For 27 years, I ran my own successful GP practice. I was deeply committed to my patients, my team, and the purpose my work provided. Yet, beneath the surface, something felt unresolved.
I was excelling professionally, but my life lacked balance. My career had consumed my life, and although I loved my job, I had little room left for myself. I rarely thought about the future—I was so consumed by the here and now. I wasn’t burnt out, but I wasn’t thriving either.
Then, a few friends encouraged me to speak to a coach.
At first, I was hesitant, as I didn’t know what to expect. I had spent years as the one listening—guiding others, offering solutions—but I had never afforded myself the same space for reflection.
That first session was a revelation. It reshaped my thinking in ways I couldn’t have imagined. For the first time, I examined possibilities beyond the immediate demands of my work. I felt as if my mind had expanded, as though I had been liberated—to articulate my thoughts, challenge my own assumptions, and explore untapped potential.
It was transformative.
Why Me?
Alongside running my private practice, I worked in a specialist NHS menopause clinic at Guy’s Hospital and was part of the teaching team. I know the pressures of working in healthcare—the long hours, the constant demands, the feeling that you should always be giving more.
I’m not here to tell you to leave medicine, unless that’s truly what you want. But I do know that things can be different.
For me, that meant stepping away from my GP practice, training to be a coach and coaching colleagues, and finally pursuing a lifelong dream—studying music and becoming a jazz singer. For you, it might mean something completely different. The point is, you have a choice.