Healthcare Leadership Excellence

Episode 159: The Phoenix Blueprint with Dr. Emma Jones

Karl Pister Season 1 Episode 159

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Emma Jones, author of The Phoenix Blueprint and a triple-boarded hospice and palliative care physician in Boston. She brings clear, road-tested practices that work for clinicians in the trenches.

Dr. Jones shares her story of hitting burnout a dozen years into practice and how she builds her way back without gurus or gimmicks. We unpack a core distinction: intention vs. attachment. Set a clear aim, hold the plan with an open palm, and pivot when Flight 274 gets canceled. She explains the science behind this shift (neuroplasticity) and why many of us have grit but not true resilience until we re-pattern our brains.

We get practical. She teaches portable resets you can do in a parked car before a shift: box breathing, alternate-nostril breathing, a quick “soundtrack of awesome” to change state, and the mindset to “redose” during the day. We reframe work-life balance into blend, then into integration: “Where my feet are, my brain is there too.” Presence becomes a leadership advantage, especially in conflict and high-stakes conversations.

Dr. Jones also outlines her work at Recharge Studio and the Healthcare Visionary Academy, built to care for the people who care for patients. If burnout is close to home, this episode gives you language, tools, and hope you can use today.

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