We recently connected with Krista Gonzales and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Krista, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

While working at a Longevity center, I remember wanting to be one of the patients I was treating. There, they were fortunate enough to spend 1-4 weeks focusing on their physical and mental health at the expense of thousands of dollars. For some, it was very late in their lives; for others, it was very early.

I’m a doctor, but I have student loans! I thought I could never do that for myself, but I want to be able to exercise every day, eat well, and not feel angry and stressed all the time (while maintaining a calm and stoic exterior).

At the longevity center, I witnessed cholesterol, sugar, and blood pressure levels plummet from proper nutrition, exercise, SLEEP, and time spent focusing on their own mental health (you would have thought that med-school would have taught me that). Nope, I had to witness that in person with weekly lab work on 100s of people! One day, I thought WOW this really works! That job gave me the biggest gift a job can give someone, the gift of knowing the true value of investing in yourself, self-care, and knowing your worth as a PERSON!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I became a mom at the start of the pandemic and my world was turned upside down for so many reasons. After my maternity leave, I still maintained a full-time medical practice and, unfortunately, burned out, like many physicians at that time! I am most proud of myself for the choice I made to pivot my career during that watershed moment in my life and get out of the traditional practice of Medicine and into the Telehealth space. This provided me with flexibility, more time with my family, and the opportunity to self-reflect and begin my journey of healing and self-care.

I now work to help other working moms do the same. In the Spring of 2025, I will be hosting a Wellness retreat for Moms balancing careers and motherhood. I will be providing a safe space for them to pause, heal, reflect, and empower them with tools to navigate through the journey of motherhood as a working mom! I went into medicine to heal and now I am focusing those efforts on other moms like me!

I am Mexican American from Southern California. Unfortunately, I witnessed many loved ones pass from preventable diseases in the community I came from. I now provide weight management treatment in the field of Obesity Medicine. My goal is to help eradicate preventable diseases and their complications like diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. You can find me on social media @DrKristaGonzales helping to correct misinformation about Obesity and providing helpful information on navigating the challenges of motherhood.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The hardest lesson I had to unlearn was to put others before myself. I am still unlearning this. In medicine we are taught to de-prioritize ourselves and our own health in order to care for others in a superhuman way. We work long shifts, take call, and frequently take work home. As a mother, in our society, we are also undervalued and told that everyone else comes first. I had to learn that in order to be a better doctor, mom, wife, and sister, that I had to prioritize myself. I now make sure I get adequate sleep, time alone to decompress, and exercise. Seemingly basic needs, but when you are a working mom it is hard to fit in the basics.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

A few lessons here are having strong boundaries, the value of empathy, and self-care. If you do not take care of yourself, you can not possibly perform at your best, and unfortunately, you begin to dehumanize others and burn out. Having strong boundaries is crucial in self-preservation. In medicine, we are always asked to do more (join committees, see more people, give more lectures) often even without pay. The ability to say no is important. Empathy and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes changes your approach toward people and often allows them to trust and open up to you. By enriching this relationship of trust, you both become more invested in the health journey and, with that, often brings success!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @DrKristaGonzales
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-gonzales-md-abom-7252b872
• Other: TikTok: @DrKristaGonzales

Image Credits

Photographer: Albert Acosta
Hair/Makeup Artist: Joaquina Hormilla
Family Photo Photographer: Marlyne Cardenas