Road to Resilience

After a yearlong hiatus, Road to Resilience returns with a new producer and host. Stephen Calabria is the Director of Podcasting for the Mount Sinai Health System. He comes with a background in print and TV journalism, as well as years of experience in podcast hosting and producing. On this relaunch episode of Road to Resilience, Stephen explores where the show has been in the past several years – and where he and Mount Sinai look to take it from here.  Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit.   Get Road to Resilience and other Mount Sinai podcasts in your inbox.   Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:  Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2Kt Spotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVY Google Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5Ag Stitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQ Pocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6A YouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMh Recorded at the Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Music by Blue Dot Sessions 

Road to Resilience host and producer Jon Earle signs off with a few reflections from listeners on the past 75 episodes.Stay subscribed for future updates about the podcast.

After more than 400,000 downloads, Road to Resillience host and producer Jon Earle is saying goodbye. For his final episode, we would like to feature you! We want to hear about your favorite guest, episode, or resilience insight. What's one thing you have you learned from the podcast that has helped you to be more resilient?Share your thoughts in a brief (~30 sec) voicemail to (315) 677-1464  (preferred) or email us at podcasts@mountsinai.org. Deadline: Thurs., Feb 10 @ 11:59PM EasternPlease include:Your first nameWhere you're calling/writing fromOne thing you learned from Road to ResiliencePlease note that by submitting a voicemail or email, you're agreeing to have your voice and/or words appear on the podcast, including in edited form. Also keep in mind that while we hugely appreciate every message, we won't be able to include all of them in the episode.Thank you all so much!

Mariana Figueiro, PhD, is director of the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She studies how to use light to improve human health, including for patients with Alzheimer's, cancer, and Parkinson's. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Figueiro explains how to use light to sleep better and feel more alert during the day, including tips on digital device use. She also has specific advice for shift workers.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit.Get Road to Resilience in your inbox.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMhRecorded at the Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMusic by Blue Dot Sessions

Rev. Audrey A. Williamson of Harlem's historic Mother AME Zion Church estimates that up to 15 percent of her congregation succumbed to COVID-19, a burden of grief that weighs heavily on the community. Eager to help, Rev. Williamson recently teamed up with Mount Sinai's Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth to facilitate a series of workshops aimed at helping parishioners process grief and build resilience. On Road to Resilience, she shares thoughts on facing fear, sustaining community, and persisting through adversity.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit.Get Road to Resilience in your inbox.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMhRecorded at the Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMusic by Blue Dot Sessions

A conversation between Rachel Yehuda, PhD, Director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Bessel van der Kolk, MD, President of the Trauma Research Foundation and author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller The Body Keeps the Score. Recorded over Zoom on Nov. 18, 2021 as part of the MINDSET lecture series hosted by the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit.Get Road to Resilience in your inbox.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMhTheme music by Blue Dot SessionsVoiceover recorded at the Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Sarrah Strimel Bentley has been singing and dancing since she was three years old. “I would spend hours putting on one-woman shows,” she recalls. “I think we all knew pretty early on what I was destined to do.” Sarrah went on to appear in The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and other Broadway shows. Now a yoga instructor, Sarrah faced the greatest challenge of her life this past year—an aggressive breast cancer that called for an equally aggressive treatment regiment. On Road to Resilience, Sarrah talks about harnessing her experience as a yogi and performer to weather the storm, including by “joy-mining” and staying connected to her body.Sarrah Strimel Bentley is the creator and founder of Damn Good Yoga.Links:Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer InstituteSarrah's InstagramDamn Good YogaRoad to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit.Get Road to Resilience in your inboxListen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMhMusic by Blue Dot Sessions

A ballet dancer's life spirals out of control—to addiction, homelessness, and prison. But with the help of somebody who's walked the road before, he's finding his way home.Iris Bowen is a social worker at the Coming Home Program at Mount Sinai Morningside, which provides re-entry support to people returning from incarceration.Dino Rivera is a patient at the program. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.The Coming Home Program is part of the Mount Sinai Institute for Advanced Medicine.https://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/iam

There's no shortage of tools in the resilience toolkit, and yet resilience remains something of a mystery. We still don't fully understand why some people respond to challenging situations with resilience, or exactly how to prepare for hardship. In his new book, The End of Trauma, resilience researcher George Bonanno, PhD, argues that flexibility is the missing piece. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Bonanno explains how an adaptive response allows us to use the resilience toolkit to maximum effect.George Bonanno, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University.Links:Dr. Bonanno's official bioThe End of TraumaMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiRoad to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.Get Road to Resilience in your inboxListen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMh

On the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, psychiatrist Sandra Lowe, MD, talks about what she's learned about trauma and resilience from treating responders. Her answers have implications for COVID-19 and beyond. Dr. Lowe is Medical Director at the World Trade Center Mental Health Program Clinical Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai.Links:World Trade Center Health Program at Mount SinaiMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of MedicineFor photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtrRoad to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.Get Road to Resilience in your inboxListen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMh

Jordyn Feingold, MD, MSCR, MAPP, shares three evidenced-based techniques for harnessing the power of the positive in bleak times. Dr. Feingold is a PGY1 in psychiatry at Mount Sinai, working on research and interventions aimed at promoting the well-being of medical students, residents, and physicians.A version of this episode originally aired in June 2020. (Click here to view.)The Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of MedicineMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthCharacter Strengths SurveyPositive Medicine (a program designed to help physicians live better)Follow Dr. Feingold on TwitterGet Road to Resilience in your inboxFor photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtrRoad to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMh

Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, is impossible to pigeonhole. She's a licensed psychologist, a professor, an ordained minister, a poet, a dancer, a podcaster, and more. And in each of these roles, she brings a message of relief and empowerment, especially to marginalized persons. A trauma survivor and specialist, "Dr. Thema," as she's known,  helped pioneer the field of racial trauma and healing. In this conversation, Dr. Thema shares pearls of wisdom from her deep knowledge of science, faith, and art.Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab at Pepperdine University.Links:Dr. Thema's official bioDr. Thema's websiteFollow Dr. Thema on InstagramMount Sinai Task Force to Address RacismFor photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtrRoad to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMh

An alarming number of Americans are lonely. Recent estimates range from 22 percent to as high as 61 percent, and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic made "social distancing" a household term. According to Louise Hawkley, PhD, an expert on loneliness and social isolation, the loneliness "epidemic" has serious consequences for our health as individuals and as a society. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Hawkley explains what happens when our hardwired social "hunger" isn't satisfied, and how loneliness can become a vicious cycle. Plus, she weighs in on the role of social media and offers advice on breaking pandemic-related social isolation.Dr. Hawkley is a Senior Research Scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago.For photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtrRoad to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what's possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6AYouTube http://bit.ly/2RH5ZMh

Guest: James Murrough, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Director of the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Anu's story begins with a pulse. She's 12 years old, holding her grandmother's wrist, feeling the heartbeat's rhythm—bounding or thready, slow or fast. “I was so taken by how much you could learn from touching someone, feeling the rhythm of their life, literally,” she recalls. Now a cardiologist at Mount Sinai, Anu Lala, MD, cares for patients with heart failure. Her work often places her at the border between life and death, which has challenged her to think deeply about questions both clinical and spiritual. In this conversation, Dr. Lala reflects on what she's learned about uncertainty, healing, purpose, and what it means to live a good life.Anuradha Lala-Trindade, MD, is Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), and Population Health Science and Policy at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also Deputy Editor of the Journal of Cardiac Failure.Links:Mount Sinai HeartHeart Failure and Transplantation at Mount Sinai Heart Journal of Cardiac FailureFollow Dr. Lala on Twitter

Is it better to be self-critical or self-compassionate? Until 20 years ago, when Kristin Neff, PhD, began pioneering the empirical study of self-compassion, most high-achievers would likely have answered “self-critical.” Indeed, being hard on yourself can seem like the path to success. But Dr. Neff's research has shown that self-compassion is actually the surer and healthier road. In this interview, Dr. Neff explains what self-compassion really means—hint: it's not for the faint of heart—and how it supports mental health. She also describes “fierce” self-compassion, in which kindness toward ourselves becomes a force for change in the world. Kristin Neff, PhD, is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her new book is Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive.Links:Self-Compassion.orgThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth

Like exercise and nutrition, sleep is central to good health. And yet, so many of us—Road to Resilience producers included—don’t get enough high-quality sleep. So we called sleep expert Rafael Pelayo, MD, for advice. Dr. Pelayo is the author of “How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping through the Night." In this episode, he explains how sleep keeps us resilient and offers science-backed tips that go beyond “sleep hygiene.” We also talk about Ancient Egyptian dream chambers, dreaming robots, napping, mattresses, and more!Rafael Pelayo, MD, is a Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine.Links:The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep CenterDr. Pelayo’s official bio“How to Sleep” by Dr. Rafael Pelayo

Sociologist Monika Ardelt, PhD, has spent her career studying an ideal that’s as universal as it is elusive: wisdom. And like many wisdom researchers, she’s concluded that we don’t necessarily become wiser as we age. Many people even become less wise. It’s a troubling thought, not only because wisdom is associated with resilience and life satisfaction, but also because if we’re not becoming wiser, what exactly are we becoming? In this interview, Dr. Ardelt talks about why wisdom matters and offers thoughts on how to cultivate it, including in moments of adversity.Monika Ardelt, PhD, is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida.Links:Dr. Ardelt’s official bioThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth

We’re in the midst of a fertility crisis. Worldwide fertility has dropped more than 50 percent in the past 50 years, and the decline shows no sign of slowing. Shanna H. Swan, PhD, a leading environmental and reproductive epidemiologist, has spent more than two decades studying the impact of environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals on reproductive tract development and neurodevelopment. In this episode, she explains how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates and BPA, are harming fertility and endangering the future of the human race. It’s scary stuff, but it’s too important to ignore. And, as Dr. Swan explains, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves and our children.Shanna H. Swan, PhD, is a Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her new book is called “Count Down."Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.Links“Count Down” by Shanna H. Swan, PhD Resources for reducing your chemical exposure The Institute for Exposomic Research (Mount Sinai) Children's Environmental Health Center (Mount Sinai)

If you're WEIRD—Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic—chances are you aren't getting enough exercise. And it's not because you're bad or lazy; it's because you're normal. On this episode, Harvard paleoanthropologist Daniel E. Lieberman, PhD, explains how evolution designed humans to avoid unnecessary physical activity, i.e. "exercise" in the Western sense. In his new book, "Exercised," he busts 10 common myths about sleep, sitting, and physical activity, using the latest scientific research. If you've ever wondered whether sitting is the new smoking, or if you're getting enough sleep or exercising enough—this episode is for you.Dr. Lieberman is the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University.Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.Links:"Exercised" by Daniel E. Lieberman, PhDMount Sinai Orthopedics Division of Sports MedicineRehabilitation and Human Performance at Mount SinaiSports Medicine Fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Ted Bunch is co-founder of A Call to Men, an organization dedicated to preventing violence against women and promoting healthy manhood. Mr. Bunch is also co-author of "The Book of Dares," which contains 100 challenges for boys based on the work of A Call to Men.Links:A Call to Men"The Book of Dares"Mount Sinai Parenting Center

Author, speaker and podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares tips for conquering fear and making good trouble. “Facing fear is absolutely a muscle,” Ms. Ajayi Jones says. “Being courageous is literally a moment-by-moment decision.” Her new book is "Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual."Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.Links:"Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual"Mount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthOffice of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Yvette Calderon, MD, MS, understands why vaccine hesitancy remains stubbornly high in communities of color. Growing up in New York City’s projects, she heard stories of forced sterilization in Puerto Rico and saw the medical system put other families first. Now Dr. Calderon finds herself on the flip side of the coin, trying to persuade reluctant colleagues and community members to take the COVID-19 vaccines. With the United States passing 500,000 pandemic deaths, including her father, Dr. Calderon argues that the vaccines are key to our resilience and shares advice for meeting hesitancy with compassion, enthusiasm, and science. Dr. Calderon is Chair of Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.Also in this episode: Justine Sarkodie, 17, talks about how COVID-19 transformed her West Bronx community and what she's learned about neighbors' attitudes toward the vaccines. Ms. Sarkodie is a senior at the High School for Health Professions and Human Services.LinksYvette Calderon, MS, MD official bioCOVID-19 Vaccination Information and ResourcesJustine's survey on vaccination hesitancy (for New York City residents)Road to Resilience listener survey"COVID Vaccination in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Individuals" (Dr. Calderon refers to this YouTube video)Mount Sinai Beth Israel Emergency DepartmentMount Sinai Office for Diversity and InclusionHigh School for Health Professions and Human Services (HPHS)

Sharon Salzberg was one of the first to bring meditation and mindfulness into mainstream American culture beginning in the 1970s. She's a co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of eleven books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness. Her podcast The Metta Hour, features interviews with leaders in the mindfulness movement. She recently released “Care for Caregivers,” a series of eight guided meditations aimed at helping caregivers build resilience, available online and on a dedicated app. In this interview, she explains what mindfulness is and isn’t, and lays out how it can help caregivers become more resilient.Take our listener survey to help us bring you more resilience insights!LinksCare for Caregivers (mindfulness-based resilience techniques)Care for Caregivers smartphone appMount Sinai CalmOffice of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth

Rachel Yehuda, PhD, has been at the forefront of trauma research and treatment for three decades. Her pioneering work with populations including military veterans and Holocaust survivors has illuminated the biology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite scientific advances, PTSD remains difficult to treat. Even “gold standard” cognitive-behavior approaches are ineffective for too many patients. In this interview, Dr. Yehuda talks about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and describes her journey from skeptic to advocate for more research.Dr. Yehuda is Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and Director of The Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also the Vice Chair for Veterans Affairs in the Department of Psychiatry as well as Director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division. LinksThe Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research (http://bit.ly/3nOhWgN)Yehuda Lab (http://bit.ly/38BV7Xj)Five Things to Know About MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD (http://bit.ly/37SoeXh)Mithoefer, M.C., Feduccia, A.A., Jerome, L. et al. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: study design and rationale for phase 3 trials based on pooled analysis of six phase 2 randomized controlled trials. Psychopharmacology 236, 2735–2745 (2019). (https://bit.ly/3rHu5Xk)

When COVID-19 hit back in March, Brendan Carr, MD, MS, was the first person we turned to. He oversees emergency rooms at Mount Sinai's eight hospitals. And when we spoke, Dr. Carr was in battle-mode, facing a poorly understood virus that threatened to overwhelm the U.S. health care system. Nine months later, in the midst of a third wave and with vaccinations underway, we asked Dr. Carr for his reflections on fighting a once-in-a-century pandemic.Dr. Carr is System Chair of Emergency Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. Full bioGet the latest on COVID-19 vaccines:https://www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19/vaccine-informationCOVID-19 Facts and Resources:https://www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19If you're enjoying Road to Resilience, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps new listeners discover the show. Thanks!Sign up for our monthly newsletter.Learn more about the podcast on our homepage.Feedback and guest suggestions welcome! Email us at podcasts@mountsinai.orgRoad to Resilience is a proud production of the Mount Sinai Health System.

With COVID-19 vaccines providing light at the end of the tunnel, we catch up with ICU nurse Jessica Montanaro, MSN, RN, nine months after our first interview to find out how she's doing, what she's learned this year, and how she and her team are fighting the pandemic's third wave. Ms. Montanaro is Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator, Medical Surgical Trauma ICU at Mount Sinai Morningside.Get the latest on COVID-19 vaccineshttps://www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19/vaccine-informationCOVID-19 Facts and Resourceshttps://www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19Mount Sinai Morningside: https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/morningsideIf you're enjoying Road to Resilience, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps new listeners discover the show. Thanks!Sign up for our monthly newsletter.Learn more about the podcast on our homepage.Feedback and guest suggestions welcome! Email us at podcasts@mountsinai.orgRoad to Resilience is a proud production of the Mount Sinai Health System.

The real story of how medicine moves forward, one smart person at a time. A new podcast from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast app.https://realsmartpeople.buzzsprout.comIf you're enjoying Road to Resilience, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for our monthly newsletter.Learn more about Road to Resilience on our website.Feedback and guest suggestions welcome! Email us at podcasts@mountsinai.orgRoad to Resilience is a proud production of the Mount Sinai Health System.

How can Ancient Greek tragedies help communities build resilience in the face of stress and trauma? Since 2009, Theater of War Productions has used this “ancient technology” to break cultures of silence and spark cathartic conversations. They've performed for soldiers, prison guards, front-line health workers, and many other audiences. In this interview, artistic director Bryan Doerries explains how each performance, which consists of a reading by A-list actors followed by a candid audience discussion, can open a door to healing.Free Tickets to Theater of War for Frontline Medical Providers: Mount SinaiThurs. Nov. 19, 2020 @ 7pm Eastern (on Zoom)https://www.eventbrite.com/e/theater-of-war-for-frontline-medical-providers-mount-sinai-tickets-126575206851?aff=erelexpmltTheater of War Productionshttps://theaterofwar.comIf you're enjoying Road to Resilience, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps new listeners discover the show. Thanks!Sign up for our monthly newsletter.Learn more about the podcast on our homepage.Feedback and guest suggestions welcome! Email us at podcasts@mountsinai.orgRoad to Resilience is a proud production of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Over the past few months, physician assistants (PAs) at Mount Sinai have been engaged in a lively discussion about resilience. Their goal: To process their COVID-19 experience together and share strategies for managing feelings of stress, grief, and even guilt. In this episode, two PAs and a clinical social worker talk about why they joined the 11-week resilience workshop and what they’ve learned. Whether or not you’re a healthcare worker, there’s plenty of food for thought here.Links:Mount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthThe Office of Well-Being and ResilienceWell-Being ToolkitDepartment of PsychiatryNYC WELL“Psychological distress, coping behaviors, and preferences for support among New York healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic" (article)If you're enjoying Road to Resilience, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps new listeners discover the show. Thanks!Sign up for our monthly newsletter.Learn more about the podcast on our homepage.Feedback and guest suggestions welcome! Email us at podcasts@mountsinai.orgRoad to Resilience is a proud production of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Tanya Bhatia has had breast cancer for much of her adult life. Her first diagnosis, at age 23, took her by surprise and left her isolated and depressed. “I never wanted to have that experience again,” she recalls. So when her second diagnosis came, she chose to handle it differently. “I’m going to live my life, and I’ll just add chemo to my routine.” Now 33 years old and battling metastatic, triple-negative breast cancer, Tanya shares how she manages the “routine” of living with a life-threatening illness. It’s a fascinating conversation about coexisting with the knowledge that life is fragile and unpredictable.

It was a dark and stormy night … Judith Hunt, 80, slipped and fell rushing down a dark hallway. She wound up in the hospital with a broken hip. It was the beginning of a medical odyssey that would include heart surgery, bowel surgery, and a brush with COVID-19. In this episode, Judith talks about facing death with grit and gallows humor, and the small moments that made her recovery possible.Links: David A. Forsh, MD (Judith’s orthopedic surgeon)Malcolm Reid, MD, (Judith’s rehabilitation doctor)Yamilette Burgos-Quinones, MD (Judith’s rehabilitation doctor)Gabriele Di Luozzo, MD (Judith’s cardiologist)ABC 7 Story on Judith

As a teenager, figure skater Gracie Gold won two US National titles and an Olympic bronze medal. But then depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder forced her to withdraw from competition and seek treatment.In this interview, Gracie talks about the pitfalls of pursuing Olympic glory, and how the same qualities that made her an elite athlete also made it hard to spot red flags. “I will just keep going in a way that's admirable until it's destructive,” she says. After a life-threatening mental health crisis in 2017, Gold learned to reject toxic positivity and take a more balanced approach to life. As for her goal of competing in the 2022 Olympics, she says, “This time it's not the fear of failure driving me. It's the pursuit of excellence.”From the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games, to social isolation and anxiety, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on elite athletes’ mental health. A recent HBO documentary film, “The Weight of Gold,” spotlights those struggles and features interviews with Gracie Gold, Michael Phelps, Lolo Jones, and other Olympians.Links: "The Weight of Gold" (HBO Sports Documentary) Behavioral Health at Mount SinaiAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionCrisis Text LineThe National Alliance On Mental Illness

Machismo almost killed Neil Carroll. Growing up in the Bronx in the 1970s, he was taught that when bad things happen, real men suck it up. So after experiencing trauma in the Air Force, instead of looking for help, Neil turned to drugs and alcohol. “I had all the wrong coping mechanisms,” he recalls. Then came 9/11 and a host of new challenges, including cancer. To survive, Neil would have to rethink what it means to be a man.Links World Trade Center (WTC) Health ProgramMount Sinai Selikoff Centers for Occupational HealthUmut Sarpel, MD (Neil’s Surgical Oncologist)Federal WTC Health ProgramFealGood Foundation

Autism has always been a part of Alison Singer’s life. When she was a little girl in the 1970s, she would visit her older brother, who has non-verbal autism with a cognitive disability, at the now-infamous Willowbrook State School on Staten Island. “I just remember hearing a lot of screaming and moaning,” she recalls. “I hated it.” By the time Alison’s first daughter, Jodie, was born with severe disabilities in the late 1990s, society and autism science had evolved, thanks to parent-activists like Alison’s mother. But there was still so much work to be done. Alison quickly became an advocate in her own right. In 2009, she co-founded the Autism Science Foundation, which funds autism research. In this interview, Alison is joined by her daughter, Lauren, an undergraduate at Yale University, who has also devoted herself to improving our understanding of autism and designing interventions to help people with autism thrive. Together, they reflect on their family’s story, including how they’ve turned love and adversity into advocacy, and what they’ve learned along the way.Links: The Seaver Autism Center for Research & Treatment at Mount Sinai 24th Annual Advances in Autism Conference (Sept. 17, 2020)Alexander Kolevzon, MD (Jodie’s doctor)Autism Science Foundation

In late March, while coronavirus cases surged in New York City, Shahonna Anderson, 40, was diagnosed with stage three cancer. She’d already had an orange-sized tumor removed from her chest, and now she faced daily radiation and two cycles of chemotherapy at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai. “After five minutes of crying, I said, ‘Alright, we gotta do what we gotta do. So let’s go!’” she recalls. A born optimist, Ms. Anderson found herself pushed to the limit. To beat cancer, she would have to rely on friends and family like never before—even when asking for help was uncomfortable. In this interview, she talks about how that and learning to accept chemo’s impact on her body helped her become cancer-free. LinksDong-Seok Daniel Lee, MD (Shahonna’s surgeon) Deborah B. Doroshow, MD, PhD (Shahonna’s oncologist) Kenneth Rosenzweig, MD (Shahonna’s radiation oncologist)The Tisch Cancer InstituteCancer Care at Mount SinaiEnsuring a Safe Mount Sinai

After the most destructive earthquake in a century struck Puerto Rico on Jan. 7, Hansel Arroyo, MD, and Lyse Aybar, LCSW, joined a team of mental health workers headed for the island. With the ground still trembling, they went door to door, listening to survivors' stories and providing mental health assistance. In this interview, recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Arroyo and Ms. Aybar share strategies they used to boost survivors' resilience and reflected on how communities respond to natural disasters.Links Behavioral Health at Mount Sinai Emergency Behavioral Health ServicesThe Puerto Rico Administration of Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services

Neuroscientist Daniela Schiller, PhD, grew up in the shadow of the Holocaust. Her father was a survivor, but he refused to talk about his experiences. Propelled by his silence, Dr. Schiller became an expert on how the brain stores fear memories. In 2010, she published a landmark paper in Nature that shed light on a neurological process called “reconsolidation,” in which memories become subject to change when they are recalled. In recent years, she has explored the power of imagination and mindfulness to alter the intense emotions associated with painful memories. Her research may point the way to new treatments for a range of anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this interview she talks about how learning to see memories as malleable is liberating and about how her research changed her understanding of her father.Links:Schiller Laboratory Friedman Brain InstituteNash Family Department of NeuroscienceISMMS Department of Psychiatry

Lynne Richardson, MD, wanted to become a doctor ever since she was a kid. But society has other ideas for a black girl born in Harlem in the 1950s. "I remember the first time I told my family physician. He said, 'Don't be ridiculous. You'll get married and have children,'" she recalls. Dr. Richardson went on to become an emergency medicine physician and renowned health equity researcher. On this episode, she talks about how rewriting society's "script" helped her build resilience, and explains why she's hopeful that COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement will lead to progress on health care inequities. Dr. Richardson is co-Director of the Institute for Health Equity Research, Professor, Emergency Medicine, and Population Health Science and Policy, and Vice Chair for Academic, Research, and Community Programs, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai This episode also features Ernest J. Barthelemy, MD, MA, MPH, Chief Resident, Department of Neurosurgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Links:Institute for Health Equity Research at Mount SinaiUnited In Solidarity at the Mount Sinai Health SystemAnti-racism resources Mount Sinai’s Office for Diversity & InclusionDr. Richardson’s FemInEM lectureGet Road to Resilience in your inbox

Emergency physician Erik Blutinger, MD, was in his first year out of residency when the pandemic hit. As COVID-19 patients flooded Mount Sinai Queens, Dr. Blutinger strained to apply his training in an unprecedented situation, where split-second decisions had to be made with an evolving understanding of the virus. Two months after the virus peaked in New York City, and with the number of patients with COVID-19 at Mount Sinai Queens near zero, he reflects on what getting back to “normal” means for him and his patients.LinksErik Blutinger, MD (bio)Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai QueensFrom the Front-Lines: Video Diary of Dr. BlutingerMental Health & Psychosocial Support During COVID-19 (for Mount Sinai staff)Get Road to Resilience in your inbox

Jordyn Feingold, MAPP, shares three evidenced-based techniques for harnessing the power of the positive in bleak times. Jordyn is a Positive Psychology Practitioner and a Medical Student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.REVAMP: A Novel Approach to Well-Being in Medical SchoolPEERS ProgramThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience@REVAMP_CoV2 on InstagramREVAMP_CoV2 on Facebook Well-Being Staff Resources During COVID-19Character Strengths SurveyPositive Medicine, a program designed to help physicians live betterGet Road to Resilience in your inbox

When COVID-19 hit New York City, David Putrino, PhD, Director of Rehabilitation Innovation at the Mount Sinai Health System, converted his lab into recharge rooms for front-line healthcare workers. Informed by the latest research on the connection between natural environments and stress-reduction, Dr. Putrino and his team created multi-sensory experiences that can reduce stress in just 15 minutes. In this interview, Dr. Putrino talks about the science behind the recharge room and shares tips for creating relaxing spaces at home. Drawing on his work in high-performance sports, he also explains why resilience is best viewed as a social resource. “You may not be the most resilient person on the planet, but if you’re part of a highly resilient team, it elevates you,” Dr. Putrino says.The recharge rooms were conceived by Studio Elsewhere and the Abilities Research Center, part of the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, with support from The Office of Well-Being and Resilience.The immersive audio content in the recharge rooms was created by EMBC studio composer Jacob Marshall and violinist Tim Fain. Their music appears at the beginning of this episode. Follow @the_embc on Instagram and Facebook to hear more of their work.Links:A doctor visits the recharge rooms (YouTube)More about David Putrino, PhDAbilities Research Center at Mount SinaiDepartment of Rehabilitation & Human Performance at Mount SinaiThe Office of Well-Being & ResilienceStudio Elsewhere - Front-line Strong ReliefEMBC StudioCoronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & ResourcesWays to Help Get Road to Resilience in your inbox

Writer/producers Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani talk about navigating all the corona-feels. They're the husband-and-wife team behind the hit 2017 film The Big Sick, which was based on their real-life courtship. They're also the hosts of the podcast Staying In with Emily & Kumail, about the up's and down's of being stuck at home during the pandemic.Links:Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & ResourcesWays to Help Get Road to Resilience in your inbox Staying In with Emily & Kumail on Apple Podcasts

In honor of National Nurses Week, we asked eight nurses from across the Mount Sinai Health System to reflect on their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. They shared their triumphs, struggles, and thoughts on what it means to be a nurse. Links:Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & ResourcesWays to Help Get Road to Resilience in your inbox Voices featured: Valerie Burgos-Kneeland, RN at The Mount Sinai HospitalManuel Corpus, RN at The Mount Sinai HospitalHoda Farghaly, RN at Mount Sinai QueensClaudia Garcenot, MSN, RN, Interim Chief Nursing Officer, Mount Sinai BrooklynYasmina Garcia, RN at Mount Sinai WestMadeline Hernandez, RN at Mount Sinai MorningsideSimone Murray, RN at Mount Sinai MorningsideCasey Scott, RN at Mount Sinai Brooklyn

Hospital Chaplain Rev. David Fleenor draws on multi-denominational spiritual teachings to find comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic, including about the importance of rituals and making peace with an unknowable future. Rev. Fleenor is Director of Education at Mount Sinai's Center for Spirituality and Health.LinksCoronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & ResourcesWays to Help Mount Sinai’s Center for Spirituality and HealthGet Road to Resilience in your inbox

On March 1, David Reich, MD, received a phone call that would change the life of every New Yorker. The city’s first COVID-19 positive patient had been diagnosed, and they were at his hospital. Six weeks later, amid signs that New York’s pandemic is slowing, Dr. Reich reflects on the most challenging time of his career, and talks about the pandemic’s next phase. Dr. Reich is President and Chief Operating Officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital.Get Road to Resilience in your inbox: https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/road-resilience/subscribe-form The Mount Sinai Hospitalhttps://www.mountsinai.org/locations/mount-sinai Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & Resource https://www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19Ways to Helphttps://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirus/donations-supplies

Parenting was already hard enough. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you’re worried about being the best parent right now, or helping your kids cope, developmental psychologist Aliza Pressman, PhD, has reassuring advice for adjusting to the new reality. Dr. Pressman is co-founding Director of The Mount Sinai Parenting Center and host of the Raising Good Humans podcast. Her advice originally appeared on Mount Sinai’s COVID-19 information Facebook Live series. Special thanks to Chloe Politis and Justin Gunn.LinksDonate to Mount Sinai's COVID-19 EffortsCoronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & ResourcesThe Mount Sinai Parenting CenterDepartment of Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiDr. Pressman's Podcast – Raising Good Humans

What can former POWs, special forces instructors, and resilient civilians teach us about weathering a historic resilience challenge like the COVID-19 pandemic? To find out, we spoke with Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President of Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. Charney is helping lead Mount Sinai’s fight against the pandemic. But he’s also a world-leading expert on resilience. Dr. Charney is co-author of Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, the culmination of almost 20 years of research. In this interview, he describes strategies for weathering the challenge of a lifetime and bouncing back stronger than before.COVID-19 Updates from the Mount Sinai Health System https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirusDonate to Mount Sinai's COVID-19 Responsehttps://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirus/donations-supplies Dr. Charney's Ten-Step Prescription for Resilience (infographic)https://icahn.mssm.edu/files/ISMMS/Assets/About%20the%20School/Leadership/CRTV-3841-ICAHN_Charney_10StepPrescription_Resilience_Infographic_Nov_20.pdf

With more than 90 percent of Americans under stay-at-home orders, Deborah Marin, MD, Psychiatrist and Director of the Center for Spirituality and Health at the Mount Sinai Health System, offers tips for safeguarding your mental health while social distancing. One piece of advice: Build structure into your day. “I've substituted my babysitting hours with FaceTime twice a day. It's on my schedule at 7:45 in the morning and 5:30 p.m.” Dr. Marin says. Listen for more tips.Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates from the Mount Sinai Health System https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirusDonate to Mount Sinai's COVID-19 Efforts https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirus/donations-supplies Mount Sinai’s Center for Spirituality and Health: https://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/spiritual-care-and-educationSpiritual Care at Mount Sinai:https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/west/support/spiritual-care

ICU nurse Jessica Montanaro, MSN, RN, describes what it's like to treat COVID-19 patients, and explains how nurses in her unit are banding together to meet an unprecedented challenge. Ms. Montanaro is Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator, Medical Surgical Trauma ICU at Mount Sinai Morningside. Recorded on March 26, 2020.Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates from Mount Sinai:https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirusDonations & Supplies:https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirus/donations-supplies Mount Sinai Morningside: https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/morningside

As the number of coronavirus patients in New York City continues to climb, Brendan Carr, MD, Chair of Emergency Medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System, talks about the tough decisions he’s facing, and how he’s coping with enormous pressure to save lives.COVID-19 Facts and Resources from the Mount Sinai Health System:https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/coronavirus