Debt doesn’t cause anxiety. Fear does.

And unmanaged fear causes physicians to:
• Avoid leverage
• Delay investing
• Overpay debt unnecessarily
• Stay stuck in financial adolescence

In this episode, Dr. Vicki Rackner explains the nervous-system mechanics behind debt-related anxiety — and why understanding this is critical for financial advisors who serve doctors.

Physicians are trained to manage clinical risk — but financial leverage activates the safety brain.

When that happens, math alone won’t close the gap.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why debt anxiety isn’t about numbers
• How to explain leverage in physician-friendly language
• The 2×2 Debt Matrix framework
• How to distinguish anxiety from legitimate risk
• Why “just run the numbers” isn’t enough
• What happens when trauma drives financial decisions
• How to help physicians move from safety-brain reactivity to planning-brain leadership
If you’ve ever had a doctor client say:
“I know the math works… but I can’t sleep.”
This episode explains what’s happening.
Advisors who understand nervous-system regulation build deeper trust, increase implementation, and help physicians stay in the wealth-building game.
📥 Download the special report in the show notes — a tool you can use in conversations with physician clients.
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Dr. Vicki Rackner is a retired surgeon and founder of Engaging Doctors, where she teaches financial advisors how to attract, engage, and serve physician clients by understanding how doctors think.

If you want more insights into:
• The Three-Brain Model
• Physician psychology
• Overcoming financial avoidance
• Converting insight into implementation
• Building trust with high-income professionals
Subscribe and join the community.

Because financial leadership requires more than spreadsheets.
It requires helping doctors regulate before they decide.

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