About

Update, December 13, 2015

I launched this blog in April, 2015, inspired by a writing conference for healthcare professionals.  My goal was to explore practices in self-awareness and communication to help patients and physicians connect, for the benefit of all.  I meant to put the same flashlight in the hands of both parties, to help them find their way to each other through the dark forest of our healthcare system.  Since then, I realize that the physician-patient relationship is not necessarily unique or distinguishable from other relationships.  “How you do anything is how you do everything,” goes the saying.

Hereafter, I mean to broaden the scope of this blog.  I will include reflections and conversations on relationships of all kinds, in an effort to move us all toward healing connections, in and out of the medical arena.

Now that there is some content on the blog to scroll through, I aim to post twice a month, rather than every 10 days.

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you find something that resonates with you here.

 

April, 2015

I am a general internist in Chicago, Illinois, mother of two, almost native Coloradan, and Northwestern alum. I want to leave the world better for my having lived, by cultivating the best possible relationships between all who know me, and all whom I influence.

My premise: Patients and physicians have control over one thing above all else: our relationship with each other. Relationships live and die by communication. Barriers on the obstacle course of patient-physician communication loom large and formidable. Our system fails us over and again. And it falls to each of us, within the system, to find our way to connection and healing relationships.

In this blog, I explore practices: self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and communication, among others. I share stories from practice, friendship, marriage, parenting–life! Because all relationships impact us and teach us. Our relationships save us. And through these practices, with some laughs and Aha! moments along the way, we can save the physician-patient relationship.

Join me on this crazy, idealistic, fascinating journey!  Look for new posts on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of the month–I will do my best to keep up!

Please note, all content on this blog is my own, and does not represent the opinions or policies of my employer.

35 thoughts on “About”

  2. Very nice blog, Cathy. Refreshing to know that the healing spirit hasn’t been completely eroded by today’s business oriented health care environment. Your patients are lucky! Even the ones you don’t like! 🙂 Keep writing.

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  3. Thank Catherine, for endeavoring on the path of authentic relationships between doctors and patients (or maybe just between human beings with different needs?). I am sure you would love “Nonviolent Communication” by Marshall Rosenberg. I have found it an easy read, which had/has an enormous impact on my life, my self-connection, and my relationship with other people.

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  10. Dr Cheng, I ran across this article today and thought you might find it of interest. I hope you won’t mind that I am posting the link here as there does not seem to be any way to contact you directly posted on this site.

    The mention of Ramban, physician and philosopher from 1,000 years ago (as well as your own subject matter on this blog) is why I thought you might benefit from reading it.

    Degrees of Giving – Leading with Generosity
    http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_55.htm

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    • Thank you, Tim! I think I have read or heard of this ‘ladder’ before, and this piece brings together many themes I consider often.
      ” Most people want to find meaning in their jobs – they want to feel that they are a part of something bigger and something better. They want to know that what they do matters. A leader with a generous spirit understands this need, and connects the dots for people – the dots that help them see how the work they perform, no matter how small it may be in the scheme of things, has a bearing on the ultimate vision of the company.”
      I often ask patients to rate their overall work stress on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being very high. Then I ask them to rate their overall work meaning–how personally fulfilling their work feels to them–on the same scale. People can tolerate very high levels of stress if they also experience high meaning. And low stress does not make low meaning work more joyful. It’s the meaning that holds us up and keeps us going. 😊
      It’s interesting, though, that this author points to Jack Welch as a positive example of leadership. Simon Sinek, my newest hero, paints a different picture of Welch’s leadership style in his book, _Leaders Eat Last_. It follows his first book, _Start With Why_, which is now my second favorite book after _The Art of Possibility_ by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.
      It’s all connected!! Thank you for thinking of me, I am humbled. 😊 have a great week, Sir! 😁

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  11. Dr Cheng

    Nice to meet you. I’m glad to have come across your wonderful blog.
    And I would love to join you on this crazy, idealistic, fascinating journey!

    Have a great day!
    Arcane Owl

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  12. Thanks for liking one of my comments on network, Catherine, in turn also enabling my connect with your world of healing and relationships. I look forward to the privilege of being a fellow traveller in your explorations…best wishes…Raj.

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