2.8 Lea Durante, From Family Nurse Practitioner to Remote Integrative Health Coach

When I decided that my mental health and my time with my children was more important than continuing…in this path, that it is for the clinician, is when my own mental health changed.

– Lea reflecting on her decision to transition from a traditional clinician role to a remote integrative health coach position

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Transforming Healthcare with Lea Durante: A Journey from Burnout to Remote Wellness Advocate

Lea Durante, a former family nurse practitioner turned integrative health coach, unveils her remarkable journey from traditional clinical work to a fully remote role, emphasizing a shift towards a more effective and patient-centered approach. With a decade in primary care, Lea faced the daunting challenges of burnout and witnessed firsthand the struggles of patients grappling with health insurance limitations.

A Pivotal Moment

A pivotal moment fueled Lea’s questioning of the healthcare system’s flaws when a mother, caught in financial constraints, couldn’t afford both inhalers for her son’s asthma. This stark realization exposed the inadequacy of the 15-minute model of patient care, centered around prescribing medications and failing to address overall well-being. Frustrated with this systemic failure, Lea courageously transitioned to a remote role as an integrative health coach.

Integrative Health Coaching Empowers Patients

Lea’s remote integrative health coaching focuses on empowering patients to take control of their health, incorporating behavioral models for sustained change. The blog post delves into her journey, highlighting the limitations of the traditional healthcare model and the transformative impact of embracing a fully remote approach. Lea’s shift not only significantly improved her mental health and work-life balance but also provided the flexibility to prioritize family and meaningful work.

A Personalized Approach to Patient Care

The article captures Lea’s newfound freedom, allowing her to create a personalized and impactful approach to patient care, breaking free from the routine nature of traditional clinical settings. The unexpected benefits of flexibility and diverse daily experiences have contributed to a more fulfilling professional life for Lea.

The Traditional 15-Minute Model Does Not Work

Reflecting on her experience as a nurse practitioner during the pandemic, Lea emphasizes the mental health challenges faced by patients, underscoring the inadequacy of the 15-minute model and advocating for a more holistic, patient-centered approach. Despite the trade-off of a regular paycheck, Lea expresses confidence in her decision to work independently, challenging the notion of “golden handcuffs” in traditional healthcare jobs.

Other Topics We Discussed with Lea

The article further explores Lea’s unique remote office setup, the crucial role of her husband’s support, and the decision-making process involving vision casting, renegotiation, and planning for the future. Lea encourages a redefinition of success beyond societal norms, prioritizing personal well-being over materialistic definitions.

Lea Durante’s journey is a testament to the courage and commitment needed to challenge and change a broken healthcare model. Explore more about Lea’s integrative health consulting practice and podcast on her website, leahdurante.com, and join her in advocating for a positive transformation in healthcare.

Connect with Lea

• 🔗 LinkedIn: Connect with Lea on LinkedIn
• 🔗 Web: Connect with Lea on her website
• 🔗 Quiz: Take Lea’s online quiz to identify your Nervous System type

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Q & A with Lea

Why did you want to Work From Home Forever?

• Freedom to care for patients in a way that truly supports their healing, not encumbered by the insurance industry or pressure of the pharmaceutical industry. And freedom for myself to create the schedule and conditions to support my mental health, wellbeing and allow me to care for my family.

How long have you been Working From Home, Forever?

• I was unique in that through the entire pandemic, even as I lived in California, and nearly every industry was shutdown and sent home. I stayed seeing patients in the office like normal. I began working for myself and working from home in the Spring of 2021.

What trade offs, if any, did you make in order to Work From Home Forever?

• Security of regular paycheck as a w2 employee to work as an entrepreneur for myself.

How do you manage work/life balance Working From Home, Forever?

• Creating my essential task list, having childcare and creating a dedicated office space in my home. From there it’s just the regular balancing act of priorities.

What’s your best advice to others who want to Work From Home Forever?

• Have the courage to go for it. Whether that’s a courageous conversation with a boss, courageous move to new company that supports it or a courageous act to start something on your own. The first step is courage and as an entrepreneur every step after is iterations of that same courage. Life’s too short for regret.

What are your three must-haves to Work From Home, Forever?

• Wi-fi, childcare, community with others who work from home

S3 E5 Corey Walker: From Marketing Specialist to Instagram for Dummies – Work From Home Forever

In this episode of the Work From Home Forever podcast, we chat with Corey Walker, a social media agency owner and co-author of "Instagram for Dummies" and "Instagram for Business for Dummies." Corey shares her journey from working in a corporate cubicle to running her own successful social media agency from home. The catalyst for her transition was the desire to spend more time with her young daughter, who was in daycare while Corey felt unproductive in her office cubicle. Determined to find a better work-life balance, she began freelancing and eventually established her agency, The Marketing Specialist. Corey highlights the importance of having a dedicated office space at home and setting clear boundaries with clients to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She discusses how the rise of short-form video content has transformed digital marketing, noting the challenges small business owners face in creating engaging videos. Despite the obstacles, she emphasizes the necessity of leveraging platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn to connect with clients and grow their businesses. Corey also touches on the importance of maintaining personal connections and taking breaks to avoid burnout. She shares strategies for managing client expectations and stresses the value of networking and continuous learning to stay ahead in the ever-evolving field of social media marketing. Throughout the interview, Corey provides practical advice for those considering a transition to remote work, whether for a company or as an entrepreneur. Connect with Corey: Website: The Marketing Specialist Instagram: ⁠⁠CoreyCWalker ________________________  Do you love the show? Check out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠official merch page⁠⁠⁠ ⁠on Etsy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and support the show! ________________________

1. S3 E5 Corey Walker: From Marketing Specialist to Instagram for Dummies 32:24
2. S3 E4 Stay Fit While You Sit: Ergonomic Tips with Mike Jones 30:57
3. S3 E3 Creating a Kind Workplace: Michael G. Neece on Leading with Kindness 36:30
4. S3 E2 From Family Therapy to Bestselling Author: Jack Lawrence's Career Pivot 30:05
5. S3 E1 Building a Remote-First Culture: Insights from Danielle Cuomo of Virtual Assist USA 27:52