Shows
SEEN IN FULLBeyond The Resume: When Identity Outgrows the Job with Nick ValenciaContent warnings: This episode includes discussions of addiction and child abuse. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse. Please take care of yourself while listening, and if you need to, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or text your zip code to HELP4U (435748)
This episode features an unfiltered, deeply human conversation with journalist Nick Valencia about the hidden costs of success, identity, and visibility. Nick opens up about the quiet ache of imposter syndrome, the loneliness of being typecast, and the emotional to...
2026-01-2041 min
What’s Up Dunwoody316 – Burnout, Branding, and Building Something Better for Patients in Dunwoody – Dr. Dhaval R. DesaiPodcast 316 – Burnout, Branding, and Building Something Better for Patients in Dunwoody – Dr. Dhaval R. Desai
After 15 years as a hospital leader, Dr. Dhaval Desai stepped away from burnout and bureaucracy. He left the system to focus on people, not paperwork. His new home, Atlanta Internists, follows a Direct Primary Care model—no insurance middlemen, no rushed appointments, just time, access, and care that actually feels like care.
His memoir, Burning Out on the COVID Front Lines, shares a raw, personal look at medicine, fatherhood, and resilience. His podcast, Seen in Full, features honest conversations with other...
2026-01-1816 minSEEN IN FULLRewriting the Ending: The Myth of Necessary SufferingOn this episode of Seen In Full, Dr. Desai is joined by physician, writer, and national leader in clinician wellbeing Dr. Jillian Horton for a thoughtful conversation about burnout, resilience, and the emotional toll of working in high-stakes professions. Drawing from her own experiences, Dr. Horton reflects on how healthcare systems shape—and often strain—the people within them. Together, they explore the long narrative arc of adversity, the power of being present rather than fixing, and how compassion, self-regulation, and storytelling can help restore meaning in work and life.
https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/
2026-01-0639 minSEEN IN FULLRethinking Belonging and KinshipIn this episode, Dr. Dhaval Desai is joined by author and educator Sophie Lucido Johnson for a thoughtful conversation about loneliness, kinship, and the human need for deeper connection. Drawing from her book Kin:The Future of Family, Sophie explores why the nuclear family often isn’t enough to sustain us emotionally, how modern life has reshaped the structures of friendship and community, and what it means to feel under-resourced. Together, they discuss the difference between solitude and isolation, the role of boundaries and self-work in nurturing relationships, and why grief and change within friendships are natural parts of ad...
2025-12-1635 minSEEN IN FULLKier Spates: Slaying the Beast TogetherContent Warning: This episode briefly discusses suicide and suicidal thoughts. Listener discretion is advised. If you’re struggling, you can call or text 988 in the U.S., or find local support at https://findahelpline.com/.
On this episode of Seen In Full, Dr. Desai sits down with comedian and Steve Harvey Morning Show co-host Kier “Junior” Spates. Kier opens up about the emotional weight he’s carried while living with sickle cell disease and how the experience has fueled his desire to advocate for others. He shares how chronic pain, stigma, and a lifetime of medic...
2025-12-021h 02SEEN IN FULLAlia Alston: From Pain to PurposeIn this episode, Dr. Desai sits down with Icebox founder Alia Alston for a powerful, deeply human conversation about chronic pain, resilience, and the healing potential of curiosity. Alia opens up about the life-altering drunk-driving accident she survived at 18, the years of nerve damage and spinal injury that followed, and her exploration of natural healing methods that ultimately led her to discover cryotherapy as a transformative tool for recovery. Together, they unpack the emotional toll of living with daily pain, the frustration of being dismissed by the medical system, the importance of self-advocacy, and how Icebox grew out of...
2025-11-1836 min
Stand Up for Doctors!Episode #102: “I now have positive anticipation about the future!” [Dr. Dhaval Desai & Wayne Sotile]In this episode, Dr. Dhaval Desai and Wayne Sotile dive deep into the emotional and systemic challenges that physicians face, exploring how the demands of the medical profession, and mental health struggles, impact both doctors and their families. They discuss the importance of resilience and its definition = getting through difficult times and coming out better, self-care, and redefining success in medicine. Through personal stories and expert insights, they emphasize the power of finding meaning in your work, creating a supportive environment, and taking control over what can be changed...
2025-11-0535 minSEEN IN FULLAbbey Chakalos: When Teachers Hit The WallIn this episode of Seen in Full, Dr. Desai speaks with Abbey, a former second-grade teacher who left the classroom after experiencing severe burnout. Abbey describes reaching her breaking point in May, facing emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and physical symptoms including weight gain and elevated cortisol from chronic stress. She explains how scripted curriculum stripped away teacher agency while she simultaneously advocated for students facing poverty and trauma. The conversation addresses the additional burden of active shooter training and how Abbey sought help through counseling, functional medicine, and nutrition. The episode concludes with three actionable recommendations for teachers: setting boundaries...
2025-11-0443 minSEEN IN FULLJeff Dauler: The Hidden Cost of Success in RadioIn this episode of Seen in Full, Dr. Desai sits down with Jeff Dauler, a radio veteran who spent 15 years on Atlanta's Bert Show before leaving the industry in 2015. Jeff describes radio as a "toxic and dysfunctional" industry where success is never enough—even when his shows consistently ranked #1, the pressure and lack of recognition eroded his confidence. A pivotal lunch with Jeff Foxworthy changed his perspective, validating entertainment as valuable art and encouraging him to pursue standup comedy, which helped him reframe radio as his "side hustle" rather than his identity. After leaving the Bert Show and later St...
2025-10-2144 minSEEN IN FULLBrenda Wood: The Cost of Appearing PerfectIn this deeply personal conversation, Dr. Dhaval Desai sits down with Brenda Wood, the legendary Atlanta journalist whose poise and professionalism made her a household name for decades. But behind the camera, Brenda faced heartbreak, loneliness, and a long journey toward healing and self-acceptance.
She opens up about the toxic relationship that nearly broke her, the lessons she learned through therapy, and how retirement forced her to redefine who she was beyond her public persona. Together, she and Dr. Desai explore the emotional toll of maintaining a perfect image, the lingering effects of race and gender bias...
2025-10-1432 minSEEN IN FULLDr. Jeanne Hatcher: When the System Stops Serving YouWhat happens when the system you’ve spent 14 years training to serve stops serving you?
In this moving conversation, Dr. Dhaval Desai talks with Dr.
Jeanne Hatcher, a highly specialized ENT surgeon, about the breaking point that changed everything. After years of dedication to medicine, Dr. Hatcher found herself standing at the edge of the ocean, wondering if she could keep going. Instead of walking away from life, she chose to walk away from the system that was breaking her.
Together, they explore the loyalty that keeps professionals stuck, the impossible standards physicians set for th...
2025-10-1451 minSEEN IN FULLIt's time to be SEEN IN FULLA physician, father, husband, and author, Dr. Desai has spent his career helping others heal. But during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while caring for patients and raising two young children with his wife - also a doctor - he found himself unraveling. The pressure, the fear, and the weight of responsibility became too heavy to carry quietly.
When he realized he could no longer feel joy, even in the moments that used to ground him, he knew it was time to make a change.
Seen in Full was born from that breaking point...
2025-10-1301 min
Closer Look with Rose ScottGeorgia physicians on navigating the current public health misinformation crisisA new survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that trust in U.S. health and science agencies has declined since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Amid the rapid spread of misinformation about vaccines, budget cuts, and layoffs at agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has public trust in the health care system reached a crisis level? Also, where can Georgians turn for credible medical information? “Closer Look” show host Rose Scott talks with Atlanta area doctors about how they are helping their patients navigate the current political and soci...
2025-10-0249 min
PerspectivesPerspectives: On Doctor AdvocacyIn this episode, we explore the often hidden struggles of healthcare professionals.Dr. Dhaval Desai and Dr. Jamie Gross share candid stories of burnout, bureaucracy, and the search to reconnect with medicine’s true purpose, reminding us that what affects clinicians ultimately affects patients and the entire system.Dhaval challenges the myth that Direct Primary Care is only for the wealthy, explaining how it “fosters deeper, more meaningful patient-doctor relationships, free from the administrative burdens that often stifle care.”“I need somewhere where I can have meaningful relationships with patients without being dictated what I can do...
2025-09-091h 14
The Well-Being ConnectorDhaval Desai, MD • Live at the SummitThis episode was recorded live at the 2025 Joy & Wholeness Summit in Asheville, North Carolina.Dhaval Desai was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and completed his undergraduate studies at Emory University. He completed medical school at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten, performed his clinical years of medical school in New York City, and had the opportunity to rotate through various different community hospitals. He completed his residency at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio in combined internal medicine & pediatrics and became board certified in internal medicine & pediatrics in 2012...
2025-09-0223 minCloser Look with Rose ScottFeedback Friday: Trump-era public health policy shifts raise alarmThere have been significant public health policy changes under the Trump administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent statement. He announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy pregnant women and children. This all comes as ongoing concerns heighten about other key public health policies related to environmental health, health equity, mental health, infectious diseases, reproductive health, and the impact of climate change. For today’s edition of Feedback Friday on “Closer Look,” Rose is joined by Atlanta-based internist D...
2025-05-3151 min
Warrior Moms: Surviving Child LossBreaking Through: How Dr. Dhaval Desai Faced COVID-19 and Grief: Ep 36Thank you so much for listening! We'd love to hear from you---what you would love to hear, what you like, what helped, etc. With love, Warrior Moms Michele & AmyDr. Desai joins Warrior Moms Amy Durham and Michele Davis to share a raw, powerful account of what happens when professional and personal crises collide. As a hospital director during COVID-19 and a father to a newborn born just two weeks before the nation shut down, Dr. Desai, author of Burning Out on the Covid Front Lines: A Doctor's Memoir of Fatherhood, Race, and Perseverance in the Pandemic...
2025-03-2244 min
The Doctor's ArtBurning Out on the COVID-19 Front Lines | Dhaval Desai, MDDuring the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase “Healthcare Heroes” echoed through hospital walls and city streets. For many people, this felt like an overdue acknowledgment of the difficult and important work that healthcare professionals carried out during the most devastating healthcare crisis the world had seen in a century. But this phrase can also be problematic, romanticizing the sacrifices of individual clinicians without addressing the systemic failures that put them at risk, overlooking the mental health struggles they experienced, and undermining healthcare environments that encourage reflection about respect and duty. Our guest...
2024-10-0152 min
2024-03-0813 min
Above & Beyond DermatologyPart 1, Vulnerability as the Doorway to Connection | Dr. Dhaval DesaiEpisode 006 | Physician and author, Dr. Dhaval Desai, on his experience burning out on the COVID front lines, recovering, and living to write about it.In this episode:🔥 How Dhaval helped save me without knowing it.🔥 The big power of small gestures.🔥 Systemic racism, George Floyd, and white passing with vitiligo.🔥 Talking about getting help — Men can be vulnerable, too.🔥 Don't compare your despair.🔥 The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation. (The recipient of all sales proceeds of Dr. Desai's book.)Dhaval Desai, MD is a dedicated father, husband, son, and doctor. In his work as a caregiver and a colleague, he plac...
2024-01-2543 min
Closer Look with Rose ScottRosalynn Carter honored at memorial service; Report reveals imbalance of diverse representation; Challenges of pandemic on medical industry chronicled in new memoirDignitaries, including current and former presidents and first ladies, gathered for a final tribute to former first lady Rosalynn Carter. Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church hosted the memorial on the campus of Emory University. It’s among the many memorial services being held over a three-day period. WABE politics reporter Sam Gringlas reports on the latest. Plus, the Brennan Center for Justice held a press conference today to discuss a new report that reveals severe underrepresentation of Asian, Black, and Latino Georgians on county commissions and school boards. Rose shares their findings. Lastly, Dr. Dhaval Desa...
2023-11-2946 min
Ira's Everything BagelNoshing With Dhaval Desai, M.D. – November 23, 2023Author, Burning Out On The Covid Front Lines, a Doctor’s Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the Pandemic
In a recent episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel Podcast, host Ira Sternberg sat down with Dr. Dhaval Desai, author of Burning Out On The Covid Front Lines: A Doctor’s Memoir of Fatherhood, Race, and Perseverance in the Pandemic. During this candid conversation, Dr. Desai opens up about the challenges of being a frontline physician in one of the most turbulent periods of modern medicine. His memoir sheds light on the highs and lows he faced while t...
2023-11-2327 min
Becker’s Healthcare Digital Health + Health ITDr. Dhaval Desai, Director of Hospital Medicine at Emory Saint Joseph's HospitalThis episode recorded live at the 8th Annual Becker's HIT + DH + RCM Conference in Chicago features Dr. Dhaval Desai, Director of Hospital Medicine at Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital. Here he discusses what excites him the most about digital innovation, advice for leaders, how he sees healthcare delivery evolving in the next 5 years, and more.In collaboration with Philips.
2023-11-1506 min
WGTD's The Morning Show with Greg Berg11/14/23 Dr. Dhaval Desai / Dr. Randi BergPart one: Dr. Dhaval Desai, author of "Burning Out on the COVID Front Lines: A Doctor's Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the Pandemic." Part two: from the archives- Dr. Randi Berg, in a conversation from November 2020 on what it was like to be a doctor for three small nursing homes in the midst of such a pandemic.
2023-11-1443 min
Perspectives with Condace PressleyPerspectives S35/Ep52 Burning Out on the COVID Frond Lines: A Doctor's Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the PandemicOn February 23, 2020, Dhaval Desai and his wife, Yogita, welcomed their new son into the
world. With the arrival of Kaveh to join his four-year-old sister Kaiya, their family at last felt
complete. “A promising year lay ahead,” he reflected. Yes, it would be chaotic—both physicians,
Dhaval and Yogita would now have to juggle two demanding careers with the demands of an
infant and a preschooler—but nothing they couldn’t handle. Then, a new virus arrived.
In BURNING OUT ON THE COVID FRONT LINES: A Doctor’s Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the Pandemic Dhaval R. Desai, M.D., offers...
2023-11-1324 minPerspectives with Condace PressleyPerspectives S35/Ep52 Burning Out on the COVID Frond Lines: A Doctor's Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the PandemicOn February 23, 2020, Dhaval Desai and his wife, Yogita, welcomed their new son into the
world. With the arrival of Kaveh to join his four-year-old sister Kaiya, their family at last felt
complete. “A promising year lay ahead,” he reflected. Yes, it would be chaotic—both physicians,
Dhaval and Yogita would now have to juggle two demanding careers with the demands of an
infant and a preschooler—but nothing they couldn’t handle. Then, a new virus arrived.
In BURNING OUT ON THE COVID FRONT LINES: A Doctor’s Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the Pandemic Dhaval R. Desai, M.D., offers...
2023-11-1324 min
Heroes of HealthcareBreaking Boundaries in Healthcare with Diversity and CompassionWe are ready to revolutionize healthcare — and the system needs it.Through cultural changes and diversity, we can create an atmosphere for compassionate care that leads to improved mental health of providers and decreased provider burnout. Today we speak with Dr. Dhaval Desai, Director of Hospital Medicine, Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta, Inc about how we can lead the driving change to shape the future of healthcare for patients and professionals. Join us as we discuss: Diversity and Culture Changes as a force to improve patient carePrioritizing compassionate care for improved experience for providers and pa...
2023-06-0646 min
Closer Look with Rose ScottLocal doctors discuss dropping masks requirements on public transportation; Pam Grier reflects on her life and careerA federal judge in Florida recently struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's nationwide order that required people to wear masks on public transportation. Piedmont Healthcare’s Dr. Jayne Morgan, and Emory’s Dr. Dhaval Desai, discuss what this means for spring and summer travel and mitigating the spread of COVID-19.Plus, from the “Closer Look” archives, we revisit one of our listeners’ favorites: Rose’s conversation with Pam Grier. The veteran actress reflects on her career.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2022-04-2252 min
Closer Look with Rose ScottLocal Doctor Discusses Healthcare Workers’ Well-being Amid Pandemic; Local Farmer Launches Organization To Build Greener CommunitiesDr. Dhaval Desai, the director of hospital medicine at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, returns to “Closer Look” to discuss concerns about the Delta coronavirus variant and the increase in new hospitalizations due to the new strain. He also discusses the pandemic’s overall impact on the mental health of healthcare workers.Plus, Jamie Rosenthal, the founder and CEO of Roots Down, discusses how his DeKalb-based organization is working to build equitable and greener communities where everyone has access to fresh food.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2021-07-2144 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.I hate to see that smiling face in the mirror (Voiced by Kavita Choithnani)You can find the podcast in blog format at
http://desaithoughtsmedia.in/2021/01/16/i-hate-to-see-that-smiling-face-in-the-mirror/
2021-04-2509 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.If I like you enough (Voiced by Suhani Shah)You can find the blog format of this podcast at
https://desaithoughtsmedia.in/2021/03/17/if-i-like-you-enough/
2021-04-2503 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.You are the writer of your own story (Voiced by Kavita Choithnani)Please find the blog format of this podcast
http://desaithoughtsmedia.in/2020/12/20/youre-the-writer-of-your-own-story/
2021-03-2102 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Would you like to fall in love with me? (Voiced by Suhani Shah)This podcast is also available in blog format :
https://suhanwrites.home.blog/2021/03/19/would-you-like-to-fall-in-love-with-me/
It has already received 23k+ views so kindly check the blog as well
2021-03-2004 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Shine despite the Darkness (Voiced by Foram Kothari)This podcast is also available in the blog format :
https://desaithoughtsmedia.wordpress.com/2020/11/12/shine-despite-the-darkness/
2021-03-1902 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Patience (Voiced by Kavita Choithnani)Patience brings inner peace into our lives!
Listen to this podcast about the importance of Patience!
2021-03-1503 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.You don't need anyone (Voiced by Aayushi Parmar)Listen to this podcast voiced by Aayushi Parmar on the importance of understanding your worth!
2021-03-1203 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Why doesn't she get attached? (Voiced by: Suhani Shah)Voiced by: Suhani Shah
2021-03-1203 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Is this what you really wanted? (Voiced by Suhani Shah)Voiced by Suhani Shah
2021-03-1006 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Midnight Blues (Voiced by Bhagyashree Kenche)Listen to this podcast about Midnight blues when you're alone and her thought strikes the mind and rattles the soul.
It’s midnight again, and you are the only thing on my mind.
I’m sitting here wondering how it could already be three years since we last saw each other.....
Voiced by : Bhagyashree Kenche
(As of now this isn't available on my blog, but it'll soon be uploaded on my blog too!)
2021-03-1004 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Women's Day Special Pod! (Voiced by Namrata Shukla)This episode is also available in a blog format! (link is given below)
Mard banne ka asli maza aurat banke hi milta hai! – Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.
Do share it and cherish a wonderful woman talking about women, for the women in her newest endeavor
Thank you Namrata Shukla.
2021-03-0807 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.Wait for someone who loves you like this!This episode is also available as a blog post: http://desaithoughtsmedia.in/2021/03/05/wait-for-someone-who-loves-you-like-this/
2021-03-0402 min
Desai Thoughts MEdia, INC.I wish I could be an asshole!This episode is also available as a blog post: http://desaithoughtsmedia.in/2021/03/04/i-wish-i-could-be-an-asshole/
2021-03-0301 min
Cold Brew Money#30 - Electric Vehicles with Dhaval Shroff ($TSLA, $NIO and more)Dhaval on What the HAT!? - http://links.whatthehatpodcast.com/qEt3o
Connect with Dhaval- https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhavalshroff/
About Cold Brew Money:
Cold Brew Money is a podcast about finance, investing, businesses, and a lot more. We discuss money because your friends and family don’t.
There is a stigma around the topic of money, people don't want to discuss finance. We believe it's important to not only discuss finance but also master it.
We will be talking about budgeting, scheduling, investing in stocks, bonds, index fu...
2021-01-2550 min
THE COMEDY FACTORYWorld Cup and Gully Cricket | Stand-Up Comedy by Manan DesaiWritten and performed by Manan Desai at Ouroboros Art Hub, Ahmedabad
CAMERA TEAM CREDITS
Camera Operators: Satendra Singh, Dhaval Vanza, Arpita Manek
Camera Attendents: Mitesh Raval, Nikunj Vanza
Live Audio Recorded by Pratik Parmar (Pratikxox)
Production Head: Deep Vaidya Edited and Packaged by Chirayu Mistry
Additional Edit Inputs: Pratik Parmar (Pratikxox)
Special Thanks to The Comedy Factory
2020-06-3007 min
THE COMEDY FACTORYGully ke Kutte | Stand-Up Comedy by Aariz SaiyedSharing my observations and personal experiences about Indian street dogs. These are just random jokes so please don't try to find or explain here the logic of vasectomy and erectile dysfunction in the end Kishore Kumar song parody (kaafi exaggerated)
Written and performed by Aariz Saiyed
Location courtesy: Recorded at Ouroboros Art Hub, Ahmedabad on 9th July 2019 for The Hinglish Show by The Comedy Factory
CAMERA TEAM CREDITS
Directed by Manan Desai
Camera Operators: Satendra Singh, Dhaval Vanza, Arpita Manek
Camera Attendents: Mitesh Raval, Nikunj Vanza
Live Au...
2020-06-2907 min
THE COMEDY FACTORYGym karu ya Diet? | Stand-Up Comedy by Aariz SaiyedI am a beginner in the Gym and a stand-up comedian, sharing my personal experiences as a newbee in the Gym and the Dieting game.
Written and performed by Aariz Saiyed
Special thanks: Om Bhatt, Chirayu Mistry, Deep Vaidya, Manan Desai, Ashutosh Agrawal, Siddharth Jani, Rudra Pandit,
Location courtesy: Recorded at Ouroboros Art Hub, Ahmedabad
Comedian with banana in the end of the video and the Production Head: Deep Vaidya
CAMERA TEAM CREDITS
Camera Operators: Satendra Singh, Dhaval Vanza, Arpita Manek
Camera Attendents: Mitesh Raval, Nikunj Vanza...
2020-06-2911 min