The Rooted Health Practice Podcast

Podcast by Dr. Alexandra Swenson-Ridley

The Rooted Health Practice Podcast

On The Rooted Health Practice Podcast, we explore what’s happening beneath the surface of running a practice—how you lead, how you navigate the many hats you wear, and what it takes to create a way of working that’s truly sustainable.

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Latest episodes

23 April 2026

S2E8-Why Health Practice Owners Stay Stuck — And How to Shift It

In the concluding episode of the first season, Dr. Alex Swenson Ridley delves into the concept of the 'practice beneath the practice.' She reflects on her personal challenges of overcoming hustle culture and the associated anxiety, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's business practices with personal values for true fulfillment. Highlighting the transformation needed for personal and professional growth, she shares her journey of creating a sustainable practice that supports well-being and success without the traditional hustle mentality. The episode sets the stage for the next season’s focus on financial growth and overcoming limiting beliefs.

SHOW NOTES

Most practice owners have tried the surface-level fixes. New systems. Better marketing. A different schedule. And still — something isn't moving. This episode goes somewhere different.

What you'll hear in this episode:

Why intellectual insight alone doesn't create change — and what actually has to happen first
How a nervous system wired for hustle can keep you plateaued even when everything else is aligned
What two years of dragging your feet on a business decision actually revealed — and how it broke open in one session
A real-time example of what the practice beneath the practice looks like when you're living it, not just teaching it
What the Grow Your Roots community is, why it exists, and why it's priced at $12 a month on purpose
A 30-second HeartMath coherence practice you can use today to start shifting your emotional regulation

Connect + Resources:

Email Dr. Alex: dralex@rootedpractice.co

Learn more about Grow Your Roots

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08 April 2026

S2E7 Balancing Legitimacy and Identity in Your Practice

In this episode of the Rooted Health Practice Podcast, Dr. Alex Swenson Ridley explores the complex interplay between organizational legitimacy and identity within healthcare practices. She delves into how practitioners often face the dilemma of conforming to societal norms to appear legitimate while striving to maintain personal and organizational values. Highlighting her experiences as a chiropractor, Dr. Alex encourages practice owners to assess whether their business decisions stem from a desire for legitimacy or alignment with their values, underscoring the potential for burnout when these elements clash.

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30 March 2026

S2E6 Rooted Relationships: Boundaries, Capacity, and Connection in Your Practice

IIn this episode, Dr. Alex explores how your relationship with yourself, your team, and your patients directly impacts your energy, leadership, and sustainability as a practice owner.

What You’ll Learn:

Why over-responsibility leads to burnout
How boundaries shape sustainable leadership
The difference between caring and losing yourself in the process
How your internal patterns show up in external relationships

Key Takeaway:

Burnout often lives in your relationships—not just your workload.

Resources:

Leadership Energy Audit → rootedpractice.co/audit

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19 March 2026

Creating a Practice that Works for You: The New Healthcare Paradigm

Dr. Alex Swenson-Ridley delves into the often unacknowledged struggles faced by healthcare professionals who venture into entrepreneurship. This episode sheds light on the contradiction of seeking to help others while feeling constrained by the business models inherited from previous mentors. The discussion revolves around the concept of 'reinventing the wheel' in healthcare, promoting creativity and autonomy over conforming to outdated norms. Dr. Alex shares her personal journey of overcoming a lack of self-worth and the necessity of establishing clear boundaries to prevent burnout, ultimately advocating for a redefined approach to healthcare business leadership.

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11 March 2026

S2E4 Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling of Self-Worth

In this episode of the Rooted Health Practice Podcast, Dr. Alex Swenson Ridley explores the concept of self-worth and the challenges it presents in business ownership. She delves into the idea of the 'upper limit problem' from Gaye Hendricks' book 'The Big Leap,' discussing four fundamental fears that often inhibit our growth and success. These fears include feeling fundamentally flawed, being a burden to others, leaving others behind, and outshining others. Dr. Alex shares personal experiences, including a battle with illness, which reflects how these fears manifest as self-sabotage, hampering both personal and professional development.

Referenced in this Episode:

The Big Leap, by Gaye Hendricks

Download the Leadership Energy Audit Here

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24:21

19 February 2026

S2E3 Finding Fulfillment in Practice: The Eudaimonic Path to Wellbeing

In this episode of the Rooted Health Practice Podcast, Dr. Alex Swenson Ridley shares her compelling journey from an unexpected pregnancy and a tumultuous job in Alaska to opening her own chiropractic practice. Despite facing significant challenges, including a chaotic and traumatic work environment and a high-stress pregnancy, she persevered to build a successful business. This story underscores the importance of understanding the true driving force behind one's entrepreneurial pursuits, whether it's necessity or opportunity, and emphasizes the significance of aligning one's business with personal values to achieve sustained wellbeing and fulfillment.

Articles referenced in this episode:

Gilstrap, C. M., Weber, T., & Gilstrap, C. A. (2024). Navigating the Unknown: How Healthcare Entrepreneurs Manage Uncertainty. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 29(2), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1142/S1084946724500146

Kearney, C., Dunne, P., & Wales, W. J. (2020). Entrepreneurial orientation and burnout among healthcare professionals. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 34(1), 16–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/jhom-09-2019-0259

Manchiraju, S., Akbari, M., & Seydavi, M. (2023). Is entrepreneurial role stress a necessary condition for burnout? A necessary condition analysis. Current Psychology, 43(5), 4766–4778. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04704-z

Ryff, C. D. (2018). Entrepreneurship and eudaimonic well-being: Five venues for new science. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(4), 646–663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.09.003

Take the Leadership Energy Audit

As always, feel free to reach out to Dr. Alex with any questions, deep thoughts or support: dralex@rootedpractice.co

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