You searched for Wellness - CLOSLER

September 8, 2020 | 1 min read

10 Ways to Cultivate Well-being During The Pandemic

It's important to make an effort to improve your sense of well-being to help prevent burnout, especially during the strain of the pandemic.

A safe takeout meal for residents and fellows to pick up.

January 13, 2021 | 1 min read

How to Support Your Learners During a Pandemic

Listening to your trainees is always the first step in prioritizing their well-being and mitigating burnout. This is especially important during challenging times.

December 13, 2023 | 1 min read

Micro-acts of joy

Focusing on your own wellness doesn’t take a lot of time. A simple practice like listing three things you’re grateful for each day can reduce burnout.

January 6, 2021 | 1 min read

5 Wellness Tips for 2021

By John Poehler

To mitigate burnout, prioritize sleep and gratitude.

March 3, 2018 | 2 min read

Six Steps to Make Wellness Work

Our well-being as physicians is an essential part of professionalism. If we aren't well, we can't provide the best care to our patients, who deserve our best.

July 30, 2024 | 3 min read

Unplug to recharge

By Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When I engaged in a personal digital detox, I noticed my ability to focus on patients improved. Two ideas to try are setting screen-time limits and establishing tech-free zones.

June 30, 2021 | 2 min read

Promoting Wellness Through Intergenerational Connections

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Bridging the generations can enhance emotional well-being for young and old. Encourage patients to reach out to older family members and neighbors!

March 24, 2020 | 1 min read

Exercising for Wellness During the Pandemic

By Erica Leonard, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

With the drastic changes to our lives due to COVID-19, we can still stay active. Exercise during this challenging time can help improve everyone's emotional well-being and physical health.

July 26, 2023 | 3 min read

Small Change = Big Impact

By Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ideally, healthcare professionals model healthy habits. In doing so, they can inspire others and influence the health of communities.

"Jazzed about teaching others? Volunteer for a few hours to teach K-12 students about medicine or science."

May 1, 2023 | 2 min read

Choose Your Own Adventure

When choosing and leading well-being initiatives, consider what would most meaningfully help you and your colleagues thrive.

The koru is a spiral shape based on the appearance of a new unfurling silver fern frond. It's an integral symbol in Māori art, carving and tattooing, where it symbolizes new life, growth, strength and peace. Photo by David Kopacz.

October 18, 2022 | 7 min read

A New Paradigm For Growth

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington, Lucinda Houghton, PhD

As with other traumas, burnout, viewed as an opportunity for personal and professional development, offers a way to expand ourselves as wholehearted healers.

February 26, 2020 | 2 min read

How to Process Emotions as a Team

By Peter Heikkinen, MDiv, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Excellent clinical teams support each other by reflecting on patient encounters and sharing their emotions.

November 25, 2024 | 2 min read

Minimizing the risks of teen social media use

By Sarah Radtke, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Prioritize open dialogue with patients about social media use, focusing on its impact on mental and emotional well-being.

September 19, 2023 | 3 min read

After Hours

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

To take care of themselves, their mentees, and their patients, academic clinicians should stop working routinely nights, weekends, and during vacations.

November 29, 2023 | 2 min read

Staying grounded in these times

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor, Neda Gould, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The news can feel overwhelming. To maintain a sense of well-being while staying informed, limit media consumption and find a mindfulness practice that works for you.

Dr. Wright's dog Lucy, out for a spring walk at the University of Virginia.

April 9, 2024 | 1 min read

Wagging tails and healing hearts

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor, Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

If you or your patients are thinking about getting a pet, full encouragement; life is better with animals around. Pets generally improve mental well-being by offering unconditional love, reducing stress, and providing a sense of purpose.

July 17, 2019 | <1 min read

Dr. Laura Hanyok: A CLOSLER Look

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

The care of your patients will suffer if you don't prioritize your own well-being.

March 26, 2025 | 1 min read

Calm minds in uncertain times

By Neda Gould, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The polarization of politics in 2025 is causing many to feel anxious. Healthcare professionals can prioritize patient and personal mental well-being by promoting and practicing mindful information consumption.

September 21, 2022 | 1 min read

Finding Passion, Purpose, and Meaning

By Carisa Parrish, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When experiencing burnout on the job, enjoying activities outside of work may lead to greater happiness and life satisfaction, until your passion for work returns.

April 4, 2019 | 3 min read

Top 10 Tips for Talking With Your Patients About Food

By Roxanne Sukol, MD, Cleveland Clinic

You are what you eat! Making the time to talk to your patients about food and nutrition can help them achieve lasting health.

October 25, 2021 | 1 min read

Helping Patients Practice Healthy Habits

By Sajida Chaudry, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Imagining a healthier lifestyle is the first step toward wellness. You can then help patients to make small changes to their daily routine.

March 26, 2020 | 2 min read

6 ways to stay calm in these uncertain times

By Neda Gould, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

It's normal to feel anxious during uncertain times. However, there are tools we can practice so that our anxieties don't overwhelm us. Remind yourself to come back to the present using a phrase such as "This moment is the only reality" or "One moment at a time."

"Planting The Seed of The Heart," by David Kopacz.

September 21, 2021 | 7 min read

How are you . . . really?

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

A helpful practice to connect and understand your patient is to ask, "How are you doing . . . really?” If they’re hesitant to respond, consider sharing something you’ve found stressful lately to open the conversation.

November 22, 2022 | 3 min read

Living Your Best Life

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

By understanding what a good life looks like for each patient, clinicians can move beyond merely treating diseases to helping people flourish.

May 19, 2022 | 2 min read

Recognizing Relapse

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The earlier that the return of psychiatric symptoms is detected, the more quickly a patient’s mental well-being can be restored.

July 22, 2020 | 4 min read

Virtue Ethics

By Awais Aftab, MD, Case Western Reserve University

Virtue ethics emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge and can help us to understand our patients in the context of the totality of their whole lives.

May 7, 2025 | 1 min read

Little things

Kind gestures, like routinely saying hello to all members of the healthcare team, can foster a sense of belonging that enhances collective well-being and promotes collaboration in caring for patients.

"Our medical training leaves us ill-equipped to manage feelings associated with this uncertainty, especially the shame that often accompanies a medical error."

April 15, 2021 | 3 min read

To Err is Human

By Linda Lee, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Being honest with patients about errors can help ease their pain and preserve the patient-clinician relationship.

The courtyard within the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts. Photograph by Flora Smyth Zahra.

November 26, 2019 | 7 min read

October Art Museum Challenge

By Flora Smyth Zahra, MA Clin Ed, DRestDent RCS, FHEA, Kings College London, Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Students appreciate the opportunity to engage with one another in the sanctuary of an art museum; the setting itself fosters well-being.

March 12, 2019 | 2 min read

Physician Burnout: The Pressure Continues to Grow

By Colin West, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic

Support for physician mental health must be made more widely available. We must remove the stigma associated with accessing this support.

January 4, 2023 | 2 min read

Intergenerational Connections

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We can benefit from relationships with those of different ages. Encourage patients to consider joining a community group with people from across generations.

December 8, 2021 | 2 min read

Hitting Home Runs in Healthcare

By Colin West, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic

Clinicians often struggle with errors and imposter syndrome. Just like in sports, coaching helps clinical performance and promotes well-being.

March 12, 2025 | 3 min read

5 tips to move forward after a challenging patient encounter

After a challenging patient encounter, prioritize mindful breathing and reflective reframing. This may help you give your best care to the next patient.

August 23, 2023 | 1 min read

Navigating the wait (archives, 2023)

By Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Accessing timely mental healthcare can be challenging. While waiting to see a mental health professional, lean on support networks and seek emergency care if needed.

May 15, 2024 | 2 min read

Removing barriers to physician mental health

Taking care of yourself by getting professional help when needed is essential to giving excellent patient care. You can also encourage coworkers to do the same.

March 24, 2022 | 3 min read

Life-Work Balance

By Deirdre Johnston, MBBCh, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

To mitigate burnout, remember the things that used to fascinate and inspire you before you became a clinician.

October 26, 2021 | 3 min read

What is The Scope of a Clinician’s Work?

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We must help our patients achieve a state where body, mind, and spirit are working as a whole. We can help them do more than survive. Let’s help them thrive!

October 1, 2024 | 2 min read

Supporting parents before they break

By Mackenzie Sommerhalder, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Many patients experience distress because of their role as parents and caregivers. It is a pediatrics “best practice” to screen parents and offer resources for mental health support.

December 22, 2021 | 3 min read

Coping with grief during the holidays

By Ankita Sagar, MD, Brooklyn, New York

Having experienced my cousin’s death before Christmas reminds me that December isn’t a joyous time for everyone. I encourage those struggling to connect with loved ones and limit substance use.

January 3, 2023 | 3 min read

Having fun can change your life

By Mike Rucker, PhD, Active Wellness

Lack of time and minimal control of your schedule can be significant sources of burnout. Discover simple ways to reclaim your time and integrate pleasurable experiences.

"Shamanic Vision." Original painting by the author. Copyright with the author.

April 2, 2020 | 4 min read

Staying Connected Inside and Out During the Pandemic

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Finding creative ways to connect to ourselves and to others is more important than ever in these days of social distancing.

"Sunflowers," Vincent van Gogh, 1889. Philadelphia Museum of Art.

May 2, 2019 | 4 min read

Grieving Unexpected Patient Outcomes

By Stacia Dearmin, MD, Akron Children\'s Hospital

Acknowledging and processing grief can bring healing to the clinician.

September 29, 2021 | 2 min read

Finding Your Way to Compassion Satisfaction

By Wilson Hurley, LCSW

Practicing strategies that renew compassion will allow you to care for patients more effectively.

Saint Brides Bay (Bae Sain Ffraid), Pembrokeshire, Wales, Author's Photo.

January 24, 2019 | 4 min read

Cultivating Caring

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Compassion begins with caring for ourselves and working to grow as full human beings. It is not just the lives of our patients that depend on us learning this component of caring, the quality of our own lives depend upon learning this as well.

Encourage parents to support their teens in connecting with friends safely.

April 8, 2021 | 3 min read

How to Support Teens’ Mental Health During The Pandemic

By Leslie Miller, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Now more than ever, it's critical for parents to check in with their teens on a regular basis. Encourage parents to ask their children directly how they’re doing and to validate that these are hard times.

Boundary Waters Wilderness, Minnesota.

October 3, 2022 | 4 min read

Setting Boundaries in Medicine

Key to mitigating burnout is managing expectations of yourself and others, while still fulfilling our duties to patients.

July 25, 2024 | 2 min read

Embracing awe

By Sean Goldy, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians should encourage patients to take time to notice things that may inspire awe. For patients, this may significantly reduce stress, improve well-being, and foster social connections.

Gardening creates an opportunity to take a mini-rest from the world, connect with nature, and experience the healing power of plants.

April 12, 2021 | 4 min read

Making the Most of Your Daily “Nervous Breakdown”

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

A century ago, a “nervous breakdown” was a socially acceptable way to just take a break and recharge. Now, it’s not. In order to refresh yourself and mitigate burnout, consider scheduling regular time off.

November 15, 2021 | 1 min read

Healthy Social Media Use

By Nicole Cifra, MD, MPH, University of Rochester

Talk with patients about their social media use. Remind them to limit screen time before bed in order to sleep well and stay healthy.

July 18, 2024 | 2 min read

The French secret

By Alisha Dziarski, MS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians might consider recommending interactive recreational activities to some patients rather than non-specific exercise guidelines. These endeavors provide exercise, community, and social interaction all in one.