When you feel something is missing in your life, consider your time in green spaces.
Find a park or a trail where traffic is replaced by wind, birdsong and water.
With the business of work & life, green spaces may seem like a luxury.
But time in nature is essential.
As a psychiatrist, I can affirm that living in a state of constant anxiety is exhausting.
In times of turmoil, I find the best antidote is turning our angst into action.
Help a neighbor.
Read a story to a child.
Find a way to touch people’s lives even from afar.
@acgme
remember: anxiety is exhausting. unease is exhausting. you may not be doing much, but feeling super tired about it. that's ok. let yourself be tired and get some rest. have an extra nap (or three). we need you for the long run. stay safe. stay healthy.
As a child psychiatrist, I work with kids who have limited social skills.
I ask if they get invited to hang out. Many tell me “no.”
Others say nobody came to their birthday. Even pre-COVID. This is 💔.
Please teach your kids to be kind.
Especially to the kids who sit alone.
Grateful to so many inspiring mentors for my promotion 🙏
I also acknowledge my responsibilities as a professor.
I must:
- Create a safer culture
- Open doors for diverse leaders
- Sponsor
#WomenInMedicine
#WomenInSTEM
#BIPOC
#HeForShe
- Listen & learn from my students
In case you’re feeling like your career is stalled in 2020, always remember that CV’s are an artificial measure of life.
Missing in promotion criteria are:
1. Time with loved ones
2. Spiritual health
3. Adventures
4. Self care
5. Laughter
Measure what really matters!
After 3 years of separation from my 102-year-old grandma, we were just reunited!
After gazing at my face for a long moment, her first words, “You’ve gained weight.”
Grandmas don’t hold back 😀 But that’s why we love them!
I was in med school.
The professor checked her pager and swore softly.
We wandered out of class to cluster around a tv.
People cried and walked aimlessly in grief.
18 years later, I’m a psychiatrist.
I try to help others through new
#trauma
.
#NeverForget
#WhereWereYou
My youngest asked, “When did you first have a friend?”
I was a shy kid, so I told him it took a while.
As a child psychiatrist, I know that many kids are lonely.
Teach kids to be kind. To talk to children who don’t have a place to sit at lunch. It can make a big difference.
I am often struck by the teens who are alone in the hospital after a suicide attempt.
When I come for a consult, they are often lying in bed with only a sitter in the room.
It is in those moments that I realize how hard the world can be.
Be kind every day. We all need it.
We were 2 doctors in Boston.
Expecting our 3rd child. But there was no heartbeat.
The OB/GYN told us the news.
She gave us time to grieve.
We will never forget that moment.
And now we teach doctors:
be good at your craft
be present
be a healer.
#ShareAStoryInOneTweet
We must address physician time spent on paperwork.
As this new
@Medscape
report shows, doctors are still averaging over 15 hours a week on paperwork including charting.
If we're serious about
#wellness
, we must free up our off duty time.
“So, when they closed the mental health institutions, they said they were going to put $ into the community.
But they didn’t.
Then they said there would be parity of mental health coverage.
But there wasn’t.
Now, we just send everyone to the ER.”
Beautiful quote.
Medicine is about relationships.
We are not mechanics. We’re not fixing a broken vehicle.
We are not soldiers. It’s not a war against disease.
We are humans. We must care and show it at every phase of illness.
Healing requires relationships.
@GoldFdtn
The highlight of the weekend was when my wife made Shanghai soup dumplings (Xiaolongbao).
Steaming hot and delicious!
Please share a moment of joy you had this weekend!
Social distancing can be challenging for older adults who are unable to see visitors due to
#COVID19
.
My 100 year old grandma was crying this week as my parents were unable to visit her nursing home since Sunday.
We must do what we can for the mental health of older adults.
As a father and a child psychiatrist, I know that fear leaves invisible scars.
I appreciate the allies willing to speak up to
#StopAsianHate
.
There have been attacks against young and old, and every time our loved ones feel less safe.
It is time for leaders to speak up.
If you want to be a
#mentalhealth
advocate, talk to your kids about kindness.
As a child psychiatrist, I hear about the emotional bruises.
Rumors. Bullying. Exclusion.
They leave deep wounds.
An act of kindness goes a long way.
Teach your kids to speak up for other kids.
Today we say farewell to my grandma whose 102 years were full of laughter.
I was touched by the team who cared for her the last 4 years.
They stopped by to share stories as she was on hospice. Small moments that meant a lot.
A reminder that healing comes from connection.
We received this box of delicious pastries from Shatila Bakery in Dearborn, Michigan, and it took me back to my med school days.
I still long for the amazing shawarma at Al-Ameer restaurant!
What is the one dish you would travel to eat when COVID ends?
Every time I'm on call as a child psychiatrist, I realize that some crises began weeks, months & years before my encounter.
Many kids do not have access to stable:
- Housing
- Families
- Safety
- Food
- Healthcare
We must work upstream in every neighborhood!
@AACAP
“Doctors are increasingly the scapegoats of systemic problems within the health care system,” Masood says, “because the patient is not seeing the insurance company that denied them the procedure, they’re not seeing the EMR that are taking all of our time.”
As a child psychiatrist and a parent of 4, here are some lessons I’ve learned:
1. Transparency - our rules are taped to the fridge
2. Apologies - should be role modeled by parents
3. Positive reinforcement - it works!
4. Humility - we all mess up :)
#parenting
@AACAP
Ok let’s be honest. How many of us are barely making it to the weekend every week?
Pandemic fatigue is real.
My best moment this week was sitting in a gazebo reading with my preschooler.
Build in a
#wellness
moment every day! And share it with friends.
Behind every incredible career is a pile of rejections.
When my roommates and I applied to med school, we hung our rejections on the wall to remove the sting.
When invited to speak, leaders should rewrite our bios to include our failures!
It could address
#impostersyndrome
.
This is the rejection letter for the work that just won the Nobel Prize. Don’t stop believing!
I should save all of mine and maybe one day some stranger will think it’s an amazing relic and tweet it...
All around the world, this is a year when we are rediscovering food traditions.
My wife made zongzi this week which are like “Chinese tamales” - sticky rice and sweet or savory fillings steamed in bamboo leaves.
Please share a food memory that is making 2020 bearable 😀
On this
#FathersDay19
, I want to thank all the dads who take the time to hug their kids & tell them they love them.
As a child psychiatrist, I talk to kids who have never heard these words.
Never underestimate the power of
#kindness
.
Every moment counts.
Teen depression is often manifest as irritability, not just sadness.
If your teen seems especially angry or sad for > 2 weeks, ask them what's on their mind.
It's ok to grieve the loss of normalcy.
But if they're spiraling, ask your PCP for help,
#ShareAFactNoOneAskedFor
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”
- Rachel Carson, marine biologist and conservationist.
Please share a photo of
#nature
🌿
As a child psychiatrist, I know that parents have a big influence on kids mental health.
1. Believe kids: I see many whose symptoms were denied for years
2. Get help: it affirms that this is a strength
How parents shape their children's mental health
Some of the best leaders I know are
#introverts
who have adapted extroverted skills to light up a room when needed.
The difference is we need to give them space to recharge after that reception, keynote or recruitment dinner 😀
To Get Ahead as an Introvert, Act Like an Extravert. It’s Not as Hard as You Think
Introverts who act like extraverts are viewed by others as having more leadership potential.
#personality
#psychology
#neuroscience
#science
Recently, I've been asking my patients at the end of each telehealth visit if they would like to return to live visits.
90% say "no thanks." The logistics of driving, parking, crowded waiting rooms, etc. is daunting even without COVID!
We must keep expand
#telehealth
.
We are so appreciative of the sponsors & mentors for our careers.
You’ve taught us about equity, mental health, advocacy and leadership.
We hope to pay it forward to the next generation 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Drs. Jennifer and Howard Liu to receive Life Savers Award
I have this quote on my office wall.
To me, it means being a mentor.
Being honest in feedback, even if uncomfortable.
Having integrity.
And not being afraid to bring your authenticity to work.
“Flowers are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Please take a moment to share a photo of something that made you smile this week!
#SundayMorning
As I’ve grown as a leader, I’ve come to realize that there are some doors which only open from the inside.
And highly qualified peers are left out.
We know diverse teams perform better. But culture requires action.
Inclusive leaders pry open doors & welcome a new generation.
People often ask if it’s depressing to work in psychiatry.
But it’s just the opposite.
When a person trusts you enough to share their inner world, they are doing one of the bravest things imaginable.
We must ensure that all people have access on
#WorldMentalHealthDay
.
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”
- Emilie Buchwald
As we make resolutions for
#NewYear2022
, there is something magical in reading with a child.
Please share a timeless book that still resonates today.
I still ❤️ Frog & Toad’s enduring friendship!
This has been a really hard academic year.
It’s been tough on students who have had uncertainty on their checklist every day.
It’s been exhausting for faculty who scrambled to do their best with limited resources.
In times of adversity, survival is a huge accomplishment.
#NotEveryoneKnowsThisBut
the strongest people I know struggle each day with mental health.
Their challenges are epic - but many find the grit to keep going.
And each new dawn is a victory.
Each step forward - a revelation.
If you seek courage - spend a day in their shoes.
This week is my grandma’s 101st birthday.
But unlike last year when the family celebrated, she is behind a locked door in a nursing home. We have not hugged her since March.
When we grow tired of COVID, think of all the families still separated each day & please
#MaskUp
!
As we wish our friends a happy
#Hanukkah
, I wanted to share a story. My 102-y.o. Chinese grandma passed away this year. In the last few years of her life, she was cared for in a Jewish nursing home. She was linguistically isolated - only spoke Chinese - and anxious. (1/3)
I keep this quote on my desk whenever I feel tired from advocacy.
Whether the cause is equity, gender bias, systemic racism, or mental health stigma, it still holds true.
“We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
-
@Malala
My preschooler needs to wear an eye patch.
We told him it was because he is a pirate.
Now, he wants to be called captain and wears a pirate hat around the house 😀
Every time we lose a colleague to suicide, we hear, “They were so successful. They seemed so happy.”
For many of us, it is difficult to share mental health struggles even with loved ones or close friends. Let alone colleagues.
Normalizing the conversation will save lives.
This year has been a big lesson in how my mental, emotional, and physical energy are all different buckets, and each task requires me to draw from them in different ways. And, while one bucket being full rarely spills over to fill the others, one being empty can drain the others.
A reminder of what mentoring is at its heart. When our mentee struggles, we need to be the first at their side offering support. The truth is that nearly everyone is operating at the edge of crisis right now.
When I was a clerkship director in psychiatry, I asked med students to attend *real* AA meetings.
Many were nervous, but almost universally they reported it was a profound and moving experience.
All training must honor the sanctity of the healing relationship.
@AAMCtoday
So a nursing school here has a “mock” AA meeting and apparently the students “dress up” as alcoholics.
Just saw a Facebook post with someone “dressed up” as a homeless person and making light of the entire situation and I just..... am really upset tbh that these are nurses
As a child psychiatrist, I have sat by the bedside of many kids and teens after a suicide attempt.
If you worry about a loved one:
Be kind.
Be authentic.
Be persistent.
Be understanding.
Our humanity is fragile, but it can save a life.
#WorldSuicidePreventionDay
Study of 79,000 adults without ❤️ disease found that:
-
#Bullying
increases risk of ❤️ disease by 59%
- Threats at work increases risk of ❤️ disease by 25%
Bottom line: an unhealthy work environment is bad for your health.
Culture counts!
@AAMCtoday
@DrAmithaMD
@acgme
“I experienced failure and learned to buck up, so I could rally those who put their trust in me
I suffered rejections and insults often enough to stop fearing them.
In other words, I grew up and got my sense of humor back.”
-
@BarackObama
on the learning curve of new leaders
“As physicians we often feel we are not enough ...
Our greatest gift is not, in fact, healing - because all healing is transient.
Our greatest gift is, in fact, to be absolutely present with suffering.”
-
@RanaAwdish
“In Shock”
"Women tend to experience burnout as emotional exhaustion.
Women in academia are behind while trying to meet research requirements while covering 70% of home duties.
As a result, the work day never ends."
-
@KimTempleton3
at
#UNMCPsychGR
on
#genderbias
for
#WomenInMedicine
My preschooler told me he set up his own computer today.
It is a defunct keyboard on a toy piano and he furrows his brow as he types away.
Clearly, the work from home thing is having downstream effects! 🤔
#mondaythoughts
#parenting
I
#HateToDisappointYouBut
mental health issues don’t go away when you underfund them.
They get worse.
We need leaders to fund mental health like cancer.
And ensure it’s not siloed.
That means integrated care in workplaces, prisons, primary care and schools.
@AAMCtoday
I’ve found that no matter how busy or tired I am, my resolve goes way up when I chat with a colleague with 🔥 passion.
Swimming upstream can be exhausting.
We all need a friend, colleague or mentor who shares a belief in a better world 🌎
When I need hope, I visit a bakery 😀
What is your local favorite? Please share a pic.
This is Wheatfields in Omaha - a breakfast and baking institution.
@abbygov
When I was in elementary school I was in a bookstore reading intently by the window.
So intently that when they closed the store & turned off the lights, I didn’t notice.
Until the flashing lights arrived & the police had to let me out.
Now, I still get lost in books! 😄
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery - air, mountains, trees, people.”
- Sylvia Plath
On
#ThankfulThursday
, a reminder to take a walk in nature for wellness and fresh air.
Please share a photo of a place that brought you peace this week.
My wife has been making bagels from scratch and they have been a celebration on
#SaturdayMorning
!
Nothing says ❤️ like food 😄
Share your favorite comfort food this fall!
“Wearing the markings of her ancestors shows people that there are no boundaries to Māori and where they can go."
Inclusion matters in leadership!
New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern appoints country's first Indigenous female foreign minister
“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.”
- Khalil Gibran
No matter the season, take a moment to visit your favorite tree.
They are a reminder that long winters have an end and that there is incredible strength in each of us.
Phase 1 - Curiosity
Phase 2 - Listening
Phase 3 - Connection
Phase 4 - Conversation
Phase 5 - Inspiration
Thanks to all the courageous
#advocates
,
#healthcare
providers and
#mentalhealth
consumers who have taught me more about life than any class.
#WhyIJoinedTwitter
Creativity comes from the intersection of fields.
If you are feeling stuck, time to pivot.
Travel. Diversify your team. Read new genres. Talk to people outside your field. Ask fresh questions. Set new goals.
Growth fuels resilience!
#SundayMotivation
My philosophy too.
A lot of colleagues didn’t understand why I chose:
1. Psychiatry
2. Nebraska
3. Workforce Development
4. Underserved communities
5. Advocacy
6. Equity
7. Social Media
8. Culture
The frontier is where you make an impact.
It takes imagination.
The best part of my week was receiving a
#HeForShe
mug from
@JulieSilverMD
!
It was an honor to partner on a paper on how
#WomenInMedicine
are documenting the gender pay gap
In 2021, we must close the pay and promotion gap for women and BIPOC faculty!
When we could visit again, the staff was a blessing. They shared funny stories, grouchy stories, etc. It wasn’t easy. But they made such a difference. We are so grateful to the Jewish community for caring for my grandma. For giving us the gift of time with her 🙏🏼
#HappyHannukah
I’ve read about the resurgence of wildlife during the pandemic.
In Omaha, the most exciting thing we’ve seen was a curious bunny.
My youngest leaves carrots outside.
Anyone else catch any good animal pics?
Proud of the
#Oscars
for recognizing a Korean language film as Best Picture!
I hope this win inspires Asian parents to encourage their kids to go into diverse careers outside of medicine 😄
“The ache for home lives in all of us.
The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”
- Maya Angelou
As you are sheltering in place, have you found a place that brings you peace?
Please share a picture.
Me: sitting in the grass with my preschooler.
One of my favorite things about parenting is the tiny bites made by young kids.
A reminder that we need to help our kids treasure the world one small moment at a time.
“I hope I can inspire other young women into the field. It’s a field that has so many pleasures, and if you are passionate about the science, there’s so much that can be done.”
- Andrea Ghez speaking at today’s press conference where her
#NobelPrize
in Physics was announced.
My daughter made lemon bars for
#MothersDay
, and it is a perfect occasion to thank so many amazing moms who have given so much this year!
As a child psychiatrist, I want to thank all the foster parents who are “mom” to kids who might be sad on days like this. Thanks for your ❤️