There is something special about that childhood friend. It’s a bond that lasts a lifetime, something we can only experience fully in our formative years. My friend was Richard. We were inseparable in school growing up, then roommates in college, …
Category: Psychiatry
Should all health professionals be teetotalers?
I recently published “Avoid ‘Shots in the Dark’ to Maintain Pristine Professional Boundaries” in Psychiatric Times to demonstrate how drinking alcohol in public may lead well-meaning licensed health professionals onto the slippe…
How pediatricians can get involved with behavioral health
Boom! Crash! Ow! That was the feeling of many pediatricians nationwide as we were hit in the face with the bomb of the COVID pandemic and all of the challenges it would bring, notably in the demands for mental health care. This skyrocketing demand led …
My job security relies on another woman taking care of my children
“I’m taking another job,” said our nanny after my husband and I returned home from a rare date night. My immediate numbness was a sign that my mind, body, and soul knew what was about to change in my life. I had thrived over the past …
Human touch and scientific veracity are missing in health care technology
Working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic has immersed physicians in technology, perhaps accelerating its integration with medical practice – but not necessarily its acceptance or authenticity. I tend to doubt the veracity of much of what I read…
How to motivate a “lazy” teen
A high school objective: take in young, immature students, work on them in various ways for four years and send them out educated, confident and purposeful. At least that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Perhaps that’s the way it used t…
We’re confusing resilience with grit
Reading many articles on burnout, physicians are understandably frustrated with being asked to be more resilient in the face of the pandemic, staffing shortages, and oppressive systems, to name a few. Often, when wellness is eluded to, physicians are e…
Putting on the mask of professionalism causes burnout
In medical school, we are not just taught the scientific information that doctors should know, we are also taught how doctors should look and behave. I remember being shown a video on “professionalism” during our first day of orientation. I…
Releasing survivor’s guilt
Wednesday, August 10, 2016. You called to check-in. You knew I was struggling. Months before, I shared with you that I developed suicidal ideation and was not sure I should continue residency. The forced sleeplessness and self-doubt were getting to me….
Let’s address the needs of millions of students with sensory processing disorders
As public and private schools around the country gear up for opening their doors to in-person learning later this month, it is important to acknowledge and accommodate the millions of children who deal with sensory processing disorders. An estimated 5 …
