By: William A. Pearce
Dr. Erin Coakley’s trilogy is united by one thread: compassion. Long before COVID‑19 thrust her into the spotlight, she experienced a pivotal childhood moment that shaped her approach to medicine.
In her second book, Empathy in Crisis: How Compassion Transformed Care During COVID‑19, she recalls accidentally stepping on her pregnant teacher’s foot; rather than scolding her, the teacher responded with kindness. That small act of empathy planted a seed that ultimately grew into a career dedicated to healing.
Throughout medical school, residency, and her years as a hospitalist, Dr. Coakley nurtured that seed. She practised medicine in Belton, Texas, balancing the demands of being Director of Medicine with raising twins. When the pandemic hit, the sense of compassion she had cultivated became more essential than ever.
During the pandemic, Dr. Coakley saw firsthand how compassion turned isolation into connection. Hospital restrictions meant patients could not have visitors. Nurses and physicians — already exhausted — took on the role of surrogate family members, holding hands, sitting by bedsides, and offering comfort.
In those moments, simple acts such as spending extra time with patients were as essential as medical treatments. These gestures reassured patients that they were not alone and reminded healthcare workers why they chose their profession.
The trilogy begins with Hearbeats & Homecoming: A Doctor’s Pandemic Experience, which sets the tone for the entire series. In this first book, Dr. Coakley recounts how she never planned to lead a department yet felt the weight of responsibility as the pandemic hit. She describes personal sacrifices, the emotional toll of watching patients fight for their lives, and the camaraderie that emerged when healthcare workers became surrogate families. This volume emphasises that empathy is foundational to leadership; without trust and human connection, even the best logistical plans falter.
Her second book, Empathy in Crisis, delves deeper into the emotional core of the pandemic. Dr. Coakley argues that empathy is more than a soft skill — it is the heart of effective healthcare. She explains that patients heal better when they feel understood and valued, and provides practical advice for clinicians, from engaging in meaningful interactions to embracing cultural sensitivity and understanding patients’ values and beliefs.
The book celebrates the rapid mentorship and skill‑building that occurred among nurses and physicians, describing how staff learned new procedures almost overnight and how leaders created space for open communication. She also reflects on the importance of self‑empathy: healthcare workers must take care of themselves to continue caring for others, a lesson many on the front lines learned the hard way.
Her third book, Leading By Example During a Crisis, underscores that compassion is also a powerful leadership tool. Dr. Coakley highlights the importance of approaching team members and patients with empathy and listening to their concerns as a way to build trust and inspire change.
She recounts how she modelled behaviours such as meticulous documentation, patient listening, and cross‑disciplinary collaboration to encourage her team during the height of the crisis. The book shows that when leaders empathise with their teams and work alongside them, they can drive meaningful change even under immense pressure. She describes the weight of leadership she felt as Director of a medical group and how she and her colleagues communicated through eye contact when words were difficult. Each patient’s survival story taught lessons about resilience and underscored the importance of compassion.
Collectively, these books show that when crisis strikes, compassion is not optional — it’s the glue that holds teams together and the salve that comforts patients.
Dr. Coakley’s trilogy invites readers to recognise that empathy and leadership are intertwined: compassion not only helps heal patients but also strengthens teams, supports mentors, and guides leaders through the most trying circumstances.
If you’re drawn to stories of humanity, growth, and healing, her trilogy delivers. It reminds us that each individual act of kindness builds a mosaic of care that sustains us through even the darkest times. The books are now available online.