Slowing Down to Heal: Lessons from Dr. Douglas Burton's Journey

Real strength shows up when life knocks you down and you choose to rise with gratitude, faith, and community. Dr. Douglas Burton shares how a life-altering diagnosis transformed not just his health journey, but his entire perspective on what it means to truly live well. From the operating room to the other side of the patient experience, he opens his heart about the emotional weight of caregiving, the spiritual awakening that came through illness, and the small, intentional shifts that have brought him greater peace than ever before. His story is a powerful reminder that joy is not found in doing more—it's found in slowing down, showing up, and surrounding yourself with love. Key Takeaways: Slowing down and creating space for joy can be more healing than constant striving. Practicing daily gratitude builds emotional resilience and a deeper sense of peace. Community support is a critical part of mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Faith and surrender can bring clarity and calm when facing uncertainty or illness. True healing isn't just physical—it's also spiritual, relational, and deeply personal.   About Dr. Douglas Burton: Douglas Burton, M.D. is the Marc and Elinor Asher Spine Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He received his undergraduate degree from Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS and his MD from the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, TX. He completed his residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center and completed spine fellowships at The Texas Back Institute in Plano, TX and at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. In 2003 he was awarded the Marc and Elinor Asher Spine Professorship. Dr. Burton's clinical practice is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of complex spinal disorders in both pediatric and adult patients. In addition to his primary practice location at the University of Kansas Hospital, he also travels to both Hutchinson and Salina, KS for a monthly outreach clinic to provide health care to patients in rural parts of Kansas. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Association, the Interurban Orthopaedic Society, the North American Spine Society and the Scoliosis Research Society, where he is the incoming Chair-Elect of the Research Council and member of the Board of Directors. He served as President of the Federation of Spine Associations from 2018 to 2019. In 2019, The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons announced a new partnership, the American Spine Registry (ASR), which will be jointly owned and developed by both organizations. Dr. Burton currently serves as co-chair of the Data Use Committee for the ASR. His research interests include the development of disease specific health related quality of life instruments and the study of complications and outcomes associated with spinal deformity surgery. He has authored or co-authored over 236 peer reviewed publications and serves as a Deputy Editor of Spine Deformity, the official journal of the Scoliosis Research Society. In 2006 he helped found and remains on the Executive Council of the International Spine Study Group. This is a consortium of spinal deformity surgeons and researchers at over 15 top academic centers in the United States and Canada with collaborators in Europe and Japan. They have been performing prospective and retrospective studies on surgical and non-surgical Adult Spinal Deformity patients since their inception.   Connect with Dr. Michelle and Bayleigh at: https://smallchangesbigshifts.com [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/company/smallchangesbigshifts https://www.facebook.com/SmallChangesBigShifts https://www.instagram.com/smallchangesbigshiftsco   Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.