Marissa McKool, MPH

What is your favorite public health experience and why?

“My favorite public health experience is coaching public health students and professionals who are experiencing overwhelm, burnout, and stress and helping them regain their time in order to prioritize and experience more rest and joy in their lives again.”

What is your proudest public health moment and why?

“My proudest moment was creating the Thoughts Are Your Root Cause podcast where I share free tools and resources for public health students and professionals to reduce their stress and overwhelm, and create more happiness and joy in their lives.”

What has been your most challenging public health experience and why?

“Some of the most challenging public health experiences we all face are things outside of our direct control, other people’s behaviors, funding decisions, staffing resources, etc. This is challenging because it feels out of our control but it also impacts our work. What I love about coaching public health professionals is showing them where they do have control, and that is how they think about those challenges and how they can show up for themselves despite those challenges.”

Why do you care about public health?

“I care deeply for the current and future public health workforce, the people who dedicate their lives to improving community health, preventing illness, and promoting wellbeing. I want to ensure our workforce have the mindset tools to reduce their stress and overwhelm, not only so they can continue to do the important work of saving lives, but so they can also live a fulfilled and joyful life.”

What is your public health story?

“I spent over 10 years in public health, focused in sexual violence prevention and reproductive health. After achieving “all the things”, a graduate degree, a CDC fellowship, publications, and a leadership position at a top university, I was finding myself burnt out, frustrated, and resentful. But then, I found coaching. Coaching changed everything for me, it helped me find the joy in my work again, gave me tools to reduce my stress without anything outside of me changing, and it gave me the confidence to create the exact career and life I want.”

What public health advice would you like to give?

“For everyone in public health, I want you to ask yourself: What if prioritizing more rest was the most transformational and important thing I could do for myself and my career? We often put rest last and believe productivity is the most important thing, but I disagree. I believe rest is the key to achieving all our biggest dreams.”

Anything else you’d like to share?

“If you are a public health student or professional feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or burnt out, I can help you. I can help provide you the tools and coaching to completely change your experience, to experience more peace and contentment, to find happiness and excitement in your work and life again. If that is you, sign up for a time to chat more about how I can help you at mckoolcoaching.com/consult“