What is Coaching?

Coaching is a co-active process that supports and guides the coachee to improve their personal and professional lives and meet whatever challenge exists with the strategy, skills and confidence needed to succeed in reaching their short and long term goals. Coaches provide a safe and confidential place for coachees to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, brainstorm solutions, take action and be accountable. Coaching is not therapy because it is focused on thoughts and behaviors in the present and future, not the past. Coaching is not consulting because the coachee is responsible for brainstorming solutions and actions that will fit the situation rather than being given a list of recommendations or action items. Coaching is not mentoring or sponsoring because it is not content specific--rather, it is focused on the "process" of achieving one's own goals through shared discovery and decision making.

According to a systematic review assessing the effect of coaching on physician wellbeing, coaching was "observed to improve several outcomes related to wellness, including work/life balance, quality of life, resilience, job satisfaction, work engagement, empowerment at work, and psychological capital."

Watch this Ted Talk video by Atul Gwande, MD and surgeon, that explains why all physicians should have a coach to keep improving.

About Me

I am Kimberly Garver, MD, founder and CEO of MpowerD Coaching in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I have spent over two decades in physcian leadership roles in private practice and academics. I am a diagnostic radiologist specializing in pediatric and breast imaging. My passion is developing physician leaders because of the impact they have on their people, patients, departments and institutions.

My Story

I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and came to Ann Arbor for medical school, a residency in Diagnostic Radiology and fellowship training in pediatric and breast imaging. I was in private practice at Huron Valley Radiology in Ann Arbor for 22 years where I lead the ultrasound and pediatric imaging divisions and served for many years as a board member of our corporation. I moved back to the University of Michigan in 2018 to be the Radiology Director of the largest ambulatory site in the system at the Brighton Center for Specialty Care. I served as the inaugural Associate Chair for Department Life and Culture for over 1300 people, became a wellness advocate for Michigan Medicine serving over 30,000 people and lead the Breast Imaging division during the pandemic. I retired to an adjunct position in 2022 to allow time for my true passion--coaching and training other medical leaders within Michigan Medicine and beyond.

I am a certified leadership, executive, and organizational development coach by the Certified Coaches Alliance and a member of the International Coaching Federation. I have additional certification in the non-financial aspects of retirement planning and work with team of estate and financial planners to help physicians take this next hard earned step in their journey. I am an adjunct faculty for the Radiology Department at the University of Michigan and an internal executive coach for Michigan Medicine.

I have been married for 26 years and have four grown wonderful children and one very special granddaughter. I am the proud owner of a chocolate labrador, Bean. I am very active in my local church and enjoy bicycling, swimming, dancing, and pickleball for exercise. I love to travel and play music with my friends and family.