Single Mom MD

Dr. Gail Clifford, MD, MMM, CPE, FACP, FHM
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Single Mom Physicians need a little extra support. With medical practice, family life, paying off student loans and trying to have a minute for self care, joining community will help you get there faster. In this podcast, we'll concentrate on mindset, time and money saving ways to accomplish your goals, and ways to find fun and joy in every day so that you're that much closer to true life-work balance.

  1. 3D AGO

    166: Ditch Resolutions: Tiny, Seasonal Goals for Physician Moms

    In this New Year episode, we trade brittle resolutions for sustainable, seasonal goals—with the playful courage of the Fool’s Journey. You’ll learn five beginner-friendly practices (start tiny, bundle habits, focus on “during,” fuel with excitement, and pack lightly), a nervous-system-first toolkit (Doorway Breathing, Triple B, 90-second Thankful Pause), and a simple seasonal map for 2025. Stories include Jenny’s balcony, charting sprints, a pantry win, and a 6-minute lantern loop with kids. We close with a 3-minute guided reset and a 7-day Beginner Sprint you can start today. Mantra for the year: “My worth is inherent. My productivity is a strategy—not my identity.” And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

    17 min

  2. 12/25/2025

    165: A Mother's Christmas: Love, Loss, and Grace

    In this heartfelt Christmas episode of the Single Mom MD Podcast, Dr. Gail Clifford reflects on the meaning of the season through the lens of parenthood, sacrifice, gratitude, and loss. Christmas celebrates the birth of a child—and the profound love and courage of the parents who made that miracle possible. Today, we explore what that story teaches modern mothers, especially those carrying more than their share. Dr. Clifford shares the recent loss of her 38-year-old stepdaughter, the grief that surfaced, and the unexpected gratitude that followed. She also opens up about caring for her daughter through two traumatic brain injuries, supporting her recovery, and the sacrifices required to give her stability, safety, and hope for the future. Through stories of faith, overwhelm, and resilience, this episode reminds women that grief and gratitude can coexist—and that caring for yourself is essential when caring for others. Whether you’re a single mom physician, an executive mom, or a woman navigating a difficult season, this episode offers comfort, companionship, and perspective. You are not alone. You are stronger than you realize. And you have so much still worth living for. Includes end-of-episode reflection questions. What moment or memory are you most grateful for this year, even if it came wrapped in pain or loss?Where in your life are you being called to sacrifice—and how might that sacrifice also be an act of love?Are you allowing yourself to grieve what you’ve lost without forgetting what you still have to live for?What are you carrying alone that you might need help with in this season?How can you create one simple moment of rest or self-care this week so you don’t lose yourself in the overwhelm?What would it look like to shift your mindset—just one degree—toward gratitude today?Of all the people in your life, who needs your presence more than your perfection right now?How is your faith (spiritual, personal, or inner knowing) inviting you to trust that you are not meant to walk this season alone?

    11 min

  3. 12/18/2025

    164: Turn One Dream into a Doable New Year Plan (in 90 Minutes)

    Dreams are fuel; plans move the car. In this episode, Dr. Gail guides single mom physicians and executive moms through a 90-minute sprint to turn one dream into a Q1 plan you can keep—even during call weeks. You’ll choose a “Big Three” focus, map 12-week milestones, design Base/Standard/Stretch habits, and add If–Then scripts so progress survives real life. What You’ll Learn How to run a 10-minute reality check that actually changes your planPick ONE high-leverage focus (Money, Time, or Support) for Q1The 3-layer breakdown: Outcome → Monthly milestones → Weekly movesBuild an on-call-proof habit ladder (Base/Standard/Stretch)Use If–Then scripts, a friction audit, and tiny rewards to keep momentum And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

    14 min

  4. 12/11/2025

    163: From Sour Grapes to Sweet Success: A Holiday Reset

    Key Topics The real moral behind The Fox and the GrapesWhy physicians rationalize disappointmentPractical ways to build emotional intelligenceHow to push through end-of-year fatigueQuick physiological resets for procrastinationTakeaway:Don’t label missed goals as “sour grapes.” Recognize resistance, reframe failure, and finish the year with grace and gratitude. Call to Action:Subscribe to Single Mom MD wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review to help other physician moms find calm amid the chaos. And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

    6 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    162: Design Your December: 15 Minute Habits for Joyful, Low-Stress Holidays

    And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

    10 min

  6. 11/27/2025

    161: Thanksgiving 2025: Name - Notice - Nurture

    A warm, story-driven Thanksgiving reflection for physician moms—grounding breathwork, gratitude that doesn’t ignore pain, tiny rituals that build connection, and gentle ways to serve (and receive) without burning out. We borrow steadiness from Sir William Osler’s “equanimity,” remember Dr. King’s call to everyday service, and close with a 2-minute guided Thankful Pause you can do in a kitchen, car, or call room. Listen for An ER story where a 45-second pause changed an entire shift“Gratitude as disciplined attention” (how to notice what’s right alongside what’s hard)Tammy’s Balcony: why 15 minutes of quiet can create productivityMicro-skills for the holiday table and the unit: truth-with-tact scripts, receiving compliments, and small acts of serviceA short guided practice you can replay any time you feel flooded And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ Key takeaways You don’t have a time problem; you have a permission problem.Equanimity = a steady mind that allows compassion to do its job.Rest isn’t a prize you earn; it’s fuel that lets you show up well.Service is dignity, not performance—small, concrete acts count.Presence—not pace—is what your people will remember.Practices mentioned (quick reference) The Thankful Pause: Breathe in 4, hold 4, out 6; whisper “Here”; set one intention for the next hour.Name–Notice–Nurture: Name the feeling → Notice it in the body → Nurture with one small action (longer exhale, text, small donation, news break).Truth with Tact (boundary script): “I respect how much you care about this. I want to give it space—can we table it for after the holiday? Today I’m savoring being together.”Doorway Breathing (on shift): Hand on doorframe, slow inhale, longer exhale, silently say “Here.”Three-B Check: Brain (clear?), Belly (fuel/water?), Bladder (bio break?) before tough conversations or next patient.Two-Sentence Note: “I appreciate you for _____. I’m grateful we’re in each other’s lives.”

    16 min

  7. 11/20/2025

    160: Work Less, Feel More: Thanksgiving Strategies for Physician Moms

    This episode invites physician and executive moms to trade busy-ness for presence with a “Thankful Pause.” Dr. Gail reframes the issue as a mind habit—not a time deficit—and shares two stories: a 90-second ER (Emergency Room) pause that changed a shift, and “Tammy’s Balcony,” where 15 quiet minutes created more productivity, not less. You’ll learn the P.A.U.S.E. protocol (Permission, Anchor, Unhook, Scan, Exit with intention) and the THANKS plan (Triage traditions, Hand off early, Appointments with yourself, Normalize “no,” Keep fueled, Savor aloud), plus quick tools: the 3-Minute Reset, a 10-10-10 clutter sweep, the “Who Else?” delegation rule, If-Then calm plans, and a five-minute Gratitude Walk. For clinicians on duty, we cover Doorway Breathing, the “Triple B” check (Brain, Belly, Bladder), a Call-Room Calm Kit, and marking TP (Thankful Pause) on your list. We close with two mindset shifts—define three wins a day and remember that rest is fuel, not a prize—and a gentle nudge to share this plan with a colleague heading into the holiday on fumes. And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ The Thankful Pause Cheat Sheet (Copy/Paste) P.A.U.S.E. = Permission • Anchor • Unhook • Scan • Exit (with intention)THANKS = Triage • Hand off • Appointments (with yourself) • Normalize “no” • Keep fueled • Savor aloud3-Minute Reset = Box breathe • 5-4-3-2-1 senses • Micro-planIf–Then Calm Plans = Gravy breaks → breathe + text helper • Hot topic → “Happy to talk later—today I’m savoring.” • Feel behind → P.A.U.S.E. + one next actionWho Else? = Delegate at 70% quality; perfection is priceyGratitude Walk = 5 minutes, 1 ordinary thanks per minuteTriple B = Brain, Belly, Bladder (clear, fueled, comfortable)

    21 min

  8. 11/13/2025

    159: Gratitude, But Early: A Pre-Holiday Reset for Moms

    In this pre-Thanksgiving episode, we reframe gratitude from “frosting” to fuel. Dr. Gail shares a hallway fork story where a 90-second Thankful Micro-Audit changed an entire conversation, then offers concrete tools: a Lights-Me-Up Inventory to anchor energy, a three-ring Support Map to ask for help without guilt, an ALIGN filter to protect November priorities, the 3×3 Gratitude pattern (clinic, home, self), the Brave Five daily check-in, and a guided one-minute practice you can do in a call room or car line. We close with a gentle invitation to pilot collaborations that grow your impact without draining vitality. Gratitude, spoken specifically and paired with support, becomes the most practical resilience tool you own. And you can get started with some Genius Tips for how to set yourself up for a great work week. ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ are things to schedule on whatever you consider your "Sunday" to do just ⁠⁠⁠⁠that⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join the Single Mom MD community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's talk more for personalized attention to your specific questions. We look forward to welcoming you. When you think of additional topics you’d like covered on this podcast, contact me through the chat below and via social media @SingleMomMD. Follow us at Single Mom MD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

    15 min
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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Single Mom Physicians need a little extra support. With medical practice, family life, paying off student loans and trying to have a minute for self care, joining community will help you get there faster. In this podcast, we'll concentrate on mindset, time and money saving ways to accomplish your goals, and ways to find fun and joy in every day so that you're that much closer to true life-work balance.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Gail Clifford, MD, MMM, CPE, FACP, FHM
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    168
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Gail Clifford, MD, MMM, CPE, FACP, FHM