Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Licensed clinical psychologist and health care ethicist Jenny Shields discusses her article, “DSM-5 doesn’t name it, but moral distress is everywhere in medici…
Category: Psychiatry
Why real growth in psychotherapy takes time, courage, and teamwork
What is the purpose of psychotherapy? What are the goals? Psychotherapy is a talking process between a patient and a psychotherapist that involves looking at feelings, behaviors, impulses, and thoughts through a process of self-reflection. The purpose …
The hidden war on doctors: Understanding administrative violence
Administrative violence in medicine is often understood as harm to patients due to systemic issues; however, administrative violence in medicine is also a process used to inflict harm on physicians, destabilizing the medical field on both systemic and …
How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight
I remember the first time I was shamed for asking a question. It was during my OB/GYN clinical rotation in PA school. I asked my attending physician something about a patient, not out of laziness, but because I genuinely needed clarity. But instead of …
Gaslighting and professional licensing: a call for reform
Gaslighting manifests in many forms. The most common may be political fights involving the extreme positions on any controversial issue (e.g., gun control, abortion, immigration, you name it). One extreme faction claims they have the truth and blames t…
Why so many physicians struggle to feel proud—even when they should
In medicine, we were taught to value humility over pride. To downplay our successes. To “just do our job.” Even as we achieve remarkable things, we rarely pause to acknowledge them, let alone celebrate. Pride feels risky. Many physicians wo…
“The medical board doesn’t know I exist. That’s the point.”
She whispered when she said “panic attacks.” Not because she thought I would judge her or fail to understand. But because she was a physician, and in her world, saying the wrong thing to the wrong person could cost her everything. She found…
Why physicians deserve more than an oxygen mask
In medicine, we’ve long relied on the oxygen mask analogy to justify self-care: “Put your own mask on first before assisting others.” It’s a powerful image—but it’s not enough. Oxygen masks drop in emergencies. Putting the…
Rethinking addiction treatment: contingency management and the future of recovery [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Health care executive Traci Sweet discusses her article, “The role of contingency management in addiction treatment.” She makes a compelling case for the incre…
Why self-care must become medicine’s new standard
We were taught that sacrificing ourselves is noble. That resilience is enduring. And that suffering and struggling are valiant. We were taught rest is optional, complacent, lazy—something for other, less busy, less important people. We were also taught…
