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🔑 Keywords

Stress management, holistic healing, happiness, self-awareness, mindset, emotional health, burnout, loneliness, personal growth, Dr Gary Sprouse, Dr Ash Kumar, mental wellness

🧠 Episode Summary

In this insightful conversation, Dr Ash Kumar speaks with Dr Gary Sprouse, a physician who shifted toward holistic medicine after recognizing the limits of traditional approaches in addressing chronic stress. Together, they explore “stress blindness,” the transformative power of gratitude, and how mindset shapes our experience of stress.

Dr Sprouse introduces his CACHE² framework for happiness, highlighting the importance of connection, acceptance, control, safety, and hope. The discussion offers practical tools — from managing worry and overwhelm to building genuine human connections in a digital world.

Ultimately, this episode provides both clarity and encouragement, equipping listeners with actionable strategies to transform stress into a more meaningful, resilient, and fulfilling life.

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Dr Sprouse transitioned to holistic medicine to better address chronic stress.
• Chronic stress often manifests as physical illness.
• “Stress blindness” happens when we are unaware of rising stress levels.
• Gratitude — especially for small daily pleasures — increases happiness.
• Worry = focusing on possible negative futures + fear reaction.
• The “Worry Organizer” helps plan without fear.
• Overwhelm happens when we “lump” problems together instead of compartmentalising them.
• The shoebox method reduces overwhelm by dealing with one issue at a time.
• Social media can create connection without depth.
• Real human connection is essential for emotional wellbeing.
• The CACHE framework (Connection, Acceptance, Control, Safety, Hope) supports happiness.
• Hope is a protective factor against despair.
  Transformation requires awareness and action.
  
  
  

🔗 Connect with Dr Gary Sprouse

🌐 Website: https://www.thelessstressdoc.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-sprouse-13842a74/

🔗 Connect with Dr Ash Kumar

🌐 Website: drashkumar.com
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/doctorashkumar/
📘 Author of The Boiling Frog

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

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In this episode of Transforming Stress with Dr Ash, Dr Ash speaks with Dr Sachin Junnarkar about how artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and medical devices are reshaping healthcare delivery.
The conversation explores how AI can reduce clinician burnout, improve early diagnosis, democratize access to care, and empower patients — while keeping doctors firmly at the centre of decision-making.

🔍 Key Topics Discussed

• Doctor Anywhere, Patient Anywhere — the vision behind Wellyfy
• How a personal family experience during COVID inspired innovation
• Remote diagnostic tools like smartphone-based stethoscopes
• AI-assisted diagnosis (not replacement) for heart, lung, and imaging data
• Reducing cognitive load and burnout in doctors
• AI in radiology: improving accuracy and reducing missed diagnoses
• Patient-owned data and ethical use of health information
• Regulatory, licensing, and geofencing challenges in telemedicine
• The future of predictive, preventative, and accessible healthcare

💡 Key Takeaways

• AI does not replace doctors — it supports better decisions
• Early detection and triage can significantly reduce medical errors
• Technology can restore human connection by removing admin burden
• Patient empowerment and clinician wellbeing are interconnected
• The future of healthcare lies at the intersection of AI, compassion, and access

🌐 About Wellyfy (HealthLync Platform)

Wellyfy is a synchronous diagnostic telehealth platform enabling real-time remote diagnostics using affordable, smartphone-connected medical devices — making quality healthcare more accessible globally.

🔗 Connect with Dr Sachin & Wellyfy

Website: https://www.wellyfy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellyfy/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/Wellyfy_Health
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellyfyhealth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WellyfyHealth/

🔗 Connect with Dr Ash Kumar

Website: drashkumar.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/doctorashkumar/
Instagram: @theboilingfrog_doc

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

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In this profound and illuminating episode, Dr. Ash sits down with Dr. Sangeeta Sahi — medical doctor, researcher, and creator of the Conscious Cancer Programme — to explore the deep interplay between consciousness, intention, emotional patterns, and disease.
Together, they unveil how mind, energy, and environment shape our health, purpose, and resilience.

🌟 Key Highlights

• Dr. Sangeeta’s Journey

Her transition from conventional medicine to integrating quantum biology, energy systems, Ayurveda, and consciousness-based healing.

• The Conscious Cancer Programme

A 13-step holistic model addressing:
mindset, emotions, nutrition, lifestyle, relationships, and purpose (Dharma).

• Stress as Change

Stress is not danger — it is movement, transition, and evolution.
Reframing stress removes fear and builds resilience.

• Intention & Epigenetics

How intention, clarity, willpower, and behaviour influence DNA, healing patterns, and emotional balance.

• Connection & Loneliness

Why authentic human connection is instinctive and essential — and how modern life has disconnected us from it.

💡 Memorable Lines

• “Stress is an indicator of change.”
• “Intention reorganizes how we respond at a molecular level.”
• “When you find your Dharma, life becomes bliss.”

🔗 Connect with Dr. Sangeeta Sahi

Website: drsangeetasahi.com
Unified Human Foundation: unifiedhuman.org/board/dr-sangeeta-sahi/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-sangeeta-sahi-md-mba-08781918/

🔗 Connect with Dr. Ash

Website: drashkumar.com
LinkedIn: doctorashkumar
Instagram: @theboilingfrog_doc

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

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The Penny-Drop Moment: Reframing Problems Through Creative Insight

In this episode, Dr. Ash Kumar and Fionnuala Featherstone explored Creative Innovation—the skill of breaking free from unhelpful patterns and seeing challenges through a fresh, elevated lens. Using the metaphor of a frog befriending a bird to rise above the tall grass, the discussion highlights the power of blue-sky thinking when we feel stuck or limited by our current perspective.

✨ Key Themes & Insights

1. The Need for Creative Innovation

When old methods stop working or problems evolve, creativity becomes essential. As the famous Einstein quote suggests, repeating the same actions won’t create new outcomes.

2. Seeing Problems Differently

A story about Einstein giving the same exam questions two years in a row illustrates how experience changes how we view problems—and how growth shifts our answers.

3. Innovation in Healthcare

We discuss the Hospital at Home model, a creative approach offering hospital-level care in patients’ homes. This reduces hospital-related complications and eases system pressures.

4. Adapting Through COVID-19

The pandemic accelerated new ways of working—Zoom sessions, hybrid services, outdoor coaching, and creative collaborations—all benefiting clients and expanding what’s possible.

5. How to Foster Creativity

Practical steps include:

• Recognizing when you’re stuck
• Seeking external insight through coaching or trusted conversations
• Using reflective tools to examine patterns
• Taking proactive action and scheduling weekly creative nourishment (e.g., plays, books, art, nature)
  
  

🔗 Connect with Dr. Ash

• 📘 The Boiling Frog | The Boiling Frog Workbook
• 🌐 Website: drashkumar.com
• 📲 Instagram: @theboilingfrogdoc
• 🎙️ Podcast: Transforming Stress with Dr. Ash

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

Send us a text

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Dr. Ash is joined by Dr. Rachel Morris, GP, leadership coach, and host of the widely acclaimed podcast You Are Not a Frog. Together, they explore the deep challenges healthcare professionals face today—from chronic stress and moral injury to the urgent need for systemic reform and personal resilience.

The conversation opens up a necessary dialogue on the normalization of burnout, the emotional cost of modern medical practice, and how shifting toward coaching cultures and collective care can be transformative.

Whether you're a physician, team leader, or someone navigating stress in high-stakes environments, this episode offers tools, insights, and hope.

🔑 Topics Covered

• The silent normalization of stress in healthcare
• Understanding the root causes of burnout and how to recognize them
• What moral injury means and how it shows up in daily clinical life
• Why creating a coaching culture is essential to healing toxic workplaces
• The power of group support in overcoming shame and isolation
• Strategies for shifting your mindset through gratitude and pause
• How self-awareness fuels resilience and recovery
• The role of systems vs. personal responsibility in tackling stress
• Building a sustainable, supportive work environment

💡 What You’ll Learn

• Why “you always have a choice” is more than just a mindset—it’s a strategy
• How to notice when you’re slipping into burnout and what to do next
• Practical micro-strategies to create space, regain clarity, and pause
• How connecting with others helps transform shame into solidarity
• What healthcare needs to do systemically to protect and retain its people
  
  

✨ Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “It's okay not to be okay sometimes.”
🗣️ “You always have a choice.”
🗣️ “Take the pause. Give yourself space.”

🔗 Connect with Dr. Rachel Morris

• 🎙️ Podcast: You Are Not a Frog
• 🔗 LinkedIn: Dr. Rachel Morris
• The free Am I Stressed, Overwhelmed or Burning Out? Self-Assessment Toolkit: https://www.shapestoolkit.com/burnout-toolkit
• You Are Not a Frog Podcast: https://youarenotafrog.com/
• Upcoming webinar - How to Deal with Conflict at Work (Tuesday, 11 November 2025 19:30 - 21:00 UK: https://www.shapestoolkit.com/how-to-deal-with-conflict-at-work
• Permission to Thrive – the neuro-affirmative community for busy doctors: https://www.shapestoolkit.com/permission-to-thrive
  
  
  

🔗 Connect with Dr. Ash

• 📘 The Boiling Frog | The Boiling Frog Workbook
• 🌐 Website: drashkumar.com
• 📲 Instagram: @theboilingfrogdoc
• 🎙️ Podcast: Transforming Stress with Dr. Ash
  
  
  

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

Send us a text

In this deep and honest episode of Transforming Stress, Dr. Ash and Fionnuala Featherstone explore one of the most underutilized yet essential life skills: self-reflection.

Chapter 2 of The Boiling Frog’s Self-Management section takes listeners on a journey beyond surface-level awareness, into the realm of meta-awareness—watching ourselves, understanding our emotional landscape, and holding space for growth through honest feedback and daily reflection.

Together, they unpack why so few people reflect, how resistance to feedback holds us back, and how a coach or mentor can act as a mirror—gently helping us confront our blind spots while holding us in safety and support.

🔑 Topics Covered

• Why self-reflection is rare, but powerful
• The connection between self-awareness and emotional well-being
• Learning to welcome feedback and criticism without ego
• How coaching creates a safe space for personal transformation
• The neuroscience and energy of positive vs. low-frequency emotions
• Daily self-reflection practices: walking, journaling, mindfulness
• The metaphor of the frog at the water’s edge—and the role of the coach
• How self-reflection helps you regulate, grow, and thrive
  
  

💡 What You’ll Learn

• Why self-reflection is the vehicle toward self-awareness
• How to identify your emotional state and take empowered action
• What holds people back from reflecting—and how to gently push through
• Why a coach can help you evolve faster and more safely than going it alone
• Tools to begin your own reflection journey—no matter where you’re starting from
  
  

✨ Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Self-reflection is like having awareness of our self-awareness.”
🗣️ “People will do anything—except take criticism.”
🗣️ “Self-awareness is the destination. Self-reflection is the vehicle.”
🗣️ “You haven’t come this far in life just to be average.”

📚 Related Tools & Resources

• The Boiling Frog (Chapter 2 – Self-Management Section)
• Reflection tools: journaling, mindful walks, feedback exercises
• Illustration: “The Frog at the Water” — a coaching metaphor
  
  

🎯 Who This Episode Is For

• Individuals striving to grow personally or professionally
• Healthcare professionals and leaders seeking resilience tools
• Coaches and mentors guiding others through change
• Anyone navigating burnout, transition, or emotional overwhelm
  
  

🔗 Connect with Dr. Ash

• 📘 The Boiling Frog | The Boiling Frog Workbook
• 🌐 drashkumar.com
• 📲 Instagram: @theboilingfrogdoc
• 🎙️ Podcast: Transforming Stress with Dr. Ash

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

Send us a text

In this special chapter release episode, Dr. Ash is joined by transformation coach and leadership mentor Fionnuala Featherstone to explore Chapter 19 – Purpose from the Value Management section of The Boiling Frog.

Together, they unpack what it means to live a purpose-driven life in the face of stress, uncertainty, and constant change. With reflections from coaching, emotional intelligence, and personal growth, this conversation reframes stress as a gateway to meaning—both individually and collectively.

If you've ever asked, "Why am I doing this?"—this episode is for you.

🔑 Topics Covered

• The evolving nature of purpose: macro vs. micro
• How stress can be a catalyst for transformation
• Coaching as a tool for vision-building and alignment
• The value of collective purpose in teams and society
• Clarity through external perspectives and dialogue
• How purpose connects to well-being, motivation, and resilience
• Practical strategies to find alignment and meaning in daily life

💡 What You’ll Learn

• How to define your personal and professional purpose
• Why connecting to purpose strengthens your ability to manage stress
• The power of coaching in unlocking clarity and direction
• How to use adversity to realign with what truly matters
• Ways to foster collective purpose in communities and organizations
  
  

✨ Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “A purpose-driven life is a super-charger.”
🗣️ “Coaching sessions help build your vision.”
🗣️ “Bringing an external coach gives perspective.”

🎯 Who This Episode Is For

• Individuals seeking clarity during times of transition or burnout
• Coaches, leaders, and mentors guiding others through uncertainty
• Teams striving to cultivate meaning and motivation at work
• Listeners exploring self-growth, values, and aligned living
  
  

📚 Keywords

purpose, stress, vision, coaching, collective purpose, emotional intelligence, personal growth, well-being, transformation, connection

🔗 Resources

• 📘 The Boiling Frog – available now
• 🌐 For healthcare professionals: drashkumar.com/hcps
• 📲 Instagram: @theboilingfrogdoc

🎙️ Podcast: Transforming Stress with Dr. Ash

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.

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In this episode of Transforming Stress, Dr. Ash Kumar and Steven Puri discuss the pervasive issue of distraction in modern life, exploring the concept of flow states and how to achieve them. They delve into techniques for managing time effectively, the importance of environment in productivity, and strategies for overcoming procrastination. The conversation also touches on the challenges of remote work, the impact of screen time, and the significance of focus in achieving personal and professional goals. Steven shares insights from his experiences in the film industry and entrepreneurship, particularly in healthcare, emphasizing the need for healthcare professionals to adapt and innovate in their careers. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for listeners to implement in their daily lives.

Takeaways

• We are living in a distraction epidemic.
• Creating a flow state can enhance productivity.
• Flow is achieved when you align your work with your skills.
• Time blocking can help manage tasks effectively.
• Body doubling can increase accountability and focus.
• Understanding your chronotype can optimize your work schedule.
• Screen time has detrimental effects on mental health.
• Procrastination often stems from feeling overwhelmed.
• The environment plays a crucial role in productivity.
• Healthcare professionals are increasingly moving into entrepreneurship.
• How to focus better in a noisy, remote-first world
• Why flow is key to both performance and happiness
• Simple techniques to increase focus and accountability
• How to make your environment work for—not against—you
• The importance of adapting work styles to your biological rhythm
• How to rethink success and stress in high-pressure industries

🎯 Who This Episode Is For

• Remote professionals and entrepreneurs seeking better focus
• Healthcare professionals navigating transitions into innovation
• High-achievers dealing with burnout or procrastination
• Creatives, founders, and performers looking to reclaim their time
• Anyone looking to build a sustainable, distraction-free work life
  
  

✨ Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “You can work for less time and do more.”
🗣️ “You can only see those three tasks.”
🗣️ “Time blocking is a powerful technique.”

🔗 Connect with Steven Puri

• 🌐 The Sukha Company: https://thesukha.co
• 🔗 LinkedIn: Steven Puri
• 📧 Email: steven@thesukha.co
  
  

🔗 Connect with Dr. Ash

• 📘 The Boiling Frog | The Boiling Frog Workbook
• 🌐 Website: drashkumar.com/hcps
• 📲 Instagram: @theboilingfrogdoc
• 🎙️ Podcast: Transforming Stress with Dr. Ash

Keywords

distraction, flow state, productivity, time management, entrepreneurship, healthcare, burnout, remote work, focus, mental health

Ready to transform stress into strength? The journey starts here.