It's Brain Surgery
Welcome to It’s Brain Surgery, where we explore the mental, physical, and philosophical tools that help high performers thrive in high-stakes, uncomfortable, and uncertain parts of life.
I’m Dr. Andrew Brunswick, a neurosurgeon, athlete, and wellness advocate sharing first-hand insights from the operating room and the training ground. Here you’ll find conversations, strategies, and tools to help you:
•Strengthen your mindset 🧘
•Optimize physical and mental performance 💪
•Improve recovery and resilience 🔄
•Learn practical lessons from real neurosurgery stories 🧠
•Explore the latest in fitness, mindfulness, and wellness 🌱
Expect weekly podcast episodes, in-depth explainers, and highlight clips featuring guests ranging from doctors and elite athletes to thought leaders in mindset and recovery.
If you’re passionate about neurosurgery, health, fitness, mindset training, or unlocking peak human potential, you’re in the right place.
👉 Subscribe now and join a growing community of high achievers committed to mastering both body and mind.
It's Brain Surgery
Protecting the Asset with Mel Thacker | Perfectionism, Burnout & the Hidden Costs of Being a Surgeon
In this powerful episode of ItsBrainSurgery, ENT surgeon and mindset coach Mel Thacker opens up about hitting rock bottom after the pandemic stripped away her identity as a surgeon — and how that led to an awakening.
She talks about the emotional cost of perfectionism, the unspoken shame in medicine, and why surgeons (and all high-performers) need mindset work just as much as technical training.
If you've ever struggled with burnout, identity loss, or the feeling of "is this all there is?", this is the conversation you need to hear.
🎙️ Topics We Cover:
The addiction to external validation in medicine
Burnout, shame, and trauma in surgical culture
Why mindset training should be mandatory for surgeons
How to deal with complications without losing yourself
Her "growth cycle" model for personal reinvention
👤 Guest: Mel Thacker
IG: @thesurgeoncoach
Website: MelThackerCoaching.com
Podcast: Surgeons With Purpose
📌 Subscribe for more real conversations that cut deeper than the scalpel.