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Psychotherapist and author Margo Lowy discusses her article, “Maternal ambivalence: the side of motherhood no one talks about.” She explores the often unspoken emotional complexities of motherhood, where love and frustration coexist. Margo delves into …
Physicians are healers; they were not meant to be hunted. Yet in modern America, the very system that once revered physicians has turned against them, weaponizing regulations and laws into weapons and transforming healers into criminals. The Controlled Substances Act, health care fraud statutes, and a labyrinth of federal regulations have ensnared countless physicians in a trap of legal peril, branding them as fraudsters when their only crime was dedication …
In his book Cross Pollinations: The Marriage of Science and Poetry, Nabhan illustrates the interconnection between thinking across varied fields and how one specifically might inform the other. He is by no means the first or only thinker to harness looking across disciplines. This approach has certainly also informed the world of psychotherapy. The unifying glue, however, is time and space for reflection, to consider leisurely, to let the …
Practicing medicine is an incredible privilege. Our rigorous training allows us to combine science and compassion to heal and support patients through both challenging and healthy times. However, this privilege often comes with significant challenges, such as burnout and other struggles. Many doctors feel burdened by the time spent on electronic health records, drowning in documentation for nearly six hours …
If I were to bet that the majority of physicians are familiar with that pit in their stomach—that sinking feeling of dread that comes with recognizing things aren’t going well—I’d probably win that bet. Contrary to collective wisdom, Wu (2000) first formalized recognition that doctors involved in critical incidents need help too. Now, twenty-five years later, doctors are still held to a standard that eschews the idea of making mistakes. …
As social media’s influence has surged, so too has the debate over its effects on psychological well-being. Once envisioned as a means to connect communities and amplify self-expression, these platforms are now under scrutiny for their potential long-term impact on mental health—especially among adolescents.
During this critical stage of development, social interactions play a pivotal role in helping adolescents shape identity, influencing their sense of self and belonging. This …
Language is the architecture of our perception. It impacts the way we experience ourselves in relation to others, the moments that make up our daily lives, and why we emphasize one input while ignoring others. I first learned this in a linguistics course that explored the difference between, for example, “I dropped the book” in one language versus “the book fell from me” in another. This shows up in intimate …
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Psychiatrist Devina Maya Wadhwa discusses her article, “How abuse in health care is driving doctors out of medicine.” In this episode, Devina shares her experiences as a physician working in acute care …
For nearly two decades, I sat in meetings, listened to leadership discussions, and navigated the institutional maze of advocating for funding for physician wellness programs.
I saw the hesitation. The skepticism. The “we don’t have the budget for that” conversations.
And yet, I also saw what worked.
For the past five years, I’ve worked independently, designing high-impact, transformational wellness experiences for physicians. And I’ve helped hospital systems, …
Mid-step on the sky bridge, boarding my flight—the message lands. Raw. Desperate. A life breaking apart in real time:
“I’ve been in health care my entire life. Surgical services. Because I spoke up against wrongdoing, stood up for myself, I’m out of a job and can’t get a job anywhere now. I’m 60 now. I don’t know what to do. I’ve had a hard life, and I buried all …
An excerpt from Health Care Nation.
Of all the lessons learned from fighting a pandemic, none was more frightening or important than discovering how dependent the system is on how we treat our doctors, nurses, and frontline caregivers.
They were already in short supply, with burnout on the rise, when the pandemic hit. As multiple waves of COVID-19 variants washed over us, frontline health workers stepped in …
As physicians, we dedicate our lives to helping others. We spend years training to diagnose, treat, and care for patients with a dream of feeling valued and helpful. Then, one day we find ourselves feeling increasingly overwhelmed by administrative work, struggling to keep up with patient communication, and feeling disconnected from the people we set out to serve. The reality is that many of us are caught in a system …
I’m only sharing this story today to illustrate something about myself and my perspective on love: being expressive with it.
I am not discussing only romantic love here. I’m talking about the affection we have for so many individuals around us, including our parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coworkers, neighbors, pets, and even strangers.
Sometimes we fall in love with a random person’s actions, something they say, the way …
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A few years ago, I visited my brother and his family while I was still in school. I had run out of cash and needed to top up before starting our end-of-semester exams. My sister-in-law, a virtuous woman well-loved in our family, invited me to join her and my brother at the wedding of one of her close friends. As we were getting ready to leave, she pulled me aside …
How do I talk to my kid about ADHD?
You’re not alone. Your child’s pediatrician should be your first stop in this journey. As a neurospicy pediatric neurologist with an ADHD child, this is how I discuss this topic with my patients and their families.
The first thing I ask my patients is, “Are you trying harder?” Because that’s what we keep telling them to do—try harder! Every single child nods eagerly …
The definition of cognitive dissonance is a feeling of mental discomfort when one holds contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or values. As physicians navigate the complex waters of medical practice, the core philosophy of patient-centered care often clashes with external pressures imposed by a system that prioritizes profitability. This cognitive dissonance is considered a major factor in physician burnout.
While there are systemic factors that need to be addressed to resolve the growing …
As Doctors’ Day on March 30 approaches, we are reminded of the incredible impact physicians have on our lives. But there is something often overlooked—the emotional toll the profession takes. Physicians give so much of themselves, yet their emotional needs often go unrecognized. What if there were a simple, powerful way to remind them that their efforts matter?
Imagine the impact a heartfelt, handwritten note could have on a weary physician.
I …
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Physician advocate Kim Downey and family physician Todd Otten discuss their article, “Long-term impacts of physician suicide on patients and doctors.” In this engaging conversation, Kim shares her personal experiences with the …
Moving into the new year, I’m carrying forward the lessons that help me stay aligned with my goals and take meaningful action. But this time, I’m doing it differently. I’m moving with ease and flow. The years of stress and striving? That phase of my life is over, and I am fully embracing a new way of being.
How do I know?
Because stress does not serve me. …
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Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his KevinMD article, “The criminal enforcement of HIPAA.” In this episode, Muhamad delves into the escalating electronic breaches of protected health information and the lack of accountability for large organizations responsible for these violations. He highlights several high-profile cases where physicians …
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