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Functionally Speaking
Welcome to Functionally Speaking— the podcast where two clinicians share one brain cell and way too many opinions.
We’re here for the nuance, the hot takes, the facts your certification skipped over, and the occasional spiral into chaos. If you’re a health coach, practitioner, or clinician who’s slightly functional (just like our mitochondria and our recording process), you’re in the right place.
We’re not here to sugarcoat the science or pretend there’s one right way to do this work — we’re doing it our way. Unfiltered. Slightly feral. And always with love for the humans we serve.
Let’s get into it.
Functionally Speaking
15. What Makes a Great Clinician? Red Flags, Green Flags, and Questions to Ask
Ever left a doctor’s office feeling dismissed, confused, or worse—unseen?
In this episode of the Functionally Speaking podcast, we’re pulling back the curtain on the red flags we see in both conventional and functional medicine. From providers who brush off symptoms to those who rely too heavily on expensive testing and supplement stacks, we talk through the patterns we’ve seen—and the ones we want to change.
We also share the green flags we look for in collaborative providers, the difference between discernment and dogma in clinical care, and how to advocate for yourself (or your clients) in today’s confusing wellness landscape. If you've ever wondered what questions to ask when choosing a provider, this episode is a must.
In this episode, we cover:
- 01:37 Common red flags we’ve seen in healthcare providers
- 04:54 Preventative wellness: what your provider should be doing
- 06:58 What to do when you're told “your labs look fine” but you feel awful
- 08:17 When testing becomes a crutch instead of a tool
- 16:59 Weight bias in medicine and the need for trauma-informed support
- 17:49 Knowing scope of practice and when a provider should refer out
- 19:35 Why not every MD is qualified to give nutrition advice
- 21:18 Elimination diets, testing fatigue, and what real support looks like
- 24:15 The beauty of collaboration in healthcare
- 25:54 Green flags we love to see in practitioners
- 34:04 The best questions to ask when choosing a provider
Links and resources:
- Women’s sexual health, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by Peter Attia and Rachel Rubin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0XW6av2wLQ
- GLP-1s Explained: Risks, Benefits, and Real-World Applications: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506559/episodes/17622871
Connect with Unconventional Collaborative:
Join Us: https://unconventional-collaborative.mn.co/
Website: unconventionalcollaborative.com
Instagram: instagram.com/unconventional.collaborative
Connect with Laura Ligos:
Website: https://thesassydietitian.com
Instagram: instagram.com/thesassydietitian
Connect with Danielle Kepics:
Website: https://www.empoweredmindbody.co
Instagram: instagram.com/danielle.kepics
The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast.
Additionally, health coaches, fitness professionals, clinicians, and other practitioners are solely responsible for how they interpret and apply the information shared. Practitioners are expected to use their professional judgment and remain within the legal and ethical scope of their individual certification, licensure, or credentialing body. If there is any uncertainty about what falls within your professional scope of practice, it is your responsibility to consult with your licensing board, certifying organization, or regulatory authority.
