In this episode, Margaret and I take on burnout—what it actually is, where the term came from, and how to tell when you’re not just tired, but something deeper is cracking. We dig into the history, the Maslach Inventory, moral injury, and why burnout isn’t in the DSM (yet). We also share our own unhinged burnout moments (yes, mine involves harmonica) and explore how to tell the difference between burnout, depression, and just being in the wrong place.
Reference: MBI Self Test: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16OJpRvvrGfs8SEEXgKk_Em8NgZerZkdo/view
Takeaways:
Did I buy a harmonica during a burnout spiral? Yes. Was it helpful? Also yes.
Burnout isn’t just a vibe—it has a whole inventory. We took it, and let’s just say… some of us are more charred than others.
Moral injury hits different when you’re the one holding the clipboard. Especially when someone else made the call.
Burnout and depression aren’t the same—but they like to hang out. And sometimes you don’t know which one’s driving.
Not all coping strategies are cute. Some look like spreadsheets. Some look like chili’s. Some look like crying in a hospital bathroom.
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Ready to take your exam prep to the next level? Go to http://www.NowYouKnowPsych.com and enter the code BEPATIENT at checkout for 20% off.
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Watch on YouTube: @itspresro
Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.
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Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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1:04:13
The Heart of Psychiatry
This might be our nerdiest episode yet—and that’s saying something. In our Season 2 kickoff, Margaret and I sit down with Dr. Margo Funk, psychiatrist and QTC whisperer, to explore the strange, stressful overlap between psychiatry and cardiology. We talk about our worst fears on call, how to spot when an EKG is lying to you, and why it might be time to stop blaming Haldol and start looking at your T wave. There are metaphors involving horses, guns, Timberlake, and Kool-Aid. Somehow, it all makes sense. If you’ve ever been scared of EKGs, risk calculators, or calling your attending at 2AM—this one’s for you.
Takeaways:
I thought I understood the QT interval—until I realized I didn’t. Turns out, there’s a difference between what the EKG says and what your patient actually needs.
Not all meds are the villains we make them out to be. Spoiler: Haldol gets a redemption arc. Trazodone… does not.
I finally learned what that weird slope on the T wave actually means. And yes, it involves potassium.
ICD storms are real—and they are terrifying. Dr. Funk explains why treating the aftermath is as critical as preventing the next one.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is call your attending. Or carry a caliper. Or question the computer.
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Ready to take your exam prep to the next level? Go to http://www.NowYouKnowPsych.com and enter the code BEPATIENT at checkout for 20% off.
Watch on YouTube: @itspresro
Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.
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Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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1:25:07
How It Started, How It’s Going: Season 1 Wrap-Up
Season 1: complete! In this wrap-up episode, Margaret and I reflect on what it’s been like building this show from scratch—while also being full-time psychiatry residents. We talk about favorite episodes, unexpected challenges, what we’re still figuring out, and what’s ahead for Season 2. We also answer listener questions about training, creativity, psychedelics, and the eternal search for balance when your brain wants art and your calendar says “clinic.” There’s some honesty, some gratitude, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes chaos.
Takeaways:
This podcast started as exposure therapy—and became a little bit of everything.
Talking into a mic is not the same as talking into a TikTok. (Spoiler: I struggled way more than I thought I would.)
My favorite episodes? The ones that made us play. Guest experts, weird improv scenes, and stuff we’ll probably regret saying on camera.
We’re learning in public—about psychiatry, about medicine, and about ourselves. And yeah, we definitely got some things wrong along the way.
We’re not stopping. Season 2 is coming, and we’re getting even weirder (and maybe wiser) next time.
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Watch on YouTube: @itspresro
Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.
—
Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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48:49
Couples and Sex Therapy: Myths and Truths (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Nikki Haddad, we went from couples therapy theory to Simpsons cosplay, and yes—it was as chaotic and illuminating as it sounds. Margaret and I roleplay Homer and Marge in a fictional session while Nikki breaks down what’s actually happening between us (emotionally, not just cartoonishly). Along the way, we talk about heteronormativity, escapism, parenting exhaustion, and the red flags that get mistaken for romance. It’s part improv, part therapy, part meltdown. But somehow, it makes sense.
Takeaways:
Couples therapy gets real fast when you’re pretending to be Homer Simpson. And somehow, the emotional truth still lands.
Escapism isn’t always the problem—sometimes it’s the signal. Nikki helps us unpack how conflict, withdrawal, and resentment show up underneath the surface.
Heteronormativity shows up even when you think you’re past it. From breadwinner guilt to emotional labor, we talk about the roles we don’t realize we’re playing.
Being a therapist in the room with two people pretending to fall apart is harder than it looks. Nikki walks us through what she watches for—and what she doesn’t say out loud.
Yes, we were roleplaying. No, we were not okay. But that’s what makes this one worth listening to.
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Want more Dr. Nikki Haddad:
IG: @nikkiiiirose
Watch on YouTube: @itspresro
Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.
—
Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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58:19
Couples and Sex Therapy: Myths and Truths (Part 1)
In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Nikki Haddad—Margaret's residency best friend, couples and sex therapist, and one of the most thoughtful psychiatrists I know—to break down what makes romantic relationships so damn hard. We get into myths we’ve carried (and tried to shake), how sexual issues are rarely just about sex, and why our training in medicine doesn’t prepare us to talk about any of this. Nikki then walks us through the five developmental stages of a relationship and this is only Part 1. Be sure to stay tuned next week for Part 2 of the conversation!
Takeaways:
I used to think the right relationship should feel easy. Turns out, the real ones take work, discomfort, and occasionally arguing over ice cream.
Nikki taught us that sex issues aren’t just about the act—they’re a doorway to everything else we avoid.
I finally learned what “differentiation” means in a relationship—and why it feels like breaking up with your past self.
Couples therapy isn’t just two people yelling about chores. It’s a roadmap, a mirror, and a lot of basketball metaphors.
Yes, Margaret and I roleplayed a fictional couple. Yes, I did an accent. No, we will not be taking questions.
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Want more Dr. Nikki Haddad:
IG: @nikkiiiirose
Watch on YouTube: @itspresro
Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.
—
Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
You may have noticed a new trend lately. Everyone is loud and proud about their mental health struggles (and thank goodness)! For practitioners, this movement is as exciting as it is frustrating. As each mental health taboo falls by the wayside as it enters the cultural zeitgeist, a new aspect of our specialty thus emerges. One we just don’t have enough hours in the day to keep track of, let alone engage with. From better understanding our patients’ (and our own) relationships with their conditions in a changing world, it’s more important than ever that we learn: HOW TO BE PATIENT!
Each week, join Dr. Preston Roche (Psychiatry Resident & Digital Influencer) and Dr. Margaret Duncan (Psychiatrist & Content Creator) on their quest to better understand the patients we dedicate our lives to and the evolving paths they’re bound to travel beyond the clinic. By engaging with stories and perspectives that challenge our shared understanding of a condition, we hope you’ll similarly gain new perspectives as we look at our patients, and their mental health struggles, with further nuance and empathy. (And with Dr. & Lady Glaucomflecken producing, we've been mandated to include plenty of weird medical jokes too).
Speaking of which, a key part of this is hearing YOUR stories! What’s changed your understanding of patient care? Do you have an experience that shines new light on something we’ve discussed on-air? Get in touch at: howtobepatientpod.com
Österreich