Balancing Meaning and Boundaries: Lessons from Healthcare Professionals with Donna Gaffney

Welcome to the Meaningful Work Matters podcast!

This episode features Donna Gaffney, psychotherapist, advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurse, educator, and author.

Donna's incredible new book, Courageous Wellbeing for Nurses: Strategies for Renewal, was born from her extensive career working with healthcare professionals in the aftermath of trauma, especially nurses as they have tried to make their way through and beyond the pandemic. Using stories from the field, Donna showcases practical strategies that nurses use bolster elements of their wellbeing critical for resilience and adaptability.

Andrew and Donna discuss the power of storytelling, how it shapes our understanding of meaningful work, and reveals the double-edged nature of meaningful work. While many nurses find great fulfillment in supporting their patients during their most vulnerable moments, their passion for the work can also erode boundaries and lead to them empathic distress and burnout. 

Join us as we delve into into the world of healthcare, the power of stories, the practice of well-being, and the enabling conditions that foster resilience in the face of adversity.