Delaying Gratification: Serving the Whole by Denying the Parts
Choosing wholeness means trading the comfort of now for the strength of becoming—delayed gratification as the path to your fullest self.
Stay in Your Comfort Zone: A Story of Social Anxiety
The author describes a childhood marked by trauma and emotional abuse, which led to lifelong social anxiety and PTSD exacerbated by societal expectations and her father’s dismissal of her struggles. This ultimately led her to realize that healing required self-acceptance and prioritizing self-care over societal norms.
An open love letter to healthcare professionals
I express profound gratitude for 62 years of remarkable support from multi-disciplinary teams, urging healthcare workers to communicate clearly, involve patients in their care, learn from all experiences, and continue offering compassionate care that has been a vital source of hope and healing for me.
Shades of Life
Disclaimer: This article contains references to disturbing childhood experiences. Reader discretion is advised. Fear is a powerful emotion that shapes our behavior and can dictate the way that we live our lives. For those of us trapped in a cycle of fear, the pain can be relentless. I have lived with fear since early childhood, dodging its grasp and seeking a safer place. I am afraid to sleep, to be alone in my house, or to drive my car at night. My fear is deep-rooted in the memory I have of a night when I was young and robbed of … More
beating burnout through self-nourishment
Burnout. Compassion fatigue. Chronic work stress. Vicarious trauma. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Demoralization. Moral distress. Moral injury. Moral compromise. These are all less stigmatizing terms than Adjustment Disorder with depression and/or anxiety. BURNOUT: 1) Exhaustion 2) Mental/emotional detachment from our jobs which have become less rewarding 3) Poorer work performance; “This isn’t me”. 4) Cynical, irritable & judgmental trending 5) Erosion of the soul in those of us with ideals and conviction 6) Low personal autonomy/agency with high job stress 7) *Not necessarily individual failure so much as social & occupational injustice begging political solutions MORAL DISTRESS arises when … More
reflections from the underground, part 2
Addiction; Predator and Prey When an eagle seizes a salmon too heavy to carry yet its talons cannot release it, they both plummet. The predator becomes prey of the sea. My dearest friend lost her 39 year old son in this epidemic of poisonings with the contaminant Fentanyl. He was addicted to heroin; with compulsions, lack of control, negative consequences, tolerance leading to higher dosing and avoidance of brutal withdrawal symptoms. He often made use of rehab, recovering for years at a time; Narcotics Anonymous, clean needles and longer acting narcotics. Tragically he was not using pure medical heroin, or his own supply at … More
