The Undoctor: Why a Psychiatrist Says Human Connection Heals More Than Any Prescription, Featuring Dr. Fred Moss, EP 239
What if the path to better mental health has less to do with a diagnosis and more to do with being truly heard? In this episode of The Thriving Practice Podcast, Tracy Cherpeski sits down with Dr. Fred Moss—a psychiatrist with 46 years in the mental health system who believes that human connection, not medication, is at the heart of all healing. For healthcare practice owners wrestling with how to serve patients in a system built around illness rather than wellness, this conversation is a must-listen.
Dr. Fred is the founder of Welcome To Humanity, a coaching practice that helps people undiagnose, unmedicate, and what he calls “undoctrinate” themselves from a mental health model that too often treats discomfort as pathology. His approach asks a question that every healthcare provider should consider: what if there’s nothing wrong with your patients—and what if the most healing thing you can do is simply connect with them as human beings?
See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Whether you’re a practice owner rethinking your care model, a clinician feeling the limits of conventional approaches, or someone exploring how to build a more meaningful healthcare business, this episode offers a perspective that’s both challenging and deeply affirming.
Key Takeaways
Human connection is the foundation of healing. Dr. Fred argues that no pill, diagnosis, or treatment plan can replicate the healing power of genuine human connection—and that this applies in every care setting.
Diagnoses can become limitations. When patients define themselves by a diagnosis, it can create an identity that actually keeps them stuck rather than supporting their growth and recovery.
Discomfort is a feature of being human, not a sign of pathology. The expectation that life should be comfortable has created a culture where normal human struggles are treated as medical problems.
There’s a business reality worth examining. The conventional treatment model can perpetuate the need for ongoing treatment, creating a cycle that serves the system more than the patient.
The “undoctor” concept is accessible to everyone. You don’t need decades of training to practice genuine curiosity and human connection—Dr. Fred believes anyone can be an “undoctor.”
Q&A
What does Dr. Fred mean by “undoctor”?
Dr. Fred uses the term “undoctor” to describe his approach to care: rather than diagnosing and medicating, he focuses on genuine human connection, helping people undiagnose, unmedicate, and step away from a system that may not be serving them. He believes the capacity to heal through connection doesn’t require medical training—just deep curiosity and authentic presence.
Why does Dr. Fred challenge traditional psychiatric diagnoses?
After 46 years in mental health, Dr. Fred has observed that diagnoses often give people an external label to explain their struggles, which can become a limitation rather than a path forward. He points out that many diagnoses didn’t exist a century ago and that the discomfort they describe is often just part of the human experience, not evidence of pathology.
How does this perspective apply to healthcare practice owners?
For practice owners navigating burnout prevention and sustainable care models, Dr. Fred’s approach raises important questions about how we structure patient interactions. His emphasis on connection over convention suggests that the most impactful practices may be those that prioritize genuine human engagement over rapid throughput and checklist-driven care.
Episode Highlights
Dr. Fred’s origin story: from childhood communicator to psychiatric “undoctor”
Why he dropped out of college twice—and what brought him back
Working in prisons, orphanages, and homeless shelters: what he learned about real healing
The log in the fire metaphor: why we can’t blame ourselves for getting burned
How diagnosis can become an identity trap for patients
The business model critique: when treatment perpetuates the need for more treatment
Why “there’s nothing wrong with you” is the most radical thing a provider can say
Tracy’s personal aha moment about her daughter’s health journey
Memorable Quotes
“At the heart of all healing is a human connection. And inside of that human connection, that’s where the power actually explodes.” — Dr. Fred Moss
“We don’t blame a log for burning in a fire. We’re all living in a fire. It’s very hard to be a human.” — Dr. Fred Moss
“Your diagnosis, dare I say, is you are Tracy Cherpeski.” — Dr. Fred Moss
“One of the most hilarious parts of this viewpoint is that it’s seen as revolutionary.” — Dr. Fred Moss
“Each and every one of us has the capacity to be an undoctor. You do not have to have 26 years of schooling. All you have to do is be a curious human being.” — Dr. Fred Moss
Dr. Fred Moss reminds us that the most powerful tool in healthcare isn’t a prescription pad—it’s our willingness to show up, be curious, and connect with another human being. For practice owners who feel the tension between what the system demands and what patients actually need, this episode offers both permission and a path forward. If this conversation moved you the way it moved Tracy, share it with a colleague who needs to hear it. Visit drfred360.com or welcometohumanity.net to learn more about Dr. Fred’s work, and explore thrivingpracticecommunity.com for resources to help you build a practice that truly thrives.
Guest Bio:
Dr. Fred Moss is a board-certified psychiatrist, author, and founder of Welcome To Humanity. He holds an MD from Northwestern University and completed his psychiatry residency and child & adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of Cincinnati. Over 46 years in mental health, he has treated more than 40,000 patients across settings ranging from prisons and homeless shelters to private practice. Now working as a holistic coach, Dr. Fred helps people undiagnose, unmedicate, and reclaim their identity through his Undoctor Reset™ program. He is the author of Find Your True Voice and Creative 8: Healing Through Creativity and Self-Expression, and has been featured on more than 100 podcasts. He lives in Grass Valley, California.
Find Dr. Fred Moss:
See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Connect With Us: