Episode 8: Caring for the Caregivers with Corey Feist, Founder & CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation
In this special bonus episode of The Symptom Media Podcast: Bridging the Divide in Mental Health, host Dr. Lindi van Niekerk, MD, PhD, is joined by J. Corey Feist, JD, MBA, Co-Founder and CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, for a powerful conversation on healthcare worker well-being, grief, and systems change.
Drawing from both personal loss and decades of leadership experience, Corey reflects on the death of his sister-in-law, Dr. Lorna Breen, and the cultural, educational, and structural barriers that prevent healthcare professionals from seeking mental health support. Together, Lindi and Corey explore how stigma, fear of professional repercussions, and unsustainable working conditions contribute to burnout, moral injury, and suicide risk among clinicians.
This episode moves beyond individual resilience to examine the responsibility of institutions, policymakers, leaders, and the public in creating safer, more humane healthcare environments. From federal policy reform and peer support to leadership training and cultural change, the conversation offers both urgency and hope—inviting listeners to consider how each of us can become an agent of change in the systems we inhabit.
Check out other Symptom Media Podcast Episodes
Episode 6: The Many Faces of Grief in Healthcare
Episode 7: From Burnout to Belonging: Creating Flourishing Healthcare Cultures
Episode 7: From Burnout to Belonging
Episode 7: From Burnout to Belonging: Creating Flourishing Healthcare CulturesIn this inspiring season finale of The Symptom Media Podcast: Bridging the Divide in Mental Health, host Dr. Lindi van Niekerk sits down with Dr. Kim Garver, Dr. Jared Christensen, and Dr....
Episode 6: The Many Faces of Grief in Healthcare
In this resonant episode of The Symptom Media Podcast: Bridging the Divide in Mental Health, host Dr. Lindi van Niekerk is joined by grief clinicians Danielle Glorioso, LCSW, and Amanda VerWys, ACSW.
Resources for Nurses and the Importance of Education
The well-being and effectiveness of the nursing profession depend on both access to SUD education and resources for a strong foundation of whole person health.
Nursing on the Edge: Suicide, Stigma, and Systemic Failure
Nurses face rising suicide, stigma & systemic neglect. In Episode 5, experts Chris Wojnar & Dr. Judy Davidson demand cultural change and open conversation.
Episode 4: The Human Cost of Caring: Navigating Moral Injury
Explore moral injury in healthcare with Dr. Lindi van Niekerk, Dr. Sophie Redlin & Andrea Mackay, on compassion, ethics & healing in Episode 4.
Empathy and Experience: The Importance of Physician Mental Health
Hear how Dr. Christine Yu Moutier & Dr. Sidney Zisook expose the stigma, stress & mental health challenges physicians face, and the paths toward healing.
Episode 2, Part 2: Substance Use Among Nurses: The Journey Back to Nursing
Nurses share their recovery journeys from substance use, challenges regaining a license, and the power of peer support & education in returning to nursing.
Episode 2, Part 1: From Addiction to Advocacy: Nurses’ Journey
Listen to a podcast where nurses share their journey from addiction to advocacy, highlighting the power of recovery and the fight against professional stigma.
Recovery and Support Systems
This episode discusses the ways health professionals can find support when facing burnout, which can correct a misalignment between one’s core values and the stresses of work.
