Grab a warm cup and walk with us. Dr. Brian Kendall and Dr. Brittany Bankhead use their go-to structure (Remember When, Pull Back the Curtain and Vent Sesh) to talk early-marriage money hustle, Friday night lights, gaps in ER mental health care, unpaid work in academic medicine and imposter syndrome.

Key topics

• Living on about $1,000 a month in Miami, and thanking our 20-year-old selves for saving
• Friday night lights, cheer memories and a T-shirt launched from a water-balloon launcher
• ER mental health care as "white space"
• Academic medicine: service vs. pay, and the peer-review crunch
• Imposter syndrome after an NIH grant
• Hating in-between seasons and waiting for the other shoe to drop

Links

• modernmomalchemy.com
• Instagram: @coffeewalkmd
• Brittany: @bbankheadmd

Want better conversations with your partner? Start by clearing what's in the way. Dr. Brittany Bankhead and Dr. Brian Kendall walk through three of their go-to talking points: "What's on your mind?", "vent sesh", and "current events". They also explain why the first two often unlock topics unlock deeper conversations.

Key topics

• "What's on your mind?" Going past "work is fine, work is busy" to what you're really thinking about on your commute or the second you wake up.
• The vent sesh (a fan favorite). Say "all right, vent sesh" and get it off your chest, no matter how small or silly it feels.
• Current events, their way. Brian brings space and constituents; Brittany brings Bravo TV. They keep each other relevant.
• Why venting helps connection. The thing replaying in your head can block better conversation. Once it's out, new conversations open up.

Links

• modernmomalchemy.com
• bbankheadmd.substack.com
• Watch our TEDx talk here: https://youtu.be/rUVWb7wfLDE?si=k82P63WkqhA989M5

Coffee Walk MD — Season 2, Episode 2

Your cure for boring conversation!

Brittany and Brian take you through several topics you can discuss at home on your own coffee walk including ”What's On Your Mind”, “Behind the Curtain”, and “Rose, Bud, Thorn”. The discussion ranges from reframing trauma rehab as performance training, a pediatric ER PSA for parents, and how to make your home into a place your kids want to invite their friends.

Key topics

• Reframing rehab as performance training instead of a sign of weakness

• Behind the curtain: why pediatric ER visits spike every fall, and what to keep on hand at home

• When a call to the pediatrician is enough vs. when it's really time for the ER

• Rose, Bud & Thorn: upcoming travel, and the joy of a house their kids' friends actually want to hang out in

Timestamps (00:00) Welcome back to Coffee Walk MD (01:45) This week's framework (04:01) Sports analogies in healthcare (09:00) ER seasons are shifting (19:01) Prepping for fall/cold season with kids (20:57) Rosebud & Thorn (24:10) Rehab as performance training (27:52) Balancing work and life (29:13) Building a welcoming home (29:51) Wrap-up

Links:

Modern Mom Alchemy: modernmomalchemy.com

Find our TEDx Talk Here: https://youtu.be/rUVWb7wfLDE?si=aek-uW5yM0qocpMD

Brian and Brittany kick off season two by explaining what a coffee walk is and why it's their go-to tool for real conversation in marriage, parenting, and work. Then they recap a packed summer: a TEDx talk, three weeks in Italy, Disneyland Paris, family camps, and a big NIH grant update.

Key topics

• What a coffee walk is, and why it beats distracted conversation
• Why season one ended early — Brittany hit her limit prepping for her Charleston TEDx talk
• Three weeks in Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice, Pisa, Sardinia) and a stop in Paris
• Their daughter's surprise private meet-and-greet with Elsa and Anna
• The "rose, bud, thorn" check-in they use with their kids
• Brittany's rose: her parents' safety during the North Texas fires
• Brian's rose, bud, and thorn: relief, NIH grant limbo, and a middle-of-the-night dog incident

Timestamps

(00:00) Season two welcome (02:21) Why walking makes hard conversations easier (06:38) Why season one ended early (07:10) The Charleston TEDx talk (08:46) Three weeks in Italy (12:40) Points, business class, and Disneyland Paris (21:47) Rose, bud, thorn, explained (23:14) Brittany's rose: the North Texas fires (27:07) Brian's thorn: "I am surrounded by urine" (30:35) What's ahead this season

Notable quotes

• "A coffee walk is literally just a coffee and a walk."
• "One person can make a huge difference."

Links:

Watch our TEDx Talk here: https://youtu.be/rUVWb7wfLDE?si=HgFQMBhLfimirbTg

Check out Modern Mom Alchemy here: https://www.modernmomalchemy.com

This week we walk + talk all things:

• Why “coffee walks” create better conversations than sitting still
• The surprising reason arguments last longer when you’re not moving
• Funny but real life debates (is it green… or clear?!)
• The downside of “over-celebrating” kids milestones
• How to advocate for yourself in healthcare without being labeled difficult

Follow along:

• Instagram: @CoffeeWalkMD
• TikTok: @CoffeeWalkMD
• YouTube: Coffee Walk MD

Disclaimer: Medical Information, not Advice.

This week we walk + talk all things:

• When life literally deletes your best conversation… and you have to laugh anyway
• The real reason “Coffee Walks” keep their marriage connected and fun
• A new communication game: “One for One” (and why it works)
• Behind-the-scenes of trauma surgery + what it actually takes to save a life
• Parenting reality: supporting your kid… even when they choose the “enemy”

Follow along:

• Instagram: @CoffeeWalkMD
• TikTok: @CoffeeWalkMD
• YouTube: Coffee Walk MD

Disclaimer: Medical Information, not Advice.

This week we walk + talk all things:

• Why Coffee Walks sometimes lead to big fights — and why that’s actually healthy for a relationship
• The reality of marriage round two after divorce (and why communication looks different now)
• Spring in Charleston, neighborhood geese, and the surprisingly wholesome joy of seasonal routines
• The mental health impact of changing your workout routine — and why morning workouts hit differently
• Why parents are often hypocrites about habits we tell our kids to follow

Follow along:

• Instagram: @CoffeeWalkMD
• TikTok: @CoffeeWalkMD
• YouTube: Coffee Walk MD

Disclaimer: Medical Information, not Advice.

This week we walk + talk all things:

• Why we skipped an episode for Love Is Blind — and what it sparked about modern relationships
• War, oil, and perspective: how global conflict affects everyday marriage conversations
• The rise of strong women… and the parallel wave of hyper-masculinity
• Career evolution at 40: drained vs. misaligned — how do you tell the difference?
• Behind the curtain: what it’s actually like in the OR (rituals, leadership & kindness under pressure)

Follow along:

• Instagram: @CoffeeWalkMD
• TikTok: @CoffeeWalkMD
• YouTube: Coffee Walk MD

Disclaimer: Medical Information, not Advice.