Living Breathing Medicine

Cecily and Natasha talk with Dr. Rachel Rubin about asking deeper questions, learning continuously, and breaking down stigmas-- all within Dr. Rubin's career in women's sexual health. Follow Dr. Rubin on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Read Dr. Rubin's blog Check out more of Dr. Rubin's media appearances here Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Dr. Denise Armellini of The Endocrine Center joins Natasha and Cecily to discuss why the three of them each changed their mode of practice. Transforming their practices into concierge medicine models has allowed them all to take more time with patients, as well as more time for themselves. Read The Endocrine Center's blog Follow The Endocrine Center on Facebook Follow Dr. Armellini on Instagram Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily talk with Robyn Brickel, psychotherapist and owner/clinical director of Brickel and Associates in Alexandria, Virginia. What is trauma-informed care? What would a "bottom-up" approach to treating trauma look like? And what happens when trauma triggers physical symptoms? Together, they further explore the mind-body connection and the importance in creating a safe environment when it comes to delivering quality care. Follow Robyn Brickel on Twitter and LinkedIn. Read Robyn's helpful blogs on her website Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily talk with physical therapist Fred Gilbert about treating patients with chronic pain. Is it possible to still live a full life while experiencing pain? What can we do to change our perspective of dealing with pain? Check out the AgeProof Your Body community from MovementX and Northern Virginia Family Practice Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily talk with Timothy Elliott, a licensed therapist and social worker in Arlington, Virginia. Timothy shares the story of one of his very first clients, who he's now worked with for many years. After a rough start to the relationship, a mishap with music led to Timothy and the client connecting in a much stronger way. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily welcome Dr. Maria Castillo-Catoni to the podcast– and to Northern Virginia Family Practice! Dr. Castillo shares the stories of two patients who defied the assumptions she first had when meeting them– ultimately teaching her how to consider her own implicit biases in patient interactions. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

What do you do when a patient with serious health issues doesn't want to take your recommendations? In this episode, Natasha and Cecily talk with Dr. Dara Lee Lewis, a cardiologist at Lown Cardiology Group near Boston, and faculty member at Harvard Medical School. She shares the story of a patient who doesn't want to accept standard treatment practices, and how the two of them work together to figure out a plan that will help the patient's quality of life. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Welcome to season 2 of Living Breathing Medicine! To kick off another season of honest conversations about the human side of medicine, Natasha and Cecily talk with Dr. Ira Marathe. Dr. Marathe is a family practice doctor in northern Virginia, who is board certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. She shares the story of working together with a new patient to learn how personal history influences behavioral decisions. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

For the final episode of Season 1, Cecily tells Natasha the story of a memorable patient she met with recently, and how that relationship has evolved over time. Thank you for listening to Living Breathing Medicine! We'll be back soon with more episodes. In the meantime, visit our website, and let us know who you'd like us to interview in the future. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Delivering bad news can be the hardest part of practicing medicine, and it's also likely to be one of the most important moments of a patient's life. Natasha and Cecily talk with Dr. Deb Brauer, a board certified gastroenterologist practicing in northern Virginia. Dr. Brauer shares the story of a patient to whom she had to deliver bad news, and how that experience has stuck with her throughout her career. She also talks about the decision to enter gastroenterology and the satisfaction the field brings her on a regular basis. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily talk with Dr. Suneetha Budampati, who calls herself a primary care doctor for pain management. Board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain management, Dr. Budampati shares her philosophies for getting patients invested in their own long-term health goals. Plus, she tells the story of one of her most memorable patients, who taught her about treating the whole person, instead of just a condition. Additional resources: Check out resources on pain management from the National Pain & Spine Centers Read more of Dr. Budampati's story here Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Cecily and Natasha speak with Christi Davenport, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner. Christi has extensive experience working with patients with mental health issues, and she also talks about how her time as a hospital nurse has made her a better nurse practitioner. Since this episode was recorded, Christi finished her certification in Psychiatric Mental Health at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She is starting her own practice in Alexandria, Virginia, called Affinity Health and Wellness. Additional resources: Read more about Somatic Symptom Disorder at the American Academy of Family Physicians' website Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Cecily speaks with Dr. Lee Blecher, a family medicine doctor at Fairfax Family Practice in Fairfax, Virginia. Dr. Blecher shares the importance of personal life experiences in caring for patients. As a part of teaching new doctors, Dr. Blecher demonstrates emotional honesty and vulnerability. Part of that lesson came from a difficult experience during his fellowship, in which a patient delivered a full-term stillborn infant. Content advisory: This conversation includes sensitive topics such as fetal demise, infant death, and miscarriage, which some listeners may find upsetting. Please use discretion, and keep yourself safe and grounded while listening. Additional resources: Read the full text of Dr. Blecher's essay, “The Butterfly and Me,” on our website A list of pregnancy loss resources from VCU Health Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily speak with Dr. Bob Sershon, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic in Arlington, Virginia. Dr. Sershon shares how the most challenging cases end up being the most fulfilling, his goals for training the next generation of surgeons, and the three principles he organizes his life around. Additional resources: Read more about the Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic Check out the Anderson Orthopaedic Adult Reconstruction Fellowship Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Natasha and Cecily speak with Dr. Viday Heffner, who works in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Children's Wisconsin, and is also the training director for the pediatric emergency medicine fellowship program. Dr. Heffner shares the story of a patient who taught her the importance of withholding judgment, as well as the lessons she's learned from and shared with her fellows. Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Cecily and Natasha speak with Dr. Ken Zweig, one of their colleagues at Northern Virginia Family Practice. Dr. Zweig focuses on sleep disorders, hypertension, and preventive care. In this episode, he shares the story of a patient who taught him the importance of empathy and of meeting people in their suffering. He also talks about his philosophy of care– that providing good medicine is about preventing future suffering. Resources: Dr. Zweig's blog, “An Ounce of Prevention” Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Cecily and Natasha speak with Dr. Kristin Forner, a palliative medicine physician based in southern Maryland. Dr. Forner started her job just two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. In this honest conversation, Dr. Forner shares her experiences dealing with the intense trauma of caring for patients during this time, the ways that trauma manifested in her body, and the work she's done to heal both body and soul. Resources: Dr. Forner's blog, Mending the Fractured Story “A plea for help from the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” by Dr. Forner on KevinMD.com The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Adversity, by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel Van Der Kolk Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.

Welcome to Living Breathing Medicine, a podcast exploring compassion and humanity in medicine. Join Dr. Cecily Havert and Dr. Natasha Beauvais for conversations with doctors and health care professionals as they share their unique experiences and dive deep into what motivates them each day. New episodes of Living Breathing Medicine come out every other Friday, wherever you get your podcasts.