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From Pissed Off to Poised- A Podcast for Busy Women Professionals
This podcast is designed to help overcommitted women, physicians, and
professionals move from being reactionary—often feeling anger and
resentment—to becoming more intentional and responsive. The goal is to
help you enjoy life while still getting everything that needs to be done,
done.
In this show, we’ll dive deep into how to shift from reacting to responding
when it comes to anger, while recognizing that the first step to making a change is building our awareness. I’ll also share practical tips on how to say "yes" only to what truly matters to you and create a calendaring system that works—one that honors your commitments to both yourself and others.
As a retired pediatrician, the co-founder of Virginia iSpine Physicians, and
a trauma informed certified mindset coach I have navigated multiple career transitions in life and am still evolving as I apply these concepts in other areas with grace and vulnerability. I want to share what I have learned over the years so that you can start to create more peace in your day to day life,
as you begin to shift from reaction to response.
From Pissed Off to Poised- A Podcast for Busy Women Professionals
Ep 33: The Pause That Changed Everything with Dr. Nicci Preston
I'm so grateful to have one of my incredible clients, Dr. Nicci Preston, joining me on the show today. Nicci is a powerhouse—she’s an emergency medicine physician and a mom of two—and in this episode, she opens up about what her life looked like before coaching and the powerful shifts she’s made since.
When we first started working together, Nicci was doing what so many high-achieving women do: holding it all together on the outside, while running on fumes underneath. She was working full-time at a level two trauma center, juggling the nonstop demands of work and home, and feeling the kind of burnout that doesn’t just stay at work—it follows you into your evenings, your weekends, your relationships.
She knew something had to change.
In our conversation, Nicci shares what it was like to step into this work—to get honest about what wasn’t working, to learn how to slow down internally (even when life on the outside doesn’t), and to start creating space for the kind of peace that isn't dependent on circumstances.
You'll hear how mindset work helped her shift the way she shows up—for her family and for herself—and the tools that supported her in making real, lasting change. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything and still coming up short, Nicci’s story is going to resonate.
About Nicci Preston
Nicci Preston is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. After completing medical school and residency in Iowa, she stayed to build both her career and her family. She is the proud mother of two children — a 10-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter.
Nicci spent 10 years working at a busy Level II trauma center before transitioning to her current role as the Emergency Department and EMS Medical Director at a critical access hospital. She continues to pick up shifts at the trauma center to stay connected to high-acuity care.
Outside of medicine, Nicci is all about family life — spending time with her husband and kids, cooking, exercising, cheering on her children at their sports events, and traveling together as a family.
What You'll Learn:
- How learning to pause before you react can completely transform your relationships and your sense of control.
- Recognizing how your thoughts impact your experience and can give you back your power—you get to decide whether something brings chaos or calm.
- The truth about the “arrival fallacy”—you don’t have to earn your rest. You can start enjoying life now, even when the to-do list isn’t done.
- How having the right coach in your corner can help you connect the dots, go deeper than surface-level fixes, and empower you to make changes that stick.
Featured:
- Join Arpita at Thought Leaders Week at Miraval in Tucson, AZ this June.
- Learn about Arpita's next Circle of Six Small Group Coaching Cohort HERE.
- Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's programs with Thought Work, MD, including 1-to-1 coaching for individuals, group coaching cohorts for organizations, and her online self-study courses HERE.
- Transforming Your Anger From Reaction to Response Online Self Study Course with Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma.
