Description
Our proposal for this session is two-fold: During the first part of the session we will introduce the discipline of Narrative Medicine (NM) and guide attendees through a traditional Narrative medicine workshop (the close-reading of a work of art followed by writing “in the shadow of the text”). After this demonstration, we will share our recent qualitative research project in which we facilitated a series of Narrative Medicine workshops for patients living with eating disorders at a residential treatment facility, and a parallel series for their providers. For attendees, the first part of the session will serve as a reference point for the substrate of our research project - the NM workshop. It provides a foundation from which attendees can better imagine the methodology and possible impact of the work we have conducted. A growing body of literature explores the intersection of eating disorders and identity formation – an entanglement that makes eating disorders particularly challenging to treat. Narrative Medicine, a discipline of the health humanities, can be a powerful tool in enhancing the care of eating disorders by helping patients expand their notion of self beyond that of someone who is ill. The pedagogy of the field is the Narrative Medicine workshop, which mobilizes the close-reading of works of art and reflective writing to improve our understanding of our own lived experiences (the Self) and that of other people (the Other). We were guided by 3 hypotheses: (1) how can NM help patients expand their notion of Self beyond their identity as someone with an eating disorder? (2) how can providers reorient themselves towards the changing Other as their patients adopt different forms of identities? (3) how can narrative medicine aid a patient-as-partner approach to treatment and recovery? We implemented two sets of workshop series in parallel. The first workshop series consisted of 6 1-hour sessions for patients at Carolina House, a residential eating disorder treatment center serving adults of all genders. The staff workshop series consisted of four optional, 1-hour sessions available to any staff member at Carolina House. For both patient and staff series, workshop themes were additive; they began at the level of the individual and bloomed outward. Sequentially, workshop themes included the following: blessings, defining the self, thrownness, being homed/un-homed within our bodies, kindness, and finally, possibility and triumph. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 4 patient and 3 staff participants. Transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Data was structured into 3 main themes which included the Phenomenology of Illness, Phenomenology of Change, and Orientation to Treatment. We conceptualize these 3 themes as different time stamps along a trajectory. Granularity of data will be shared, as well as implications for future eating disorder care and enhanced applications of Narrative Medicine.
Format
Recorded webinar.
This content was recorded during the APA 2023 Annual Meeting.
Learning Objectives
- To actively experience a reflective practice using a poem and writing prompt.
- To recognize how texts (stories, poems, photographs) can provide patients with narratives that allow for self-recognition and the challenge to imagine previously unconsidered future possibilities.
- To critically examine the complexity of living with an eating disorder, and the way in which this complexity serves as a barrier to treatment.
- To identify the use of narrative medicine as a tool in providing humanistic and patient-centered care, as well as an invitation towards allyship (collaborative care between patients and providers)
Target Audience
Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, Psychologists
Estimate Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1 hour
Program Start Date: May 1, 2025
Program End Date: May 1, 2028
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Instructors
- Laila Knio, MD
- Harini Sridhar, MS
Planners
- Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance