Episode #111: Trauma, Healing & the Power to Say No [Dr. Kemia Sarraf & Dr. Michael Hersh]

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Kemia Sarraf and Dr. Michael Hersh explore the hidden weight of trauma in medicine and leadership, sharing their own experiences.From primary and vicarious trauma to the moral injury haunting our healthcare systems, they unpack how stress, stigma, and silence can harm physicians—and what it takes to begin healing. “Trauma doesn’t come back as a memory. It comes back as a response.” “The dose makes the poison.”They share candid stories and actionable insights, offering what it means to resource ourselves and others, the importance of acknowledging subjective trauma, and why separating mental and physical health is costing lives.This episode is a call to reclaim physician autonomy and say no to the systems causing harm.