Leslie Mathews started out as a brain injury speech pathologist in St. Louis, prepping for medical school — until she met her future husband, an interventional cardiologist in training, and pivoted to law school instead. A JD and a Master's in Health Administration later, she practiced briefly, then stopped working when her third child was on the way. After fifteen years of marriage and a long road through divorce, she rebuilt her career on the other side as a therapist, coach, and host of the Pulling Threads podcast. In this episode, she shares the unfiltered version of physician-spouse life — the year-apart relocation that nearly broke her family, the Florida home that was supposed to be the fresh start and turned into a years-long renovation, the slow loss of identity that no one warns spouses about, and what she now teaches couples and women rebuilding after divorce.
This episode is sponsored by Bob at Truist, who works closely with physicians and medical families navigating big financial decisions — especially around relocation, home buying, and long-term planning.
If you're making a move, stepping into a new role, or just want clarity around how your money fits into your life, Bob brings a calm, strategic approach that's built for people with complex careers.
You can connect directly with Bob —
http://www.truist.com/bob.hall
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Leslie Mathews has worn a lot of hats — brain injury speech pathologist, attorney, health administrator, photographer, physician spouse, and now therapist, coach, and podcast host. Her path through her now ex-husband's training years, a relocation to the Tampa Bay area for his first attending role, and the long process of rebuilding her own career on the other side of divorce is a story most physician families will recognize: the year apart while one spouse went ahead, the rushed home purchase that became a years-long renovation, and the slow erosion of identity that comes when a hard-earned career gets shelved for the family's needs.
Now based in St. Petersburg, Florida and working with women navigating divorce, career pivots, and trauma recovery, Leslie talks openly about what she'd do differently — and what she wants every physician spouse to hear. Host Zoe Taylor and Leslie cover the residency-era condo purchase, the site-unseen pressure of the first attending move, the gutted Florida house that nearly broke them, and the grief of selling a home you raised your kids in.
They cover:
Leslie Mathews is a licensed psychotherapist, non-practicing attorney, and host of the Pulling Threads podcast. She began her career as a speech therapist specializing in brain injury and trauma before pivoting into healthcare law, earning a JD and a Master's in Health Administration from Saint Louis University. After fifteen years of marriage to an interventional cardiologist and a season of stepping back from her career to raise her family, Leslie returned to school during her divorce — pursuing training in health coaching, mindfulness, and clinical social work, and earning her MSW.
Today, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Leslie runs The LooM Life, where she offers therapy, coaching, and a unique form of divorce support. She works with women going through divorce and big life transitions, as well as physician and physician-spouse clients navigating the pressures of medical careers and family life. Her clinical work draws on EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and polyvagal theory. Her mission, in her own words: to help people live more peaceful, grounded lives.
🎙️ Podcast: Pulling Threads
🏢 Practice: The LooM Life
📍 Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
🌐 Website: theloomlife.com
📸 Instagram: @the.loom.life
🎵 TikTok: @parandpeace
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lesliemathewsmsw
✉️ Email: support@theloomlife.com
The Moving Medicine Podcast is a space for physicians and physician spouses navigating relocation — not as a transaction, but as a life transition. Hosted by Zoe Taylor, founder of Moving Medicine Partners, the show centers the human side of medical moves and offers clarity, grounding, and shared understanding for families at every stage of the journey.
🌐 Website: movingmedicinepartners.com
📸 Instagram: @movingmedicinepartners
📘 Facebook: Moving Medicine Partners
💼 LinkedIn: Moving Medicine Partners
✉️ Email: hello@movingmedicinepartners.com
Zoe Taylor is the founder of Moving Medicine Partners and a real estate agent based in St. Louis who has sat at that kitchen table herself. Through her work supporting medical families across the country, Zoe has seen the unseen labor of relocation up close — and built this podcast to make sure no one has to navigate it feeling invisible, rushed, or alone.