The Integrative Palliative Podcast

Can you define cisgender? Transgender? Intersex? Gender non-conforming?Do you know the difference between sex and gender? Have you heard of a 'dead name?'Do you know why using "Sir" and "Ma'am" can cause you to be inadvertently hurtful to your patients? Providing gender affirming care is important but you may not have learned this in school. Join us this week for a primer in the basics of gender affirming healthcare.What did I miss? Reach out and let me know.DeliaDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww...

Sarah Freeman Smith is a blind inspirational speaker and author, former HR/recruiting leader and disability advocate. She went blind in midlife and in this week's episode of The Integrative Palliative Podcast she shares her journey, the tech that she uses to increase her independence, and guidance for physicians and clinicians to help their visually impaired patients.Rayban Meta smart glasses have been a game changer for her!Sara has many resources for the visually impaired and you can find t...

Many patients are embalmed or cremated after death, but this isn't the only option. Embalming and cremation have a negative impact on the environment, and other, more eco-friendly, options are becoming popular.Options such as green burials, human composting, and reef balls give people options for how to handle their loved one's body after death.Do you think that accepting, and even facilitating, decomposition of a body after death helps us engage in "circle of life" coping? Or are standard fu...

Many physicians, and other clinicians, are wiped out and burned out. They may wonder if they should stay in medicine, or if there is another path that would make them happier.Yet running away from unhappiness isn't a great strategy because sometimes the unhappiness follows you to your next destination. Dr. Heather Fork is a dermatologist and physician career coach who guides physicians to a career, and life, that makes them happy. Sometimes her clients decide to remain in clinical pract...

Sometimes patients or family members express their stress with anger. And when the anger is directed your way you may get defensive or annoyed and it can put a pall on your day.Listen to this week's episode for clear guidance about what to do when your patient gets angry so that both of you leave the visit feeling calm.Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com A free guide for physicia...

Don't be afraid to talk about dying.We don't learn to talk about dying and so many people are afraid because they don't know what to say. Here are four key topics to bring up with people who have advanced illness such as progressive metastatic cancer. In patients with Alzheimer's disease or other kinds of dementia, it is important to have these conversations early in the disease course.Today we'll discuss:Fear of deathNeed for connection and closureLife review Legacy or Love projectsWhat...

Mental status changes in hospice patients are extremely common. Yet are they always due to disease progression?If a patient suddenly gets confused or sleeps all day, what should you do? Should you counsel the family that this is normal? Order testing? Assess the medication list?Family members sometimes worry that sending their loved one with advanced cancer, dementia, or other serious illness to hospice will mean that they'll just get morphine but no medical attention. Let's make sure that th...

Your patient is in terrible pain from cancer and you have the tools to relieve it. Yet they won't take the oxycontin or morphine that you prescribed. You can see that they are suffering yet you feel powerless to help. This is a common scenario and it can lead to discord between you and your patients. You may feel like saying, "Well fine then. I can't force you to help yourself..."You feel frustrated and the patient may not feel supported. Here are 30 reasons why your patient may be ...

Ketamine is in the news right now because Matthew Perry died from improper use of ketamine and his physicians just got arrested for making that possible.It is always a bit shocking when physicians get arrested for prescribing medication. It does seem like his physicians were not acting in accordance with their hippocratic oath - if that's true, shame on them.I do wonder, though, will this make clinicians less inclined to use ketamine to help reduce their patients' suffering. In addition to be...

We live in a soup of uncertainty and so do our patients and clients. Caring for patients with serious illnesses such as cancer or Alzheimers dementia can be extremely stressful because the experience is filled with uncertainty.Having a clear approach to dealing with uncertainty reduces stress and increases joy. This week we discuss 4 Dos and 4 Don'ts for dealing with uncertainty in health and in life.I'm happy that you're part of the joyful palliative care tribe!DeliaDelia Chiaramonte, M...

The LovingKindness, or Metta, meditation (not a typo - that's how it is spelled) is one of my favorite meditations. It offers kindness and healing to you, the people in your life and the world.This week I offer you a LovingKindness meditation for your own wellbeing. You'll notice that there is no intro or ending because I'd like you to hang on to this meditation to use any time you could use a boost of positive energy.Enjoy! (And then share with a friend)DeliaP.S., Can you do me a favor?...

Leave your heirs the gift of organization. Estate planning is crucial but many people put it off because they aren't sure how to proceed.Adam Zuckerman is an attorney and entrepreneur who created a company, Buried in Work, after losing his father to cancer. Adam is passionate about making estate planning and end of life preparations as easy as possible for families facing serious illness.His site covers vast topics, from having tough conversations to green burials. He even has card "gam...

We've all had challenging patient or client interactions. It can be hard to know how to handle them and it can make us feel lousy or even derail our day.You want to be an empathetic physician, nurse, therapist, PA or other clinician but how do you balance empathy with boundaries when a patient or family is angry or mean?This week join me to reflect on the 8 steps to managing a challenging patient interaction. Let me know what I missed! Join us on Facebook in the Integrative Palliative Medicin...

Dr. Gary Sprouse is the Less Stress Doc. He is a family physician with expertise in stress management and he's the author of Highway to Your Happy Place: A Roadmap to Less Stress.This week Dr. Sprouse shares tools and insights to help you manage stress, banish guilt and regret, and live a happier life. You can find more information about Dr. Sprouse at www.thelessstressdoc.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself is avail...

Caring for a loved one who is aging or ill is hard. It is especially hard if you've had a challenging relationship with them. If you had a difficult childhood and now find yourself caring for a parent with cancer, a stroke, or Alzheimer's dementia, you may be experiencing extreme stress and overwhelm.Ask yourself these 3 questions and ponder these 3 truths to make a hard time less stressful.Thanks for listening,Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Cen...

Chiropractic care is widely misunderstood by the medical community. In this interesting interview, chiropractor Brian Morrison clues us in to how we got here and the ways in which chiropractic education and clinical care have changed for the better in recent years.Dr. Morrison discusses who benefits most from chiropractic care, and which patients should not be referred.Here's to an expanded clinical toolbox.Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centere...

Our internal judge has us judging ourselves, other people, and our circumstances. This makes practicing palliative care (and any patient care) harder and generates stress for us that we certainly don't need.This week you'll learn strategies for noticing your own judge and practical techniques for calming it, so you can enjoy your practice more, have less burnout, and be a happier person.Try it out and let me know how it goes!I'm glad you're here,DeliaDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepallia...

Dr Gordon is a world-recognized authority and pioneer in mind-body medicine, and he is the founder and executive director of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC.He is a Harvard educated psychiatrist and a clinical professor at Georgetown Medical School. He was chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, and he has a recent book called Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing.Dr. Gordon has created and implemented extraordinary...

Moral distress and moral injury are common in healthcare, yet few physicians, nurses or other clinicians talk about it on a regular basis.Stuffing the shame, guilt, anger and other powerful emotions that can accompany moral injury can lead to clinician burnout, compassion fatigue, depression or even suicide. And it can also result in excellent, empathetic clinicians leaving healthcare,Let's talk about it!DeliaDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Cente...

The term self-care has a bad rap lately. It can seem like healthcare organizations use terms like "self-care" and "resilience" to make their doctors, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners work harder and harder. They offer free yoga, while piling on more and more work!There is truth to this scenario, yet pushing away the concepts of self-care is not the solution.This week we cover 4 myths of clinician self-care. This episode is appropriate if you are a physician, nurse, nurse practitione...

Many clinicians, especially physicians, don't learn in school what to do when a patient is crying. When we don't know what to do we feel uncomfortable, and no one likes to feel uncomfortable.I've seen many physicians sit in the presence of a crying patient, continue to work on their computer, or awkwardly shift in their seat. This gives the patient the message that their tears and feelings aren't welcome.This week we talk about what to do when your patient starts crying.I'm glad you're here,D...

Is Joyful Palliative Care possible? Palliative care clinicians are often kind and highly empathetic people, but uncontrolled caring can lead to compassion fatigue or even burnout.Yet approaching the care of seriously ill people with an intentional approach can indeed make palliative care joyful.Here are the steps:1. More tools to relieve your patients' suffering (integrative symptom management)2. Develop your healing presence3. Know yourself4. Become a heart-centered leader5. Fill your cupI'm...

The 2024 Integrative Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health was held recently in Cleveland and there were so many wonderful sessions. I attended and have picked out 8 key learnings to share with you.The 8 topics are:1. Microskills for wellness2. Healing presence3. Boundaries4. Photobiomodulation5. Vagus nerve6. Psychedelics7. A key values question 8. A surprise!Listen, share and subscribe!Here's the website of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health https://imconsorti...

Effective doctor-patient communication is crucial for effective patient care. Yet effective communication is challenging when visits are time pressured, and both clinicians and patients are often stressed.Using the tools of negotiation can help make doctor/clinician-patient communication more effective. This week I discuss an 8 step approach to negotiating effectively with patients.In support of heart-centered healing,Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.com Coping Courageously...

Harvey Chochinov, MD, PhD is an esteemed clinician and researcher in the field of palliative care. He shares his research on dignity, dignity therapy and the Dignity Question that is vital for providing the highest quality end of life care.You will be inspired by his work and learn tools that you can bring right to the bedside.You can find Dr. Chochinov on Linked in or at:Twitter: @hmchochinovHarvey.chochinov@cancercare.mb.caThank you for being a heart-centered healer!Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww...

Michelle Pearce, PhD is a psychotherapist, coach and integrative health educator who is passionate about guiding people to well-being.She shares her insights about health coaching, both private and group. She also shares information about the integrative health and wellness certificate program that she leads at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. This program is for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychotherapists...

Dementia is hard on families.It is hard to watch a loved one decline, hard to provide personal care, and hard to lose the connection with the person that you once knew. One of the hardest things may be that the person loses their language, and language is often how we connect.This week I share 7 ideas for fostering connection with people with dementia.If you're a clinician, share these ideas with the families that you care for. If you have a person in your family with dementia, try them out y...

Behavior change is hard. Integrative nutrition and wellbeing coaches are an important part of a healthcare team.Joel Edman, DSc, FACN is an integrative nutrition and health coach and he shares his wisdom this week about how to facilitate practical and realistic behavior change.Healthy nutrition, exercise and stress management is important for people with autoimmune disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease and more.If you'd like to contact him for a consult, check out his website at:edman...

As clinicians it is crucial that we are aware of our blinders. Sometimes the obvious cause of pain isn't the actual cause of pain and we need to be willing to look past our first impressions.This week I discuss the case of one of my patients (de-identified of course). He had widely metastatic cancer and a pain that I couldn't control with medication. Come find out what worked to relieve his pain.Celebrating the heart-centered healer that you are,Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepallia...

It is painful to watch other people suffer, whether they are your patients or your loved ones. They may suffer with illnesses, such as cancer or dementia, or may suffer with emotional pain, anxiety or depression.You want to help, but don't want to be swallowed up by their suffering.Join me this week to learn six important ways to protect your own well-being while also being a loving caregiver, physician or clinician.Celebrating the heart-centered healer that you are,Dr. DeliaDelia Chiar...

This week I share the story of one of my patients and the woman he loved. Nick was a man in his 20s with an advanced cancer and caring for him touched my heart.He had to face the difficult reality in front of him in order to create the life that he wanted. He embraced acceptance and it changed his future.Come listen to a reading from Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself. You'll hear Nick's story and several others and you'll ...

Breath is powerful. We carry it with us, it keeps us alive, and it can either increase our stress or reduce it.Slow breathing is a secret weapon for reducing the stress response, reducing anxiety and improving wellbeing.This week you'll hear from Fernando David Pinon and Nancy Estaphanous, the co-founders of BreathNote. BreathNote is a unique and effective tool that uses music to guide relaxation breathing. It can be used in clinical settings, such as chemo suites or physician exam rooms, and...

There is wonder in unexpected places.When you look for it you will find it, and when you find it life feels just a bit lighter. From an Uber ride that turned into an impromptu therapy session to a conversation in a wellness store that may just save a local business, this week we'll uncover the magic hidden within everyday interactions. How is this relevant to palliative care? Dealing with patients with dementia, cancer, and other serious or progressive illness can entice us to ...

Neurofeedback is a brain-based treatment that is effective and safe. It can be used to manage ADHD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, Parkinson’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, post concussive syndrome and more.This week we have Francesco Amico, PhD and Alvaro Villegas who are experts in neurofeedback, especially neurofeedback that can be administered remotely, sharing their expertise.They work with a product called Myndlift that allows people to have personalized neurofeedback treatment fr...

Guided imagery is a powerful tool to use with your patients who have generalized anxiety or are just feeling anxious about getting chemotherapy or having a procedure.It is easy to learn and every physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, PA, radiation technologist, and every other clinician should have this tool in their toolbox.In addition, I've recorded a LovingKindness meditation (Metta) that is available for you for free at www.copingsupport.com. Have a listen, because your wellbeing matters ...

Do you know the different between yoga and yoga therapy?Which one is better for people getting treatment for cancer? How about people with neurologic conditions or those who have had a stroke?What benefits can patients get from yoga therapy? What are the risks?Yoga therapy expert Kelli Bethel, PT, DPT, C-IYAT shares her wisdom about all things yoga therapy.Learn more tools to help your patients manage their pain, anxiety, chemo symptoms, and sleep.You can reach her at kelli@kmbethel.com.Helpi...

Family members "should" on patients.Patients "should" on themselves.And we "should" on patients too.This week I share eight "shoulds" that we can try to avoid to improve the wellbeing of the families that we care for.Also, today is book launch day! Check out Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself - I wrote this book for families bit also for clinicians who care for seriously ill people.Check it out and tell a friend!Dr. CDelia ...

Acceptance is powerful. Many people mistakenly think that acceptance is giving up. They see it as the opposite of fighting. I see it differently. Instead of being the opposite of fighting, I see acceptance as the opposite of pretending. When you stop pretending you open opportunities for deep wellbeing and connection.In this episode I read a story from my book Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself. You are invited to the ...

It is challenging enough to imagine lending a stranger your car or giving them a large sum of money. Yet, some kind souls donate their precious, living body parts to people that they don't know.Chaya Lasson, RN is just such a person.This week she shares her personal journey with living kidney donation. Her story will fascinate and inspire you.Chaya is happy to chat with anyone interested in learning more about living kidney donation. You can reach her at: classon@lifebridegehealth.org.She dis...

It is our job to help our patients cope courageously. Whether they have cancer, dementia, age-related decline, ALS or other serious condition it will cause stress for their family that we can help to relieve.This week you'll get a sneak peak into the techniques that I have put into my book Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself.(Release date January 18th, 2023)If you are here, you are a heart-centered person. I'm glad to be on ...

My gift to you is permission.If you are holding on to ideas of how you're supposed to be and generating your own anxiety and stress, this episode is your answer.For holiday season 2023 I have 5 permissions and 3 invitations for you to help make this season the calm and happy one that you deserve.I'm glad that we're on the journey together.Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself i...

Do you use anchoring? Anchoring is a powerful tool that you can use to help manage stress even when you are out and about or in a meeting with a frustrating boss.Just like Pavlov's dogs salivated when the bell rang because they connected the bell with yummy meat, you can train your physiology to connect your sense of relaxation with any anchor that you choose. You can use this approach to manage your stress, anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, and so much more.Try it out and let me know how ...

Clinician grief: it's real, it's important and we need to talk about it. Have you heard of secondary grief? Grief shaming?In this important interview with hospice nurse and grief expert, Helen Bauer, we dive deeply into who experiences grief, how grief is so much more than sadness, and what we should all be doing to manage it. Learn more about Helen at www.theheartofhospice.com and listen to her podcast called The Heart of Hospice Podcast.Let's keep learning from and supporting each other,Del...

Too many patients and too little time.Most clinicians wish they had more time to spend with each patient and patients generally hate feeling rushed through their medical visits.How can you practice compassionate medical care when you have to rush from one patient to another?This week I discuss 8 tips for making a short visit seem longer so it is more satisfying for your patient and more satisfying for you.What did I miss? Let me know and I'll add them in to a future episode. You can connect w...

Families are complicated.Holiday events, such as Thanksgiving, can bring out stressful feelings just as we're hoping for picture perfect family moments.This week's episode gives you 4 Truths and 4 Suggestions for staying happy and sane during family holiday moments. Use these suggestions for yourself and file them away to support your patients when they are feeling stressed about family struggles.We can have joy in our work and in our life. We can be Sage Physicians.Let's make it happen ...

What's your Dosha? What is a Dosha? Do you know which foods work best for your unique constitution?This week, Ayurveda expert Susan Weis-Bohlen shares her wisdom about Ayurveda and how you can use it to increase your health and wellbeing.You will learn if you are a Pitta, Vata or Kappa Dosha and which foods are particularly suited for you.You'll learn how Susan guides her clients to wellbeing using an Ayurvedic approach.You can find her books and reach out to her here:https://susanweisb...

No one likes talking to patients about prognosis. It is uncomfortable and distressing for the clinician and the patient.Our discomfort and lack of training in how to manage these conversations with skill can increase out patients' suffering.Learn the 10 step process for expertly navigating these tough conversations.Share this episode with a colleague who cares for patients with serious illness.I'm happy to be on the journey with you.Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Cou...

People facing cancer are often interested in exploring an integrative approach to managing their care. Yes many conventional oncologists don't feel comfortable guiding their patients because they aren't sure what is safe and effective.This week, naturopathic doctor Kirsten West, ND, LAc, FABNO shares her wisdom about which naturopathic approaches are safe for patients getting cancer treatment and which ones can be dangerous and should be avoided.Dr West sees patients remotely and can be reach...

Becoming a Sage Physician (or clinician) requires you to care expertly for your patients and also care expertly for yourself.Expanding your toolbox, finding the root cause of your patients' concerns, learning to set and keep your boundaries and matching your life to your values are examples of how you can go from being a stressed out and disillusioned physician to becoming a Sage Physician, What else would you add?I'm happy to be on the journey with you,Dr. Chiaramontewww.integrativepall...

David Lesondak is the Senior Structural Integrator and Fascia Specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Integrative Medicine.He has written bestselling books on the topic of fascia, such as Fascia: What is is and Why it Matters and Fascia, Function, and Medical Applications. He also hosts a podcast: Body Talk with David Lesondak.This week is all about fascia. David tells us what it is, how it is related to pain syndromes, how structural integration works, an...

Stress is a part of life.People are frustrating, you don't always get what you want, and life is filled with loss. We often can't control what happens, we can only control how we respond.But responding to stressful situations in a positive or neutral way (without descending into toxic positivity) can be tough.The approach of Positive Intelligence, designed by Shirzad Chamine and outlined in his book of the same name, gives a clear roadmap for how to respond to tough situations in a way that i...

Mental fitness is the capacity to respond to life's challenges with a positive rather than negative mindset. Improving your mental fitness can positively impact your performance, your relationships, and your well-being, and "Positive Intelligence" is a beautifully simple and effective way to get there.The method was designed by Shirzad Chamine and is outlined in his bestselling book called Positive Intelligence.Our guest this week, Bill Carmody, is the Chief Coaching Office for Positive...

I saw this question online "Are you a martyr for medicine?"The question made so many people uncomfortable that I figured it was something we needed to think about.Here are the questions to ponder that we address in this week's episode:- How much are you sacrificing?- How much are you suffering?- What is your cause?- What can you do to bring things into balance?You'll self-reflect this week and leave the episode with a better understanding of your relationship to your work and an action plan t...

Communicating about death and end of life topics can be scary. For both clinicians and family members who care for people with serious illness (like cancer and dementia) it can be tough to know how to raise issues related to mortality, end of life decisions, and beliefs about what happens after death.Lisa Pahl, LCSW co-created the Death Deck and the EOL Deck to help facilitate communication about death and end of life issues in a non-threatening, light, and even fun way. In this week's episod...

What do you say if your patient comes in with a bag of supplements? What if they are on a bunch of medications but they don't tell you about all of the supplements that they take?What if you disagree with what they are doing?What if you don't know much about the complementary modalities that they are using?You may feel hesitant to talk to patients about their complimentary medicine use or just feel unsure of exactly what to say. This week you'll learn 8 tips for talking to patients about thei...

"I wish I could do that."This benign sounding sentence isn't really benign at all. It is passive and a bit pessimistic and it implies that you probably won't be doing that cool thing after all."I will do that thing" has a totally different vibe.It is active and powerful and makes it more likely that you really will do that very cool thing. Maybe not today, but someday.Listen this week to explore the crucial difference between "I wish" and "I will."Learn it for yourself, then teach it to your ...

Is it true that integrative palliative care isn't evidence supported? Definitely not.Is it true that all "natural" approaches are safe and effective. Also definitely not.Guided imagery and acupuncture are very safe, but there are times that they should be avoided. Knowing these details is crucial for practicing safe and effective integrative palliative care.The rational approach to integrative palliative care involves finding reliable evidence, focusing on safety, and harnassing (rather than ...

Being a physician or clinician can be tough. Some are leaving medicine. Some, tragically, even die by suicide. Having a job that makes you happy is key. Doctor Lara Hochman helps physicians find jobs that they love.Lara Hochman, MD is a Family Medicine physician and The Medical Matchmaker. She is an advocate for fellow physicians’ wellbeing amidst rising burnout and dissatisfaction. Her own experiences led her to discover the ways physicians lost autonomy, and how to reclaim their focus on he...

For some people pets are family. Losing a family member is heartbreaking and destabilizing, no matter how many feet they have.Why is it so hard when a pet dies and what can we do to help us cope?This week I share my own journey with losing a beloved pet and give guidance for how to handle the situation of euthanasia and grief with intention.I'm glad to be on the journey with you.Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigat...

Dr. Sherita Gaskins-Tillett is an Ob-Gyn, mother, wife, wellness enthusiast and leader of wellness retreats for professional women. She has also been a caregiver of a loved one with dementia so she knows the stress of caregiving from the inside.In this lighthearted and advice-filled interview Dr Gaskins-Tillett gives practical tips for supporting your own wellbeing. She addresses physician wellness, and gives practical advice that will help any busy professional. She also shares her caregivin...

Gabapentin is widely used, often for pain, but it is often not used skillfully. This can result in patients getting inadequate symptom relief or stopping the drug unnecessarily because they mistakenly think that they can't tolerate it.Using gabapentin skillfully is worth learning!Listen and learn the 8 things that you should know about gabapentin. Your patients will be happier and you'll be happier.Happy learning!Dr. Chiaramontewww.integrativepalliative.com/training Coping Courageou...

Bill Zvarick, L.Ac is a true healer. In treating his patients he combines his skills in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Qi gong, Tui Na, and western massage to help people find their way back to wellbeing.He describes acupuncture as an elegant art and when you will listen you will feel his passion for his craft.Bill explains why he describes acupuncture as elegant, how we can increase our own skills in external Qi gong, and how he has helped even extremely sick people to heal with acupu...

When cancer treatment is finished, people expect to feel happy. Some do, of course, but many don't.Any serious illness can be scary, but finishing chemotherapy or radiation can leave people feeling unsettled because the close attention from the oncology team ends.And family and friends may expect the person to go back to "normal" but the patient may feel anything but normal.It is important to support people through this time, and let them know that their experience is not unusual.In sup...

The hair loss associated with chemotherapy makes a hard time even harder.Patients may wonder:"Should I cut my hair short?""Should I shave my head before chemo starts?""Is there anything that I can do to prevent my hair from falling out?"This week's episode will answer those questions and more.Here's to happier patients and happier clinicians,Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www...

Loneliness is rampant and so many of us are starved for touch.Cuddle therapy is an interesting treatment modality that provides platonic touch by trained cuddle therapists.Have you tried it? Let us know.If you'd like more info about cuddle therapy or to find a cuddle therapist, here's a resource:www.cuddlist.comI am not affiliated with them or endorsing them but they do have a 'find a cuddle therapist' feature.If you try it, let me know how it goes!Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepal...

Talking about tough stuff like serious illness, advancing illness or end of life issues can be stressful.This week you'll hear 5 very practical and effective strategies for mastering these tough conversations.Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, chaplains, home health aides, and people caring for a loved one with a serious illness will all find benefit in this week's podcast.Helping you to find joy in your work as you help your seriously ill patients to thriv...

Battling stress and preventing burnout is an active process. If you have a stressful job, like being an Emergency Medicine physician in a pandemic, actively working on yourself is protective. Dr. Tamara Beckford is an Emergency Medicine physician and expert in burnout prevention and wellbeing. She shares her personal steps for managing her wellbeing while working in a stressful environment.You'll want to listen to this one!Dr. Beckford is also a speaker in the wellness space. You can find her...

Having a parent with declining cognitive function is one of the most stressful experiences that you will face. It can be hard to know how to approach your parent(s) about the decline. You want to keep them safe, but they may not want your help.It can be a long road, so having a coping plan from the start is important.Here are 8 suggestions for how to cope.Reach out anytime,Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDNeed support because you're managing a loved one's dementia or serious illness? Click her...

This week I've been on the other side of the palliative care coin with a family member and my family doggie.I noticed five themes that applied in both places and I share them this week. What did I miss? What would you add?Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDP.S.The Conscious Coping program is starting in late July. If you have an ill loved one and you'd like more clarity about how to deal with it all, communication skills to handle the tough conversations, calm in a terribly stressful time and support ...

Being in the hospital is hard. It can be overwhelming, exhausting and feel like a completely out of control experience.Whether you are a physician, other clinician or family member of someone who is ill, these six tips will help you improve the wellbeing of people in the hospital.What other tips would you suggest? Send me a message with your suggestions https://integrativepalliative.com/contact-usDr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDP.S. Are you feeling stressed because someone you love has an advanced ...

Mia Redrick is the real deal.She is a life coach and business coach who has dealt with significant chronic and serious illness in her family. Mia will show you how to show up for yourself in a powerful way, even while living a busy life or caring for someone who is ill. You don't want to miss this episode.Think of two friends who are stressed and send them this episode immediately! If you want to contact Mia you can find her at www.miaredrick.comKeep coming back!Dr. CDelia Chiaramon...

You will love this week's guest!Cal Cates is a massage therapist as well as the founder and Executive Director of Healwell, a non-profit whose mission is to touch people affected by serious illness, teach massage therapists how to provide that touch, and to advocate for a broader role for those therapists in serious illness care.They have trained thousands of healthcare providers in the skills of resiliency, self-awareness, communication and forgiveness. They have dedicated their career to ad...

It is hard to talk to a loved one about their serious illness. And it can be hard to counsel families about how to communicate well.Knowing your own communication style and that of the patient can help make communication easier.This podcast will discuss 6 different communication styles: Direct & open, reserved & private, emotional & expressive, passive or reliant, information-seeking and avoidant or denying. Trying to match communication styles helps connection.Which communication...

Anticipatory grief is common and normal but it is rarely talked about, which leaves people to suffer alone.Beginning to grieve for the loss of a loved one before they have died can be hard. In this week's podcast we discuss ten things that a grieving loved one can do with their loved one during this challenging time.I'm glad you're here,Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDP.S. Soon I'll be starting a Conscious Coping program to help people with ailing loved ones go from overwhelmed, depleted, and unsur...

What is the difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion?They are each approaches to other people's suffering; however, sympathy is distancing, empathy is supportive, and compassion includes a component of action.How do you tend to respond to other people's suffering?I'm glad you're here,Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDP.S. I'm starting a program for people with ailing loved ones who feel overwhelmed, depleted, and unsure of how to help their loved one. I'm committed to creating an ex...

Welcome to The Game of Joy!This week Joy Ambassador, Yasmin Nguyen, shares his inspiring story of struggle and exploration that led him to write his book The Game of Joy.There is so much in this episode for everyone. Discover your "joy blockers," what to do when you encounter "unjoy" and how to play the "game of joy."Here's where you'll find Yasmin:https://joyfullivingproject.com/about-yasmin/Don't miss this one!Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDStay in Touch! Click the link below:https://trainings.i...

Have you said any of these things to your patients?"Unfortunately,...""Your MRI is one of the worst I've even seen.""Your knee is bone on bone"If so, you may have elicited the nocebo response.The nocebo response is the opposite of the placebo response and it can increase your patients' pain, nausea, fatigue, anxiety and more.Words are powerful. They can make your patients better or worse, so choosing your words carefully when you counsel your patients is important.Come listen, review and shar...

Do you have a ton of open charts? Are you charting at night in your PJs? Do you feel overwhelmed by work tasks?Are you also intuitive and a connector? Do you get totally engaged in the things that you enjoy?If that sounds like you, you might have ADHD.Many high functioning people have ADHD (often inattentive type) but they just don't know it. Come learn from Dr. Diana Mercado Marmarosh, a family physician and expert in physician ADHD. Dr. Marmarosh is not only an expert - she lives this...

The healthcare system is rough on everyone. Physicians and patients are both frustrated and everyone has a point.This week we talk about three big topics that come up in the hospital: information, emotions and decisions. We discuss them from the clinicians' perspective and then from the patients' perspective so that we can better understand each other.The system is frustrating for everyone, but my hope is that patients and clinicians can turn towards each other instead of away from each...

Dr. Rashmi Schramm is a meditation & life coach, and a generally sage and wonderful human being. She offers tons of practical tools to help us feel better, stress less and find joy in day to day life. She will teach you to spend a little less time DOING and a little more time BEING.You'll leave this episode with techniques that you can use to make your life better, starting today.If you'd like to work with Dr. Schramm you can find her here:www.optimalwellnessmd.org@dr.rashmischrammS...

Pets are like family and it can be terribly painful and difficult when they get sick. Should you take them for surgery? Do the intensive testing? How do you know when it's time to think about euthanasia?This week's episode is all about pets and palliative care. You'll learn about the pet palliative care that is going on in my home, and if you listen closely you can hear my sick doggie coughing in the background!Sending well wishes to all the sick pets!Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww....

Dr. Kara Wada is an allergist, immunologist and lifestyle medicine physician. She had years of vague and unexplained symptoms that ultimately resulted in a diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome. This diagnosis spurred her to explore ways to control her symptoms and improve her health. This week Dr. Wada shares her journey and offers many tips for reducing inflammation and managing rheumatologic diseases, such as Sjögren's. Here's how to find Dr. Wada:www.drkarawada.cominstagram.com/crunch...

Compassion fatigue is the negative impact that caring for patients can have on caring clinicians over time. It can happen when we are witness to repeated suffering, when we don't get time to replenish ourselves or when we see multiple micro-injustices (like patients getting sicker because they can't afford their medications) over time.With these three important steps we can prevent compassion fatigue and preserve our ability to empathetically care for our patients.I'm glad you're here!Dr. CDe...

How many of these hospice myths did you believe? Hospice is kind but misunderstood! If everyone truly understood what hospice is, how it helps, when you should have it, and when you want it but can't get it, the world would be a better place. There would be less suffering and I am all about helping people suffer less.Listen and see how many hospice myths we can bust.I'm glad you're here!Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDExpanding the treatment toolbox for people with serious illnessCoping Courageousl...

Unfortunately our world has a lot of tragedies and people may reach out to you for help when they are dealing with hard things. Or you may be dealing with hard things in your own life.It can feel overwhelming and you may be unsure of exactly what to do to help.This week we discuss a 8-step plan for coping successfully when something really tough has rocked your world. As always, use this info for your patients and also for yourself. We are all human and on this journey together. Healing ...

There are a lot of questions and myths on the topic of aromatherapy. Is it safe? Is there evidence of benefit? How exactly should we be using it? Dr. Ann Huntington, internist and expert in essential oils, will answer all those questions for us, and more.She also offers a course on the science of aromatherapy for physicians and has generously offered a discount to my listeners. You can find info at www.givemorenaturally.com/course. To get the discount use the code PODCAST at checkout.Reach ou...

When a parent gets seriously ill or has a significant decline in function, the care often falls on the children unevenly. This can create significant family conflict and fracture important sibling relationships.This week I talk about 5 things to suggest to your patient to help solve this sticky problem.Reach out anytime!Dr. C.Delia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.com Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself is avail...

Welcome to The Integrative Palliative Podcast where we talk about integrative symptom management and physician wellbeing, because every physician deserves to have satisfying work and every patient deserves an effective and joyful physician!This week we are talking about what to do when the patient doesn't want to talk about their diagnosis. Should you force the issue? Let it go?There are times that we should be pushy and times that we should back off. Come learn the 5 key questions to as...

If you're a physician, or other clinician, you spend a lot of time supporting family members of seriously ill people.But what about when the family member is you?Everyone suffers when their family member is ill, but physicians (and other clinicians) may carry an extra burden when someone they love is sick.Listen this week for 8 things to do if you are a physician and someone that you love is seriously ill.If you know a physician in this situation, please share this episode with them.Reach out...

Physicians and other healthcare clinicians get freaked out when they have to talk to a patient about hospice. If your general approach is "well... nothing seems to be helping so I guess it's time for hospice," this episode is for you!You'll learn the 7 things to say to make a discussion about hospice feel more supportive and less heavy.Please share this episode with your network if you think others would benefit!Reach out anytime,Dr. CDelia Chiaramonte, MDP.S. Come learn with me! Sign up atww...

I'm not a big fan of resolutions. Success, contentment and "happiness" aren't really about one big annual push, they are about repeated practice of concepts that are small but mighty!This week we'll chat about a 3-step path to living a contented life. If you practice this plan, you will change. I promise. And you don't even have to give up sugar!Reach out anytimeDr. Chiaramontewww.integrativepalliative.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Wi...

You will love Dr Mary Leung. She is a medical oncologist and hematologist who has a busy outpatient clinical practice. After too many nights getting home after 7:00pm with more charts to do at home, she got burned out and stopped loving her job.Join us to learn what she did to change her work life dramatically. She now loves her work again and leaves the office, charts completed, by 5:30pm so she can enjoy her family and have some time for herself.Learn more about her at www.shiningwithgratit...

Maybe you mostly talk to your mom on the phone and you haven't seen your aging parents in almost a year. Or maybe your dad just ended up in the hospital and you realize that mom might not be safe to stay at home alone.If this hasn't happened to you, it has almost certainly happened to some of your patients. People tend to feel totally overwhelmed and unsure how to proceed.This week's episode will give you a practical approach for helping your loved one while keeping your sanity.Reach out...

This basic introduction to practical aromatherapy will give you one more safe and easy to use tool to help your patients manage stress and anxiety.You'll learn the down and dirty way to counsel your patients about WHAT aromatherapy is, WHY you should add it to your tool box and HOW exactly it can be incorporated into a stress management routine.Reach out anytime!Dr. Chiaramontewww.integrativepalliative.com Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness W...

Life is BUSY! There is so much to do and I know you wish that you had just a few more hours in every day. The surprising truth is that you may be inadvertently making your time issues worse than they need to be. In this week's episode of the integrative palliative podcast, we'll discuss three of those ways - I know you'll see yourself in at least one of them. We can only fix what we know is there.If you have a friend or colleague who struggles with time, be sure to forward this epis...

Can you be empathetic and also have badass boundaries? Yes!Loose boundaries lead to overwhelm and burnout and they drain the empathy right out of you. This week I will give you the 3 steps that you need to gain control of your schedule so you can keep your cup full.Reach out any time! - Dr ChiaramonteP.S. Would you do me a favor? Please go to Apple podcasts and leave a review. It helps me reach more people. Thanks so much!Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved...

If you have a loved one with dementia you must listen to this episode! Neuropsychologist Karen Sullivan, PhD is an expert in helping families navigate the complicated and challenging experience of having someone you love face dementia.You'll be struck by her deep compassion, hopefulness and highly practical tips for thriving as a family.Dr. Sullivan also provides tons of free education on the topic of brain health. You can find her on YouTube or at ICareForYourBrain.com (also ICFYB.com). Defi...

Life can be hard.When our "cup" is empty hard things are harder. And when our "cup" is full, life is simply easier. This week you'll learn a simple but powerful technique for figuring out how to fill your unique "cup," and once you practice it for yourself you will have a powerful tool to use with your patients. This technique is especially valuable for patients with distressing symptoms that don't seem to have a quick fix or a magic pill. Try it for you and then try it at work!Reach out...

Have you ever hurt your back with just a small twist or after lifting up a light object? It can feel impossible to be injured from such an insignificant event. Dr. Mary Jo Fishburn is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with expertise in the integrative approach to musculoskeletal wellbeing. She will explain what predisposes us to injury and pain and what we can do about it.She can be reached at:MJFishburnMD.com (medical practice)TheDirectedSelf.com (coaching practice)Please forw...