Physician Wellness Programs for Healthcare Institutions

Keynote talks, immersive retreats, and coaching programs that reduce burnout, strengthen culture, and help physicians practice medicine more sustainably.

Designed and led by a physician who spent 20 years leading wellness inside a major health system.

Trusted by Stanford Medicine, Sutter Health, UCSF, the American College of Cardiology, ACOG, The Permanente Medical Group, and private practices.

Over 1,000 physicians and physician leaders coached.

100% of retreat participants report a positive impact.

“When I started coaching, I was anxious, unsettled, and unhappy. Working with Jessie, I immediately felt calmer and more relaxed.

Nothing seems overwhelming; everything is manageable.” - Endocrinologist

The Most Important Thing About Physician Wellness Programming Is Getting It Right

Most physician wellness programs don’t work. But there’s something worse than a program that doesn’t work: a program that causes harm.

Low-quality coaching — including well-intentioned but undertrained peer coaching — can leave physicians feeling more cynical, less trusting, and less hopeful than before. A talk that misses the mark confirms physicians’ suspicion that leadership doesn’t understand what they’re going through. A retreat facilitated by someone without deep clinical credibility doesn’t just fail — it erodes trust and makes physicians less willing to engage next time.

When a physician opens up in a poorly designed setting and the experience falls flat, they don’t just lose faith in the program. They lose faith that their institution values them. And they become harder to reach with the next initiative.

The stakes of getting this wrong are real. That’s why the quality of the facilitator, the clinical credibility of the design, and the evidence base behind the approach matter as much as the decision to invest in wellness at all.

This is what I’ve spent my career building: physician wellness programs that are clinically credible, evidence-based, and designed to create measurable, lasting change. Programs that physicians actually trust — because they can tell the difference.

Three Formats. One Goal: Physicians Who Can Sustain Meaningful Careers in Medicine.


Keynote Talks & Workshops

For conferences, grand rounds, wellness summits, leadership forums, women in medicine events, and departmental retreats. Perspective-shifting talks that meet physicians where they are — acknowledging the real pressures of the system while offering tools to relate to them differently.

“I continue to hear nothing but rave reviews about your talk.” — Dr. Tricia James, Providence

Keynotes (75–90 min) · Half-day workshops · Full-day workshops

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Immersive Wellness Retreats

Full-day, in-person experiences that combine coaching, mindfulness, nervous system science, nature, and farm-to-table meals. Held at Nicasio Creek Farm in West Marin or at your location. Retreats create the kind of deep trust, embodied change, and collegial connection that can’t be replicated on Zoom.

“Words cannot express how profoundly your retreat for us changed so many things in my life and in the life of my partners.” — Dr. Elizabeth Arias, PAFMG Hospitalist

Full-day immersive retreats · Up to 20 participants · CME available

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Coaching Programs & GME

Virtual cohort coaching programs, GME coaching for fellows and residents, sponsored 1:1 coaching, and leadership development series. Sustained, skills-based interventions that build over multiple sessions and create lasting change in burnout, engagement, and professional fulfillment.

“I may have left a job I love if it weren’t for physician coaching and development work with Dr. Mahoney.” — Dr. Samara Nebendzahl, Sutter East Bay Medical Director & Wellness Lead

Cohort coaching (6–12 sessions) · GME programs · Sponsored 1:1 coaching · Leadership workshops

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Not Sure Which Format Is Right?

Many institutions combine formats — a retreat kickoff followed by a virtual coaching series, or a keynote that opens the door to a longer engagement. Every program starts with a planning conversation where we figure out the best approach together.

PROVEN OUTCOMES

Sutter Health East Bay — 79 Physicians, 100% Positive Impact

In 2024–2025, I facilitated five physician wellness retreats for Sutter Health East Bay Medical Group. These were Sutter’s first-ever physician wellness offerings of any kind.

The program proved so effective that Sutter is seeking additional funding to continue in 2026 — and it has since expanded into virtual coaching cohorts and leadership programming.

“Don’t underestimate the potential positive practical impact of this experience on improving all aspects of your team’s life. I encourage all physicians and all teams to invest in this.” — Chair, Department of Medicine

“Every provider within 6 months of starting should be offered this.” — Executive Director, Primary Care

“This day has given me the tools to keep reevaluating how I am doing to prevent burnout, feel better, and in turn provide better care to patients.” — Internal Medicine Physician


Stanford Medicine — GME Fellows Coaching Program

2–4 sentences describing the Stanford program here.

The Evidence: Why Physician Coaching Is One of the Highest-Impact Wellness Interventions

Multiple randomized controlled trials demonstrate that physician coaching improves well-being and reduces distress and burnout. Research also shows that coached physicians report improved workplace engagement — which correlates with better patient care, patient safety, higher satisfaction, reduced medical errors, and stronger retention.

Coaching is one of the few wellness interventions with rigorous evidence behind it. And it’s the one physicians actually value.

Selected studies:

Who Brings This Work to Their Organization

  • Chief Wellness Officers & Wellness Directors seeking programming that actually moves the needle

  • Chief Medical Officers & VPs of Medical Affairs investing in retention, engagement, and workforce sustainability

  • GME Program Directors & Designated Institutional Officials supporting trainee well-being and ACGME requirements

  • Department Chiefs & Division Leads building healthier team cultures

  • Conference Organizers & Wellness Committees looking for a keynote or workshop that physicians actually respond to

  • Women in Medicine Program Leaders creating meaningful professional development

  • Mentorship Program Directors integrating coaching and mindfulness into mentorship structures

Organizations That Have Invested in Physician Wellness Programs with Dr. Mahoney

Organizations include Stanford Medicine, Sutter Health (including Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Sutter Lakeside, and Sutter East Bay Medical Group), UCSF, the American College of Cardiology, ACOG, The Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente, the Medical University of South Carolina, Jefferson Healthcare, Providence Health, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Dignity Health, Tufts, El Camino Health, the University of New Mexico, and others.

Organizations That Have Invested in Physician Wellness Programs with Dr. Mahoney

Organizations include Stanford Medicine, Sutter Health (including Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Sutter Lakeside, and Sutter East Bay Medical Group), UCSF, the American College of Cardiology, ACOG, The Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente, the Medical University of South Carolina, Jefferson Healthcare, Providence Health, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Dignity Health, Tufts, El Camino Health, the University of New Mexico, and others.

I’m a board-certified pediatrician who spent over 20 years leading physician wellness at The Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente — one of the largest physician groups in the country. I served as Site Chief of Pediatrics and Chief of Physician Wellness. I didn’t study physician burnout from the outside. I led through it, built programs from the inside, and coached hundreds of physician leaders navigating it.

My approach integrates professional coaching, nervous system science, psychology, mindfulness, and practical strategy. It’s designed for physicians who are skeptical of “wellness,” short on time, and exhausted by performative solutions.

Since founding Pause & Presence in 2020, I’ve coached more than 1,000 physicians and physician leaders across the U.S. and Canada. I hold multiple coaching certifications and have advanced training in mindfulness and nervous system science. I’m a graduate of UCSF Medical School and Dartmouth College.

Why Physicians and Institutions Trust This Work

  • “Dr. Mahoney brings the complete package to any wellness event. She is a dynamic leader, innovative teacher, engaging facilitator, and inspirational speaker whom I hold in the highest regard.”

    — Dr. John Chuck, Chief of Regional Physician Wellness, The Permanente Medical Group

  • “Thank you for your incredible dedication to wellness and helping our doctors find meaning and purpose in their work.”

    — Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, CEO and Executive Director, The Permanente Medical Group

Frequently Asked Questions’s

  • I offer three formats: keynote talks and workshops for conferences and events; immersive full-day wellness retreats for teams; and virtual coaching programs including cohort coaching, GME coaching for fellows and residents, sponsored 1:1 coaching, and leadership development series. Many institutions combine formats. A planning conversation is the best way to determine what fits.

  • If you need a speaker for a specific event or conference, start with a keynote or workshop. If you want a transformative shared experience that builds trust and connection within a team, a retreat is ideal. If you’re looking for sustained behavior change, skill building, or GME programming, a coaching series is the strongest fit. Many institutions combine a retreat or keynote with a follow-up coaching series for maximum impact. I help you figure this out in a planning call.

  • Yes. Coaching that lacks clinical credibility or proper training can leave physicians more cynical and less trusting — both of the program and of their institution. Peer coaching programs, while well-intentioned, can cause harm when facilitators don’t have advanced coaching training or don’t understand the specific psychological and physiological dynamics of physician burnout. A talk that misses the mark confirms physicians’ suspicion that leadership doesn’t get it. The quality of the facilitator and the design of the program determine whether wellness programming helps or makes things worse.

  • In our Sutter Health East Bay program, 100% of 79 participating physicians found the program helpful, 100% would recommend it, and 75% felt more hopeful. Published RCTs show that physician coaching reduces burnout, improves engagement, and increases professional fulfillment. Improved engagement correlates with better patient care, safety, retention, and reduced medical errors.

  • Investment varies by format and scope. Keynotes start at $7,500 plus travel. Retreats range from $8,000–$17,500 depending on group size. Coaching program pricing depends on format, number of sessions, and cohort size. Cost start at $12,000

    Programs with coaching, retreats, and leadership training are $50,000-$100,000.

    I’m experienced at helping institutions secure grant funding, CME budgets, and creative cost-sharing.

    The cost of not investing is also worth considering: replacing a single physician costs $500,000 to $1 million.

  • Yes. CME accreditation can be arranged for retreats and coaching programs for an additional fee.

  • Yes. I design coaching programs specifically for GME populations, including fellows at Stanford Medicine. These programs help institutions meet ACGME well-being requirements.

  • Every engagement begins with a complimentary planning call. We discuss your team’s challenges, goals, culture, and logistics, and I recommend the format that will create the most impact.

  • Fun.

Let’s Find the Right Program for Your Organization

Every institution is different. I start with a complimentary planning conversation to understand your goals, team culture, and challenges — then recommend the format and scope that will create the most impact.

[SCHEDULE A PLANNING CALL]

Not ready to schedule? Email me at jessie@jessiemahoneymd.com.