Healthcare Provider Resilience and Well-Being – Understanding the Wounded Healer through Neuroscientific and Epigenetic Lens-View Presentation

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Dr. Darshan Mehta's presentation focuses on healthcare provider resilience and well-being through the lenses of neuroscience and epigenetics. Introduced by Dr. Madeline Becker, Mehta is an esteemed assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine.<br /><br />The talk addresses the concept of the "wounded healer," inspired by Carl Jung, emphasizing understanding one's suffering to help others. Mehta highlights the considerable issue of burnout among healthcare providers, outlining its symptoms, causes, and the overlap with clinical syndromes such as depression and stress. He presents alarming statistics, revealing that one physician dies by suicide daily in the U.S., correlating their burnout rates to those of veterans with PTSD.<br /><br />Mehta discusses resilience, outlining its neurobiological aspects and how individuals can adapt to stress. He introduces strategies for cultivating resilience, including fostering optimism, spiritual connection, and societal support. The presentation also touches upon systemic challenges in medical education, where students face high stress and lack support, impacting their mental health and coping skills.<br /><br />He shares personal insights and initiatives undertaken at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital, designed to nurture wellness among students and faculty. These include mindfulness programs, peer-to-peer coaching, and TED Talks to share personal stories and foster a supportive community.<br /><br />Dr. Mehta concludes with his personal narrative of loss and resilience. This story centers on finding meaning and joy even amidst grief, underscoring the importance of storytelling, belonging, and connection to a greater purpose. His overarching message emphasizes the critical need for integrated well-being practices within medical environments to support healthcare providers.

Keywords

healthcare provider resilience

neuroscience

epigenetics

wounded healer

burnout

resilience strategies

medical education challenges

mindfulness programs

peer-to-peer coaching

storytelling

integrated well-being

Harvard Medical School