How you're really doing
The Well-Being Index
The research-validated well-being assessment invented by Mayo Clinic. Nine questions measure six dimensions of distress and well-being. Free and anonymous.
Built independently for clinicians
See the Full Picture of Your Well-Being
A holistic view of your life — so you can understand what’s actually driving your stress, energy, and performance.
Free app · Takes minutes · No sales calls required
Independent of your employerBuilt for cliniciansPrivate & self-guided
In partnership withthe Well-Being Index, invented by Mayo Clinic
From our partner · New research
The State of Well-Being 2025–2026 Report
Built on more than 72,000 Well-Being Index assessments, the new report shows how clinicians and care teams are really doing: distress and well-being scores, trends from 2021 through 2026, and burnout, emotional hardening, meaning in work and work–life integration by role.
It comes from our partner, the Well-Being Index: the research-validated well-being assessment invented by Mayo Clinic.
That’s the workforce picture. Take the Well-Being Index to see where you stand, then your free Wellness Wheel to see where it’s coming from, across all eight dimensions of your life.
Get the free reportTake the Well-Being IndexAbout our partnership
Free from the Well-Being Index. A premium edition is available after you register.
Our partnership
Two Checks, One Clear Picture
Direct Self Care is in partnership with the Well-Being Index, invented by Mayo Clinic. Together they answer two questions every clinician should be able to answer: how am I really doing, and where is it coming from?
Where it's coming from
The Wellness Wheel
Two minutes across eight areas of your life, from sleep and relationships to career and money, with next steps and resources for each. Free in the Direct Self Care app.
The reality
Why You Still Feel Off — Even When Everything Looks Right
You’ve optimized your career. You’ve built stability. You’ve done everything “right.” But something still feels off. That’s because well-being isn’t one thing — it’s everything working together.
What you’ve been told
- You have a great career
- You’ve checked all the boxes
- You should feel fulfilled
Sound familiar? You’ve done everything “right.”
What’s actually happening
- No clear way to measure well-being
- Conflicting advice from every direction
- No system to track or improve over time
It’s not you — it’s the system you’ve been given.
The Wellness Wheel
Your Life Isn’t One Metric. It’s a System.
The Direct Self Care™ Wellness Wheel gives you a complete, holistic view of your well-being — so you can see what’s aligned and what’s not. When one area is off, it affects everything else. It’s a real, live feature in the free app — not a PDF, not a worksheet.
- 01Physical Health
- 02Mental & Emotional
- 03Career & Professional
- 04Relationships
- 05Time & Energy
- 06Financial Confidence
- 07Personal Growth
- 08Lifestyle Freedom
The insight
Most Clinicians Focus on the Wrong Problem
You might think you’re burned out because of work. Or stressed because of time. But often the real issue sits in a different area entirely. Until you see the full picture, you’re guessing.
No clear picture
You have no single view showing where you actually stand across your life.
No benchmark for “good”
Without context, you can’t tell if you’re ahead, behind, or right on track.
Decisions without visibility
Major life choices get made without seeing the full system at play.
What you’ll discover
Clarity Replaces Uncertainty
In a few minutes you’ll get a clearer picture of where you stand, what may need attention, and what to do next — so you can move forward with more confidence.
- Where your life is actually out of balanceSpot the gaps you can’t see day to day.
- What’s quietly draining your energyThe hidden friction behind low mornings.
- What’s working — and what’s notReinforce what’s healthy, address what isn’t.
- Where to focus first, if you choose to actA clear starting point, never a prescription.
No prescriptions. No pressure. Just awareness.
Built differently — by design
This Is Direct Self Care™
An independence-first approach to clinician well-being, designed to give you clarity across your entire life.
No employer agenda
Independent of your workplace, hospital, or practice.
Nothing sold to you here
We don’t sell investments, insurance, or programs. Any introduction is yours to accept or decline.
No forced next steps
Insight is the goal. Action is always your choice.
Insight first
Understanding before activity. Always.
What happens next
Free to Start. Deeper Support if You Want It.
Basic access to the app and your Wellness Wheel is free. Deeper support — additional guided programs and in-the-moment resources — may be available as an upgrade, paid by you, your employer, or a blend of both, the same way it works across the Direct family.
Direct Self Care doesn’t sell investments, insurance, or programs itself. If you choose an introduction to a vetted provider or advisor, we may be compensated by them. Either way, the insight is yours to keep.
Who it’s for
Built for High-Performing Clinicians
Designed specifically for the people whose work depends on showing up — fully — every day.
Physicians
Dentists & orthodontists
Practice owners
Clinicians who feel “off” despite success
Anyone who wants clarity, not more noise
High performers seeking balance, not burnout
Part of the Direct family
One Team, Three Tools
Direct Self Care shares a team with two related resources for the same audience — worth a look if a different dimension of your Wheel points there.
Direct Wealth Care™
Financial planning and wealth-management resources purpose-built for physicians — relevant if your Wheel points at Financial Confidence.
Visit Direct Wealth Care →
Direct Practice Care™
HR, benefits, and workforce support for independent practices — relevant if your Wheel points at Career & Professional and you also run a practice.
Visit Direct Practice Care →
From the same team
The Direct Well-Being Podcast
For physician families, by physician families — honest conversations about what actually supports physicians and the families behind them, hosted by Dr. Anders Apgar, MD, FACOG. Free to listen, wherever you get your podcasts. A Direct Self Care production.
Questions, answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a wellness program?
No. There’s nothing to enroll in, no curriculum, and no coach assigned to you. Direct Self Care is a clarity tool: you answer a set of questions, you get a picture of where you stand across eight dimensions of your life, and what you do next is entirely your call.
Is this tied to my employer?
No. Direct Self Care is independent of your workplace, hospital, or practice. Your results are yours. Nothing you enter is reported back to an employer, a department, or a credentialing body.
Is there an app?
Yes. The Direct Self Care app is free and runs on any phone. Open app.directselfcare.com, create an account, and take your two-minute Wellness Wheel. Then add it to your Home Screen and it opens like any other app.
What is the Well-Being Index?
The Well-Being Index is a research-validated well-being assessment invented by Mayo Clinic. In nine questions it measures six dimensions of distress and well-being, and it is free and anonymous. It is also the data behind the State of Well-Being 2025–2026 Report, built on more than 72,000 assessments.
How does Direct Self Care work with the Well-Being Index?
Direct Self Care is in partnership with the Well-Being Index, invented by Mayo Clinic. The two checks answer different questions: the Well-Being Index shows how you are really doing, and the Wellness Wheel shows where it is coming from across eight areas of your life, with next steps for each. Take both, free.
Are you selling anything?
Basic access to the app and your Wellness Wheel is free, and we don’t sell investments, insurance, or programs ourselves. Deeper support may be available as an upgrade — paid by you, your employer, or a blend of both. If your results point somewhere and you choose to explore support, we can also introduce you to vetted providers and advisors, and we may be compensated by them. You’re never obligated to take either step.
How long does it take?
A few minutes. It’s designed for a schedule that doesn’t have an open hour in it — no documents to gather, no statements to upload, nothing to prepare beforehand.
Is my data private?
Yes. Your responses are private to you and are not sold. They aren’t shared with your employer, and they aren’t shared with a provider or advisor unless you explicitly ask us to make an introduction. See our Privacy Policy for the full detail.
Clarity changes everything
You Don’t Need More Advice.
You need to see what’s actually going on.
Takes minutes · Completely confidential · No sales calls