When Physicians Remember to Dream: Rediscovering Purpose with Dr. Leybelis Padilla

When When Physicians Remember to Dream: Rediscovering Purpose with Dr. Leybelis PadillaFrom Gastroenterology to Game Beyond the Game: Rediscovering Dreams, Healing, and High-Performance LivingShow NotesIn this episode of Roots of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa speaks with Dr. Leybelis Padilla, a gastroenterologist, lifestyle medicine physician, and co-founder of Game Beyond the Game. Together, they explore what happens when a physician realizes she’s stopped dreaming and what it takes to reclaim vision, purpose, and a life that feels truly aligned.Dr. Padilla shares the moment of awareness when she realized that becoming a physician had quietly become the end point of her dreaming. From there, she takes us through her journey of self-development, mindset work, and courageous career shifts. From Navy hospital GI practice to locums, to founding Unlocking GI, a telemedicine practice rooted in her 4M framework: Medicine, Meals, Mindset, and Movement.They also dive into her work with her husband, Prince who was once a professional athlete, through Game Beyond the Game, where they host intimate, luxury events to help high performers reconnect with their vision, values, and inner landscape beyond career achievements.Whether you’re a clinician who feels stuck on autopilot, a high performer navigating relationship and identity shifts, or someone who suspects you’ve quietly stopped dreaming, this conversation offers language, tools, and inspiration for beginning again.If you're inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast that brings forward the unique voices and lived experiences of lifestyle and integrative doctors, subscribe to get new episodes shared with you weekly.🔑 Key Topics & TakeawaysRealizing: “I had stopped dreaming” after becoming a physicianThe power of being given permission to dream againHow self-awareness and mindset work opened new paths in medicine and in lifeFrom Navy hospital GI practice to locums to building Unlocking GIThe 4M Framework: Medicine, Meals, Mindset, Movement as pillars of digestive and whole-person healthFunctional vs. inflammatory bowel disease, and how lifestyle and nutrition fit inWhy culturally sensitive nutrition matters (and why rice and beans aren’t the enemy)Creating Game Beyond the Game and luxury mindset events with her husbandRelationships, co-regulation, and the behind-the-scenes work of growing togetherWhy physicians need spaces to be seen as whole humans, not just rolesThe cost of autopilot in medicine—and how to step off the conveyor beltChapters00:00 — Cold Open: “I had stopped dreaming.”00:37 — Welcome to Roots of Healing02:34 — “Is that me?” Owning Your Story on Paper03:13 — Childhood Curiosity, Nutrition, and Early Seeds of Medicine05:49 — CTE, the NFL, and Advocating for Family Through the Medical System09:11 — From Internal Medicine to Gastroenterology & Loving the Big Picture14:40 — Navy Hospital, IBD Clinic, and Constraints in Federal Systems17:40 — Tony Robbins, Landmark, Dispenza: Entering the World of Self-Development20:42 — Visioning Exercises & The Moment She Realized She’d Stopped Dreaming24:28 — Game Beyond the Game: Intimate Events for Mindset, Vision & Wealth27:04 — The Power of the Five Senses, Community, and Being Seen30:33 — Loneliness, Connection, and Community as Medicine32:11 — Partnership, Communication & Co-Growth in Marriage38:54 — Physicians, Autopilot, and the Hidden Toll on Relationships43:39 — Building Unlocking GI: Telemedicine, 4M Framework, and Micro Habits49:28 — Rethinking Functional Gut Disorders & Validating Patient Experience53:15 — Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Medication, and Lifestyle Integration56:02 — Asking Patients: “What Are Your Goals?” Changing the Clinical Dynamic1:01:39 — Being a Latina Physician & Honoring Cultural Foods in Healing1:07:20 — Whole-Person Care, Identity, and the Investment of Building a New Path1:08:53 — How to Work with Dr. Padilla & Where to Find HerAbout Today’s GuestGastroenterologist • Lifestyle Medicine Physician • Founder, Unlocking GI • Co-Founder, Game Beyond the GameDr. Leybelis Padilla, MD, FACG, is more than a physician, she’s a force of transformation in the world of health and high performance. As a gastroenterologist and lifestyle medicine physician, she has redefined what it means to heal from within.She founded Unlocking GI, an evidence-based program that utilizes her 4M framework—Medicine, Meals, Mindset, and Movement delivering personalized and sustainable micro habits that unlock vitality, improve digestive health, and elevate overall well-being.Her mission doesn’t stop at medicine. As co-founder of Game Beyond the Game, she and her husband, Prince, curate luxury events designed to help organizations, high performers, and physicians transform their mindset, reclaim their vision, and step into lives of deeper purpose and joy.Whether she’s guiding patients or world-class achievers, Dr. Leybelis is on a mission to turn obstacles into opportunities and unlock limitless potential.Learn more & connect with Dr. Padilla:Website: https://unlockinggi.com/Instagram: @unlockinggiTikTok: @unlockinggiYouTube: @dr.leybelisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leybelispadillaFacebook: Leybelis Padilla🌐 Connect with Your HostDr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MSLifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • AyurvedaWebsite: drsirichand.com | Instagram: @doctorsirichand | Culinary Medicine drsirichand.com/blogCommunity: https://vishuddha.comVishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness SeekersVishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.We provide media representation, book development, public speaking coaching, podcast strategy, content creation, and course development alongside classes and workshops for wellness seekers committed to intentional, conscious living.Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com⚠️ DisclaimerThis podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.Keywordsdreams, physician, gastroenterology, lifestyle medicine, goals, self-awareness, personal growth, motivation, inspiration, burnout, mindset, high performance, Latina physician, Game Beyond the Game, Unlocking GI, 4M framework, medicine, meals, mindset, movement, relationships, marriage, visioning, career transition, integrative medicine, Routes of Healing