Share This Episode
Listen Here (click here to watch episode)
In this deeply moving and thought-provoking episode of The Joy of Living, Barry Shore sits down with healthcare disruptor, author, and mental health champion Tom Dahlborg to explore what it truly means to care.
Together, they challenge the foundations of modern healthcare—shifting the conversation from profit-driven systems to something far more powerful: love in action.
From Tom’s personal journey through life-threatening illness to his work redefining care models, this episode is a heartfelt invitation to rethink how we show up for one another—in medicine, in family, and in life itself.
What You’ll Discover in This Episode:
- Why today’s healthcare system often misses the mark—and what’s needed to truly heal
- The powerful concept of agape-centered care and how it transcends transactional relationships
- A life-changing moment: the nurse who said, “I’ve got you”—and why it matters more than any treatment plan
- How love, not systems or metrics, is the true driver of quality care
- Tom’s personal story of illness, survival, and rediscovering purpose
- The hidden epidemic of childhood bullying—including the shocking role adults can play
- A father’s humbling realization—and the emotional truth behind being “an expert”
- The role of faith, surrender, and God in navigating life’s hardest moments
- Why “diagnosis is not destiny” is more than a phrase—it’s a way of life
- How transformation begins when we choose love over fear, connection over transaction
A Conversation That Stays With You
This isn’t just a discussion about healthcare—it’s about humanity.
Barry and Tom dive into the emotional, spiritual, and ethical dimensions of caring, reminding us that while systems matter, it’s the heart behind them that changes lives.
With wisdom drawn from personal struggle, professional insight, and timeless teachings like the Psalms, this episode will leave you reflecting on how you live, love, and serve.
A Final Thought
“We may not be able to heal everyone… but we can be there for everyone.”
If you’ve ever questioned the direction of modern life—or felt called to make a deeper impact—this conversation will meet you right where you are.
Show Notes:
[00.00] Purpose, Joy, and the Power of Perspective
- Barry Shore opens with his signature energy, reframing what it means to be “good-looking” as someone who seeks the good in life.
- The foundation is set with three core principles: live with purpose, make a difference, and unlock the power of everyday words.
- Through personal adversity, Barry shares how “SMILE” (Seeing Miracles in Life Every Day) became a guiding force.
- A powerful reminder emerges: simply being alive is a miracle—and an invitation to live fully.
[10.00] The Evolution of Healthcare: From Revenue to Relationships
- Tom Dahlborg breaks down the shift from revenue-centered care to patient- and relationship-centered models.
- While each model offers benefits, they often remain rooted in transactions and metrics rather than true care.
- The system, though well-intentioned, can unintentionally prioritize outcomes over humanity.
- A deeper question surfaces: what happens when care becomes conditional instead of compassionate?
[20.00] Agape Care: Bringing Love Back Into the System
- Tom introduces agape-centered care—unconditional love as the foundation for healing.
- A moving story of a nurse saying “I’ve got you” captures the essence of presence over procedure.
- True quality in healthcare, Tom argues, begins with love—not systems, incentives, or KPIs.
- When love leads, systems can follow—but without it, even the best systems fall short.
[30.00] Parenting, Pain, and the Hidden Reality of Bullying
- Tom shares a deeply personal story about his son’s struggle with bullying—and the unexpected role adults played.
- Despite being seen as an expert, Tom reveals the humbling truth of not fully seeing his own child’s pain.
- A heartbreaking moment—his son’s silent suffering—becomes a turning point for reflection and growth.
- The conversation opens a broader truth: pain is often hidden, even from those closest to us.
[42.00] Faith, Psalms, and Living Love in Action
- The discussion turns spiritual, exploring the emotional depth and timeless wisdom of the Psalms.
- Faith is framed not as perfection, but as honesty, vulnerability, and trust in the midst of struggle.
- Tom reflects on love as action—showing up, caring deeply, and surrendering to something greater.
- The episode closes on a powerful truth: we may not heal everyone, but we can always be there—and that is enough.
Important Links:
About Tom Dahlborg
Named a Healthcare Disruptor and a Mental Health Champion by Authority Magazine and a Ruckus Maker by The Patient Experience Community, with over forty years of extensive healthcare leadership experience, Tom is a disciple of Jesus, a devotee of Mother Mary, and a voice for agape-centered care models and servant leadership.
A leader and advisor, Tom is also an internationally recognized speaker and writer with an expertise in leading with love, courageous vulnerability, stopping bullying, amplifying positive childhood experiences, and bringing “love in right-action” to all we do.
Tom’s multiple award-winning book, "From Heart to Head & Back Again … a journey through the healthcare system" [First and Second Edition] is a call to action serving to bring people together to make a positive impact for others in healthcare and beyond and the First Edition has served as a 2021 AUPHA book award for healthcare leaders of tomorrow.
His other multiple award-winning book, "The Big Kid and Basketball … and the lessons he taught his Father and Coach", focusing on bullying and ACES and PCES, has led to significant youth sport and school system improvements and improved child experience and well-being.
And his forthcoming book series, The Light … is already garnering much attention as it reassures children that God loves them, they are never alone, they each are empowered by the Holy Spirit and thus have His power within (agency), they are lovable, and they are loved.
Tom brings practical, tangible, impactful tools married with love, compassion and caring to all he does.
He is a father, husband, and coach. A coach to healthcare leaders. And a coach to young men and women.
