A few years ago, I decided to pursue a PhD. Why … isn’t it obvious? Being a psychotherapist who helps health care professionals navigate burnout and imposter syndrome, raising three teenagers, and holding multiple certifications in everything fro…
Category: Conditions
How a family caregiver saved my life during a rare medical crisis
Americans heard a lot this campaign season about family caregivers. The federal government is making progress, but more needs to be done. I know about the importance of family caregiving; I’m alive today because a family caregiver advocated for m…
How lab values management can improve cancer testing and treatment
When it comes to medical breakthroughs, it can be a long journey between discovery and implementation. Implementing new technologies and therapies for patients is often hindered by slow adoption, inaccurate application, and delays caused by the rapid p…
From liquid handcuffs to miracle molecule: MOTAA would expand methadone access and help fight the overdose epidemic
Kayla was referred to our addiction clinic after a visit to the emergency department for a skin infection, common in people who use drugs intravenously. Recognizing her fentanyl use was escalating out of her control, she made an appointment to discuss …
The untold story of a nurse’s final shift after 47 years of service
I was on the phone with my sister when I thought I heard a knock at the door. Then another. My dogs barked, and I told her, “Don’t hang up.” My chest tightened. Nightmares of someone coming for me flashed through my mind—a stranger lu…
My husband’s rare drunken disease made me an international advocate
Can you imagine waking up drunk, or getting drunk in the middle of your workday without having touched a drop of alcohol?! When I first saw my husband Joe having these drunken episodes, I thought he must be secretly drinking or at least sleepwalking to…
I knew hospitals were not taking good care of doctors. But when I became a patient, I experienced it.
I have spent nearly half a century in the world of health care leadership, first in management and later as a consultant. Throughout my career, one of my most consistent observations has been that most health care organizations do not treat physicians …
Physician suicide: Addressing the silent epidemic
Suicide is the act of an individual ending their life. It is generally caused by the convergence of multiple factors, the most significant of which is untreated or end-stage psychiatric illness. As a practicing psychiatrist who has been involved in the…
Navigating a rare neurodegenerative disorder as mother and daughter
Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing symptoms like incontinence and difficulties with walking, we knew th…
Navigating a rare neurodegenerative disorder as mother and daughter
Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing symptoms like incontinence and difficulties with walking, we knew th…
