Dr. Michele Cho Dorado

    Find the full transcript and more resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/97. If you’ve ever wondered how to teach kids about money… but honestly weren’t quite sure where to start, you’re not alone. Because most of us were never really taught this ourselves. And now we’re trying to figure it out in real time… We want to give them opportunities… without raising entitlement. We want them to feel confident… but grounded in values. So how do we actually do that? Today’s conversation might shift the way you see all of it. I’m joined by Dr. Michele Cho Dorado. She’s a pediatric gastroenterologist, real estate investor, children’s book author, and the founder of Prosperous Kids… where she helps families raise confident, capable kids through financial literacy. But this isn’t just about money. It’s about how our kids learn to think and make decisions. And once you hear this… it’s hard to un-hear. Links for Dr. Michele Cho Dorado: Website: Prosperous Kids  Email: Michele@getprosperouskids.com Instagram: @prosperouskids LinkedIn: Michele C. | LinkedIn  Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    23 min
  2. 96: How Writing Helped This Doctor Mom Climb Out of Burnout with Dr. Farah Deshmukh

    28 APR

    96: How Writing Helped This Doctor Mom Climb Out of Burnout with Dr. Farah Deshmukh

    Find the full transcript and bonus resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/96. “Even if it’s 10 minutes, take it for yourself because you need it.” That is a powerful statement, spoken by Dr. Farah Deshmukh in this episode. She is an obesity medicine physician, mom, and children’s book author who found an unexpected path out of burnout. For many physician moms, life becomes all about taking care of everyone else. After a while, it can feel like the authentic version of yourself has been packed away in a box somewhere high on a shelf. You think, I’ll come back to it someday when work slows down or the kids get older – when I have more time. But “someday” is a moving target.  In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Farah shares how writing children’s books became an unexpected form of self-care for a physician mom, and how creativity helped her feel more like herself again.  Amazon books by Farah Merchant:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/Farah-Merchant/author/B0GCRJ3462? Instagram: @RethinkHealthMD LinkedIn: Farah Deshmukh MD Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    36 min
  3. 95: Why Trying to Get It “Just Right” Is Backfiring as a Doctor Mom

    14 APR

    95: Why Trying to Get It “Just Right” Is Backfiring as a Doctor Mom

    Find the full transcript and more resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/95. You walk in the door after a full day. You’re already tired and just as you set your bag down, your phone buzzes. A message from a colleague. It could be a question or a comment with a certain tone. You feel that pull to respond and try to get it just right – clear, professional, not misinterpreted. You reread it, adjust it, and wonder if you’re overthinking this.  You send it anyway. And still… something feels off. If you’ve ever noticed yourself caught in overthinking as a physician mom, you know exactly this feeling. Later that night, it’s back in your mind. What you said. What they meant. What they might be thinking. Trying to get it exactly right. Trying to manage how it was received. Trying to control something that isn’t fully yours to control. And it hits you: this isn’t working anymore. Today I’m talking about that moment—and how to shift out of trying to control everything, and back into what’s actually yours to hold. Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    12 min
  4. 94: Why Parenting Feels Harder Than Residency for Doctor Moms with Dr. Juhi Raizada

    31 MAR

    94: Why Parenting Feels Harder Than Residency for Doctor Moms with Dr. Juhi Raizada

    Find the full transcript and bonus resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/94. Parenting as a doctor mom can feel surprisingly hard. You spend your day calm and focused with patients… solving problems and helping people through some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. And then you walk through the door at home. Suddenly the skills that serve you so well in medicine don’t always translate.  You’re tired, your kids need you, emotions are high, and instead of feeling steady and patient, you feel reactive and overwhelmed Some days it feels like parenting as a doctor mom is harder than residency.  Today I’m joined by Dr. Juhi Raizada, a pediatrician, parent coach, and physician mom of two. With nearly two decades in pediatrics, she now helps parents navigate the space between being an excellent doctor and being the parent they want to be at home. Medical training wires us to fix problems at work, not necessarily at home. Listen in for new, creative ways to move from reactivity to peace with your kids. IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctorjuhi/ Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    30 min
  5. 93: Doctor Mom: What If It’s Not About Your Child’s Weight? with Dr. Wendy Schofer

    17 MAR

    93: Doctor Mom: What If It’s Not About Your Child’s Weight? with Dr. Wendy Schofer

    Find the full transcript and bonus resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/93. If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “I’m worried about my child’s eating and weight,” this is for you. Today I’m joined by Dr. Wendy Schofer, a board-certified pediatrician who practiced for years inside a system built on prescribing answers. But after watching families struggle with food fights, body image worries, and guilt, she noticed something. The advice sounded right, yet it wasn’t helping at home. And she felt that tension in her own life too. What changed everything was a different question: What is actually working? This episode is about shifting the focus from fixing your child to understanding the emotions underneath the worry. Because sometimes the most important person in the room isn’t the child on the exam table. It’s the parent sitting beside them. Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    39 min
  6. 92: Why Am I Not Happier in Medicine? Saying Yes to Yourself with Dr. Lillian Emlet

    3 MAR

    92: Why Am I Not Happier in Medicine? Saying Yes to Yourself with Dr. Lillian Emlet

    Find the full transcript and bonus resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/92. “I’ve done all the right things, so why am I not happier?” If that question has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone. So many women physicians reach this moment and immediately question themselves. Am I just stressed? Do I need a vacation? Or is this actually growth asking for my attention? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Lillian Emlet, physician educator and certified professional energy leadership coach, to talk about what these inflection points really mean We explore how to recognize when you’re outgrowing a role, how to tell the difference between stress and expansion, and what it actually looks like to say yes to yourself without burning everything down. If something in you has been whispering, “There’s more,” this conversation will help you listen differently. Guest Links: Transforming Healthcare Coaching - Coaching for Clinicians Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP | LinkedIn Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    31 min
  7. 91: Can Stress Affect Fertility? A Must-Listen for Doctor Moms with Dr. Yemi Famuyiwa

    17 FEB

    91: Can Stress Affect Fertility? A Must-Listen for Doctor Moms with Dr. Yemi Famuyiwa

    Find the full transcript and bonus resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/91. Many doctor moms I know can tell you their next professional milestone. Fewer can tell you what their body has been trying to say lately. There’s a question we rarely pause long enough to ask: Can stress affect fertility? Not in a dramatic, breaking-news kind of way. It’s more subtle. In the exhaustion that hits when you finally sit down. In cycles that begin to feel unpredictable. In the aches you override because the next deadline is approaching. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Yemi Famuyiwa, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and doctor mom, who explains what chronic stress actually does to the reproductive system and why your menstrual cycle is a vital sign, not an inconvenience. This episode is about listening now, before “I’ll deal with that later” turns into years. And it’s full of clarity and hope. Links for Dr. Yemi: Fertility Specialist | Maryland - Montgomery Fertility Center Oluyemisi Famuyiwa MD, FACOG | LinkedIn Oluyemisi’s Substack | Oluyemisi Famuyiwa, MD FACOG | Substack Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    30 min
  8. 90: When Medicine Changes You: Traumatic Stress and Healing for Doctor Moms Dr. Kemia Sarraf

    3 FEB

    90: When Medicine Changes You: Traumatic Stress and Healing for Doctor Moms Dr. Kemia Sarraf

    Find the full transcript and more resources for physician moms at inspiredmommds.com/90. Medicine teaches you how to save lives.  It rarely teaches you what repeated exposure to suffering does to you. Today’s episode is about traumatic stress in physicians – not burnout, not weakness, and not something you can outwork. I’m joined by Dr. Kimia Serraf – Dr. K – a physician, public health expert, and nationally recognized leader in trauma-informed education and culture change. At one point she says, “Stress isn’t the problem. Unprocessed stress is.” We talk about why compartmentalization works… until it doesn’t, how trauma accumulates quietly, and what it means to be fully professional without disconnecting from your humanity. If medicine feels heavier than it used to, and you can’t quite explain why, this conversation will. Let’s begin. Links for Dr. K: Lodestar - https://www.lodestarpc.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia/ Facebook - https://web.facebook.com/KemiaS Text me your thoughts on the episode! Check out InspiredMomMDs.com for more information about how I help physician moms! You can grab a copy of my freebie! Just click here for a quick download: 4 Steps to Take Back Control, Find Time for What Matters Most and Thrive in Your Practice and at HomeThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice or care. I’m a board-certified physician, but this content isn’t connected to my clinical practice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed here. Please always talk to your own health professional about any mental or physical health concerns. And as always, take what helps and leave the rest. Please see InspiredMomMDs.com for full legal disclaimer.   __________ I help physician moms take back control and prioritize what matters most so they can thrive in private practice and at home.

    43 min

About

Inspired Mom MDs is hosted by Cindy Van Praag, MD, wellness advocate for physician moms and proud mom of two teenagers. Episodes will cover how to identify and take back autonomy at work and home to find time for activities that invigorate you. The show will also delve into how to prioritize your own wellbeing without guilt and thrive at work and home. Cindy has over 20 years of experience in medicine and 17 years as a mom. She has extensive training in the integrative mindset and a holistic approach to wellbeing.