Read. Talk. Grow.

Burnout is real - and writing can help. In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine talks with Dr. Carolyn Roy‑Bornstein, “A Prescription for Burnout” and Sandra Marinella, “The Story You Need to Tell” about how restorative writing helps clinicians process stress, grief, and emotional exhaustion. A powerful conversation on healing, meaning‑making, and reclaiming your story. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein is a board-certified pediatrician, author, and nationally recognized voice in narrative medicine and physician well-being. She is the writer- in-residence at a family medicine residency program, where she leads clinicians and reflective and restorative writing. Dr. Roy-Bornstein is the author of several books, including “Crash” and her newest, “A Prescription for Burnout.” Her work has also appeared in “The New York Times,”“The Washington Post,”“JAMA,” and other major publications.  Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein Author Website Brain Injury Association of America Sandy Marinella is an award-winning author, writing teacher, and speaker who is best known for her book “The Story You Need to Tell” which is a widely acclaimed guide to using personal storytelling and expressive writing for healing and resilience. With decades of experience teaching writers and leading workshops for patients, veterans, and health care communities, in addition to high school students, Sandy is the founder of The Story You Need to Tell Project, which explores the transformative power of narrative in times of illness, loss, and change. Sandy Marinella Author Website Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 32: Writing to Heal Purchase A Prescription for Burnout  From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected] The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels. She writes deep, nuanced, laugh-and-cry rom-coms that brim with hope and healing.  Her books have made countless best-of lists, including Amazon’s Top 100 Books of the Year, Barnes & Noble’s Best Books of the Year, the Indie Next Great Reads List, Goodreads’ Best Books of the Year, Library Reads Hall of Fame, People Best New Books, and more. Her spring 2026 book is The Shippers - and today we’ll be talking about Hello Stranger. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband and their fluffy-but-fierce dog. Katherine Center Author Website Katherine Noe, M.D., Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Neurology and the Chair of the Division of Epilepsy at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.  Dr. Noe completed fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology and epilepsy at the Mayo Clinic and now her clinical practice involves medical and surgical care of adults with epilepsy with specific interests in improving quality and safety in the care of persons with epilepsy and women’s health. Purchase WHAT YOU WISH FOR: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected] The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

Chronically Dolores — Interstitial Cystitis, Invisible Illness & the Power of Storytelling Dr. Denise Millstine is joined by NYT bestselling author Maya Van Wagenen and Mayo Clinic urologist Dr. Aqsa Khan for a conversation about interstitial cystitis — a chronic bladder condition that's widely misunderstood and often dismissed. Maya shares the personal experience behind her award-winning YA novel Chronically Dolores, while Dr. Khan breaks down the medical realities of IC, from diagnosis challenges to treatment options. Together, they explore what it means to live with an invisible illness, the emotional toll of feeling unseen, and why representation in fiction matters for patients of all ages. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. We talked with: Maya Van Wagenen lives in the Atlanta area with her fiancée and their pets. When she’s not writing, she enjoys quilting, knitting, costume design, reading, and binge-watching detective procedural dramas. At fifteen, Maya became a New York Times bestselling author after Penguin Dutton published her eighth-grade journal, Popular. The book went on to win the American Library Association’s YALSA award for excellence in nonfiction, making her the youngest author and first memoirist to receive this honor. Maya’s second book and first novel, Chronically Dolores, won the American Library Association's Schneider Family Book Award for disability representation in young adult literature. Maya Van Wagenen Author Website Dr. Aqsa Khan is an Assistant Professor of Urology and Consultant in Surgical Urology at Mayo Clinic Arizona, where she specializes in women’s urologic health. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Khan is deeply committed to medical education and physician wellbeing. She serves as the Urology Residency Associate Program Director and the Director of Student Wellbeing at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. Her clinical and educational work focuses on benign lower urinary tract conditions in both men and women such as urinary incontinence, prolapse, neurogenic bladder, and complex reconstruction. Urology Care Foundation Purchase Chronically Dolores: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected] The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.