You Can’t Meditate Your Way Out of a Stressful Job
A Conversation on Real Self-Care with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin
You Can’t Meditate Your Way Out of a Stressful Job
A Conversation on Real Self-Care with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin
About the Video
Pooja Lakshmin, MD, is a psychiatrist and the author of Real Self-Care. In her work, she explores “faux self-care”—bubble baths or apps that look like wellness, but ignore the root of our distress. Real self-care is not something you buy. It is a practice of reclaiming agency and aligning decisions with your core values.
In this conversation, Françoise Mathieu and Dr. Pooja Lakshmin will talk about what real self-care means for people working in high-stress, trauma-exposed jobs. They’ll look at how current social and global challenges are amplifying stress, and the role leaders play in supporting workplace well-being.
Recorded in June 2025 as part of the CARE4YOU conference
About the Presenters
Françoise Mathieu
MEd, RP
Françoise Mathieu is an educator, speaker, and trauma-trained therapist. She is the author of The Compassion Fatigue Workbook, founding member of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Consortium, and the Executive Director of TEND.
Pooja Lakshmin
MD
Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, MD, is a psychiatrist, a best-selling author, and a contributor toThe New York Times. Her bestselling new book, REAL SELF-CARE: Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble-Baths Not Included, was named as an NPR Best Book of 2023.
