Author's posts
How societal narratives trap us and how to escape
Lose weight and you’ll be happy, They say … I wasn’t happy, I was exhausted and depleted. You’re so disciplined, They say … As I starved myself And had to earn my food. I wish I could have your problem, They say … Brainwashed into thi…
Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.
After I was medically discharged from the military for seeking mental health treatment and transitioned out of surgery residency to recover, I isolated in guilt, shame, and exhaustion. Despite my surgery program director telling me repeatedly that he w…
Is perfectionism something to strive for or heal from?
I used to pride myself on being a perfectionist and high achiever, and I held onto those identities tightly. Today, my diplomas are stored in a box at the bottom of a closet. I recycled the majority of my race medals, and reviewing my CV contributes to…
Society is obsessed with weight loss
Society is obsessed with weight loss. Part of my brain is, too, albeit I am well aware that there will be no number low enough on the scale to satisfy that part of me. Anorexia nervosa is a poorly understood and mismanaged condition from my perspective…
How being “the problem” can make you a force for change
The people unwilling to tolerate the BS in the face of dysfunction are often identified as the problem by those who have adapted to and/or benefit from maintaining the status quo. Too often, we believe it—that we are the problem. By challenging this be…
How being “the problem” can make you a force for change
The people unwilling to tolerate the BS in the face of dysfunction are often identified as the problem by those who have adapted to and/or benefit from maintaining the status quo. Too often, we believe it—that we are the problem. By challenging this be…
Hero’s journey: Letting go of self-hate and choosing love instead
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned on my hero’s journey is the importance of learning to accept ourselves (our full selves). I couldn’t sit across from patients, clients, friends, or family members the way I wanted to until I sta…
