For Seekers of Wisdom, Community & Conversations That Matter
Voices With Vigor:
Jillian Rigert
A Conversation on Rediscovering Ourselves, Narrative Therapy & Living a Life True to You
When Voices Come Together, They Create Light With Sound
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM Pacific Time (1:00 PM Eastern)
In our modern world, individual voices often feel lost in an endless sea of noise.
One voice may be drowned out by a symphony of others, or swallowed up in darkness.
Yet when voices gather with intention, something beautiful happens:
They resonate with calm, reason, and hope.
This is where Voices With Vigor begins.
Our next chapter features the theme "Rediscovering Ourselves" as we celebrate the growing community of Voices With Vigor and Susan Baumgaertel's dedication to meaningful dialogue…
A fitting moment to expand the conversation from wellness to identity, authenticity, the courage to pivot, and all the voices that matter.
About Voices With Vigor: A New Kind of Conversation Series
Voices With Vigor represents something rare in our digital age:
A return to the art of meaningful dialogue.
Inspired by the great conversationalists like Terry Gross of Fresh Air and the beloved Magliozzi brothers of Car Talk, this monthly series brings together extraordinary voices for intimate, unscripted conversations.
Each month, we welcome guests from diverse backgrounds: physician innovators, visionary veterans, wellness advocates, courageous trailblazers, resilient innovators, leaders who inspire, and so many others who share common threads of curiosity, kindness, dedication, and resilience.
What makes VWV special:
• Authentic dialogue over polished presentations
• Diverse perspectives united by shared humanity
• No sales pitches or commercial agendas
• Intimate format that prioritizes genuine connection
• Community building that extends beyond the screen
Merriam-Webster defines vigor as "active bodily or mental strength or force; active healthy well-balanced growth."
We believe our voices can be vigorous in spirit, in love, in creativity, and in purpose.
Important note:
While our current series remains free as a gift to our community, future VWV conversations will transition to a premium format.
These foundational conversations will eventually live on the website menopausemenu.com, but the live, interactive experience—the chance to ask questions and be part of the dialogue in real time—that's happening now, and only now.
A Conversation That Matters
Join Susan Baumgaertel for an intimate morning conversation with trauma-informed coach, Air Force veteran, oral medicine specialist, and professional pivoter Jillian Rigert…
A voice that illuminates what happens when we slow down to reclaim our narratives, shed societal expectations, and find our way back home to ourselves.
In this FREE 60-minute live gathering, we'll explore:
● Slowing down to reclaim the narrative – How narrative therapy helps us externalize and reevaluate the stories we've been told about who we should be, and why stepping back from those stories is the first step toward authenticity
● Rediscovering ourselves after trauma and career transitions – What it means to rebuild identity after PTSD, burnout, and moral injury—and how to stop people-pleasing long enough to hear your own voice again
● Where our beliefs come from – Unpacking the societal and cultural messages that drive us further from what matters most, and learning to develop a values-driven life grounded in self-compassion rather than external validation
● The nervous system and the cost of conformity – How chronic stress, shame, and the relentless pursuit of "enoughness" impact our bodies, and what it takes to create safety within ourselves
● Permission to pivot – Why career transitions don't have to mean failure, how detaching worth from titles and achievements opens new possibilities, and what it looks like to work with a blank canvas
Meet Our Featured Voice: Jillian Rigert
Jillian Rigert carries the rare ability to transform personal devastation into a compass for helping others find their way back to themselves…
As a Martha Beck Wayfinder Master Coach, Lodestar Certified Trauma-Informed Professional Coach, oral medicine specialist, and Air Force veteran, she brings both the hard-won wisdom of surviving a life-threatening illness and the professional expertise to guide high achievers through their own reckonings with identity, worth, and purpose.
Her journey from fast-tracking her way into the military as an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident, through a medical discharge, a life-threatening battle with anorexia nervosa, and multiple career pivots marked a profound foundation…
Inspiring her to combine her deep understanding of trauma, shame, and the "never enough" cycle with evidence-based coaching methodologies that help clients shed oppressive societal messages and create lives grounded in their authentic values.
A leading voice in physician wellness, burnout prevention, and identity reclamation, Jillian holds credentials in dentistry, medicine, and oral medicine, is currently completing her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy with a focus on trauma, and coaches physicians and healthcare professionals internationally.
She is also the creator of a YouTube channel dedicated to connection, community, and purpose.
She believes in the power of combining radical self-compassion with courageous vulnerability and the necessity of addressing the societal pressures that lead high achievers astray from what truly matters…
A coach, veteran, and survivor who lives her message daily: you are worthy and enough—independent of your achievements, your titles, or anyone else's opinion of you.
Your Host: Susan Baumgaertel
Susan brings three decades of medical wisdom and a lifetime of curiosity to every conversation.
As an internal medicine physician with over 30 years of clinical experience, she has witnessed the full spectrum of human experience:
• The fragility and resilience, the fear and hope, the moments that break us open and the connections that hold us together.
• In 2021, Susan stepped away from direct patient care to expand her impact through myMDadvocate, a virtual consultation service that serves as a bridge between patients and the often-complex healthcare system.
• As a physician consultant, healthcare navigator, and medical advocate, she helps people navigate everything from referral advocacy to chronic condition management, from aging gracefully to supporting caregivers through their most challenging moments.
Her passion for supporting women through life transitions led to the creation of MenopauseMenu, a comprehensive resource offering evidence-based information and holistic support.
• This work culminated in her 2023 book, "The Menopause Menu"—an all-in-one guide that transforms medical complexity into accessible wisdom.
Recognition and impact:
• Featured speaker at prestigious events, including the STAT News Summit in Boston, the ICCR Conference in New York City, and the Doctors on Social Media (SoMeDocs) virtual Menopause Conference
• Recognized by Seattle Met Top Doctors, The Best Doctors in America, and multiple professional organizations
• Board President of Cancer Lifeline, recipient of their Inspirational Leadership Award and Volunteer of the Year
• Sought-after voice on national and international podcasts
Susan embodies the intersection of medicine and art, science and humanity, individual stories and universal truths.
She believes in the power of genuine conversation to illuminate what matters most.
"My aim is to weave the tapestry of my career in ways that support others, promote health, strengthen human connections, and enrich our collective voices."
What This Gathering Offers
This conversation comes to you as a gift…
No strings attached or hidden agendas.
Simply a trauma-informed coach who rebuilt her life from rock bottom and an internist who walks alongside patients through healthcare's most challenging moments, sharing what they've learned about identity, resilience, and the courage to live authentically.
✨ Live morning conversation between two thoughtful voices in medicine, wellness, and the art of rediscovering ourselves
✨ Interactive dialogue where your questions become part of the story
✨ Insights into finding purpose and hope when the narratives we've been living no longer fit
✨ Community connection with others who value authentic exchange
✨ Curated resources to continue your own journey of growth
Join This Circle of Voices
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM Pacific Time (1:00 PM Eastern)
Duration: 60 minutes of meaningful conversation
Format: Live via Zoom (details sent upon registration)
Investment: Free—because some things are too important to put behind paywalls
Voices From Our Growing Community
“Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my leadership journey in healthcare. VWV is a wonderful venue for all to share our stories – so we can learn from each other and grow.”
— Lily H. (Augusta, GA)
"The ability of Susan to draw the speaker into meaningful dialogue was a sight to behold. Her knowledge of the industry and the in-depth knowledge of the speaker provided insights most would gloss over, while others would most definitely walk away with a broader and deeper knowledge of the challenges in the business side of healthcare delivery."
— Ed B. (Atlanta, GA)
“Being on the Voices With Vigor talk show was a wonderful experience. Susan’s joy is infectious and my month’s topic was trauma redefined. Having been through trauma, to be interviewed by someone as professional, knowledgeable, and passionate as Susan really helped make me feel more comfortable in sharing my story. She walked me through the process every step of the way.”
— Blair H. (Boulder, CO)
Why This Moment Matters
We live in times when authentic voices feel increasingly rare.
When genuine connection seems harder to find. When the noise threatens to drown out what truly matters.
Voices With Vigor stands as a quiet rebellion against all of that.
This conversation with Jillian Rigert happens once—live, unrehearsed, real.
Miss it, and you miss the chance to be part of something that can't be replicated or reproduced.
This Conversation Calls To:
✨ High achievers who sense that the life they've built doesn't match the life they truly want
✨ Anyone facing a career transition, identity shift, or the aftermath of burnout and wondering, "Who am I without my title?"
✨ Healthcare professionals feeling trapped between the demands of their profession and the needs of their own well-being
✨ People ready to stop people-pleasing, set boundaries, and develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves
✨ Those who feel the pull to rediscover themselves—and are ready to take the first step
This Moment Won't Come Again
Registration closes when we reach our intimate gathering size or at 9:00 AM Pacific on July 14th.
The beauty of meaningful conversation lies in its limitations…
We can't accommodate everyone, but we can create something special for those who choose to join us.
Questions You Might Have
Q: What makes this different from other online events?
A: This follows the tradition of great conversationalists—genuine curiosity, thoughtful questions, space for real dialogue. No scripts or sales pitches, simply two people exploring ideas that matter.
Q: What if I can't attend live?
A: The recording captures the content, but the live experience—the ability to ask questions, feel the energy of real-time dialogue—that's irreplaceable.
Q: How long will we gather?
A: Sixty minutes, including time for your questions to become part of the conversation.
Q: Is this only for physicians or healthcare professionals?
A: Not at all. While some of our guests come from medical backgrounds, this conversation spans universal themes of identity, authenticity, self-worth, and the courage to change course. Whether you're a physician, a teacher, a parent, or simply someone who feels the pull to live more true to yourself—this is for you.
Q: Will you try to sell me something?
A: Never. This is about paying it forward, the old-fashioned barter system of sharing what we know because it matters, not because it profits.
Q: I heard future events won't be free—is that true?
A: This "Rediscovering Ourselves" conversation continues as a gift to our community. Future series may transition to different formats, but we believe these particular conversations are too important to put behind paywalls.
Q: How do I prepare?
A: Bring your curiosity and your favorite beverage. If you're drawn to Jillian's work beforehand, her YouTube channel (youtube.com/@DrJillianRigert) and her coaching blog at jillianrigertcoaching.com offer a window into her philosophy on worthiness, values-driven living, and the courage to pivot. Her writing on KevinMD.com is also a powerful starting point. But neither is required—just come as you are.
Q: What about future conversations?
A: One to three voices join us each month, each bringing their own unique perspective to the themes that connect us all—resilience, creativity, purpose, community.
Your Choice, Your Voice
Two paths stretch before you:
One leads back to the familiar—the endless scroll of surface-level content, the webinars that promise everything and deliver little, the noise that drowns out what matters most. And later, when you realize what you missed, the opportunity to experience VWV in its founding spirit will have passed.
The other leads here—to a conversation that honors the complexity of human experience, that believes in the power of authentic voices to create light with sound. To a moment that won't come again, offered in a spirit that won't be repeated.
The choice, as always, is yours.
But this conversation happens only once, with these voices, at this moment in time, in this generous format.
Voices With Vigor – Creating light with sound, one conversation at a time.
Questions? Reach out at [email protected] or connect with Susan on LinkedIn.
We respect your privacy and protect your data. By registering for this event, you'll receive your free Zoom access link, be added to Susan J. Baumgaertel, MD's email list for updates about future Voices With Vigor conversations, and receive occasional wellness insights. You can unsubscribe anytime, and we never sell or share your information with third parties.
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