I'm Betsy Thompson, nurse, wife, mother of three, and so many other things. Like most people, I wear many hats and serve many roles but I'll share a bit about my nursing journey. I started down my nursing path directly out of high school and am a proud alumni of THE Ohio State University (GO BUCKS!). Somewhere between my second and third child, I obtained a Nurse Executive Master's degree too. After 12 years as a nurse in the intensive care unit, I found myself mentally, physically, and emotionally drained from even the most - dare I say out loud- "quiet" shifts at work. I really struggled to remember why I became a nurse at all and couldn't remember a day that the rewards of the role outweighed the unseen damage to my soul. But, this was my career- the thing I worked so hard for and spent so many years building upon. I was left with a very difficult question: should I quit for good? I wasn't willing to let go without a fight. So I searched for remedies, fixes, solutions, answers....and....came up with diddly squat. I eventually quit my job and dedicated my time to "resting" convinced that would surely be the solution.
Enter: global pandemic. Quickly followed by an ICU nurse shortage... and the thing that made me pursue nursing to begin with- a strong desire to help others in their time of need- nagged at my soul. I returned to work thinking all would be well, after all, I had a pretty substantial break from the bedside. Nurses were, for a short time, "heroes" and that coupled with the time off had to be the solution to recreate that soul quenching joy and satisfaction I reminisced about from my days as a new nurse. And off to save the world I went.
First assignment went great. Second assignment landed me even deeper into the burnout. Third assignment, game over. But I'm a nurse so of course I continued until there was the undeniable decision staring me square in the face AGAIN: quit nursing entirely (goodbye 7 years of college, 13 years of my career, steady income, my contribution to the world) or find a sustainable REAL solution. I know it sounds a bit dramatic, but if you have ever been in a state of severe burnout, I know you can relate to this.
Desperate to find relief, I stumbled upon meditation and was willing to try anything at that point. I started to feel better within two weeks (marginally but at that point ANY progress was positive). My co-workers also noticed I wasn't running around like a headless chicken, stressed, chaotic, and short-fused. I was actually shifting my physiology out of fight or flight mode! And so, my life-changing journey began as I needed to know all the science behind why this was working.
Fast forward a few years, I've added several holistic modalities to my practice, completely nerded out on all the science behind each of them, and I have a daily practice of self-care with no guilty feelings! I am no longer chronically in fight or flight mode and can show up as my best self to work, at home, and in everything I do. And I am dedicated to help pull my fellow nurses from that same pit of despair into a better place full of calm, satisfaction, and joy.
But my journey does not end there. Did you know there's a whole specialty for Holistic Nursing?!? How have I been a nurse for a decade and a half and never heard of this? I've found my passion and what's even better, it's still in the field of nursing! I'm now an Advanced Holistic Nurse - Board Certified and I may be into calm vibes, but I'm not afraid to speak up. I've made it my mission to raise my voice exposing the void of REAL holistic wellbeing support for our healthcare professionals. It's time to challenge the status quo... it's time to be rebellious... it's time for healthcare systems to prioritize healthcare worker wellbeing so we are joyful and passionate about what we are called to do - help others heal.
I not only help individuals overcome burnout, but I’m a trusted advisor to health care leaders who are on a mission to change the narrative around healthcare practice to a more sustainable and joyful approach. Change is slow and it takes work. If you are offered a quick-fix solution, run far and fast. We didn't get here overnight, and we wont fix it overnight. However, with a compassionate, experienced guide, we can work toward a sustainable solution.
