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 mindfu...
Jul 15, 2020•28 min•Ep. 42
Lynne Richardson , MD, wanted to become a doctor ever since she was a kid. But society had 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 ...
Jul 01, 2020•22 min•Ep. 41
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 fo...
Jun 19, 2020•13 min•Ep. 40
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 School PEERS Program The Office of Well-Being and Resilience @REVAMP_CoV2 on Instagram REVAMP_CoV2 on Facebook Well-Being Staff Resources During COVID-19 Character Strengths Survey Positive Medicine , a program desi...
Jun 05, 2020•17 min•Ep. 39
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 fo...
May 22, 2020•24 min•Ep. 38
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 & Resources Ways to Help Get Road to Resilience in your inbox Staying In with Emily & Kumail o...
May 15, 2020•27 min•Ep. 37
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 & Resources Ways to Help Get Road to Resilience in your inbox Voices featured : Valerie Burgos-Kneeland, RN at The Mount Sinai Hospital Manuel Corpus, RN at The Mount Sinai Hospital Hoda Farghaly, RN at Mount Sinai Q...
May 09, 2020•17 min•Ep. 36
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. Links Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts & Resources Ways to Help Mount Sinai’s Center for Spirituality and Health Get Road to Resilience in your inbox Check out more episodes of Road to Resil...
Apr 29, 2020•17 min•Ep. 35
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.mounts...
Apr 18, 2020•10 min•Ep. 34
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 Polit...
Apr 14, 2020•20 min•Ep. 33
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 ...
Apr 10, 2020•12 min•Ep. 32
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) Upd...
Apr 07, 2020•12 min•Ep. 31
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/coronavirus Donations & Supplies: https://www.mountsinai.org/about/preparedness/...
Apr 01, 2020•18 min•Ep. 30
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 Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai w...
Mar 24, 2020•13 min•Ep. 29
In April 1989, Trisha Meili was attacked while jogging in New York's Central Park. The case of the "Central Park Jogger" made headlines and sparked a national conversation about race and the criminal justice system. But behind the media frenzy lay another story—Trisha's. On this episode, Ms. Meili talks about how focusing on the present moment and returning to running helped her bounce back from a traumatic brain injury. And Kristen Dams-O'Connor, PhD, Director of the Brain Injury Research Cente...
Mar 04, 2020•33 min•Ep. 28
Transgender activist Mahogany Phillips walked away from a successful career as a male model to focus on her transition. Later, she helped win low-income New Yorkers the right to gender-affirming surgery. In this interview, she talks about bullies, gender dysphoria, and how surgery has helped her feel comfortable and safe in her body. Ms. Phillips received care from Jess Ting, MD, Surgical Director of The Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery . She appears in the documentary fil...
Feb 19, 2020•24 min•Ep. 27
On September 11, 2001, Lauren Manning suffered burns on over 80 percent of her body and lost hundreds of colleagues at the World Trade Center. Facing near-certain death, she found a determination to live that would carry her through a long recovery and turn her into a national symbol of resilience. In this special interview, she talks about how pity and pain fueled her will to heal and offers advice on overcoming adversity. Mrs. Manning is an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and author of the New Yo...
Feb 05, 2020•20 min•Ep. 26
Environmentalist Karenna Gore goes beyond carbon emissions to the root causes of climate change and talks about how framing the crisis as a moral issue can help us adapt and mitigate its worst effects. Ms. Gore is Director of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary. Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website . Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging wo...
Jan 24, 2020•28 min•Ep. 25
NFL legend Curtis Martin went from a latchkey kid in a violent neighborhood to a Hall of Famer and celebrated philanthropist. His unlikely rise was powered by faith, hard work, and near superhuman discipline. In this interview, he talks about facing fears, practicing values, and the near-death experience that changed everything. For more resilience tips, visit our website : https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/road-resilience Road to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insig...
Jan 07, 2020•24 min•Ep. 24
Road to Resilience producers Jon Earle, Katie Ullman, and Nicci Hudson reflect on episodes from the past year and share the moments that stuck with us the most. What were your favorite resilience moments? Email us at podcasts@mountsinai.org . Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website . Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to b...
Dec 26, 2019•19 min•Ep. 23
Oncologist Gabriel Sara, MD, is a maniac about the truth. Whether delivering a tough diagnosis, or sharing his feelings with colleagues, he refuses to sugarcoat. It's a lesson he learned as a medical intern in war-torn Beirut, where the truth was a matter of life and death, and over the years it's become central to his practice. On this episode, Dr. Sara talks about how he uses radical honesty to build trust, empathy, and resilience. Dr. Sara is Medical Director of the Chemotherapy Infusion Suit...
Dec 11, 2019•22 min•Ep. 22
When writer Marisa Bardach Ramel was a teenager, her mother, Sally, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Amid the sadness and uncertainty that followed, they made an extraordinary decision to write a memoir together. Now, almost 20 years later, The Goodbye Diaries: A Mother-Daughter Memoir , has at last been published. On this episode, Marisa talks about how cancer strained and ultimately strengthened her relationship with her mother, and reflects on how the act of writing brought them closer tog...
Nov 27, 2019•19 min•Ep. 21
Parenting trends come and go—remember “tiger” moms?—but the challenge of raising resilient kids remains as critical as ever. How can we make sure our children respond to stress in a healthy way? And how do we support our kids without becoming “snowplow” parents? Aliza Pressman, PhD, a developmental psychologist and co-founding Director of The Mount Sinai Parenting Center , makes the case for “authoritative” parenting, which researchers have linked to the most positive outcomes for kids. Since it...
Nov 13, 2019•30 min•Ep. 20
Learning to overcome your fears is a key stepping stone to becoming resilient. But it’s easier said than done. Fear memories—from agonizing missteps to traumatic experiences—have a way of haunting us. On this special Halloween episode, Mount Sinai neuroscientist Anthony Lacagnina, PhD, takes us inside the brain to understand why. Dr. Lacagnina’s work helps explain why fear memories are so tenacious and raises the possibility of treating them with surgical precision. Dr. Lacagnina is a postdoctor...
Oct 30, 2019•17 min•Ep. 19
George flees anti-gay violence in his native Ghana and seeks asylum in the United States. This is the story of what happens next. Featuring Elizabeth Singer, MD, MPH, director of the Mount Sinai Human Rights Program . The program provides medical evaluations to support the claims of victims of human rights abuses who are seeking asylum in the United States. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) provided legal services to George. Music by Blue Dot Sessions . Check out more episodes of Roa...
Oct 17, 2019•15 min•Ep. 18
A new study has found that optimists have a substantially reduced risk of cardiovascular events and premature death compared to pessimists. Lead author Alan Rozanski , MD, explains why optimists are healthier than pessimists, what optimism really means, and how to start seeing the glass half-full. Dr. Rozanski is a cardiologist at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and a professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Help us bring you more great stories by completing a quick listener ...
Sep 30, 2019•18 min•Ep. 17
Nobody knows what was in the dust cloud that blanketed Lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001. But we’re increasingly sure about the health consequences, including asthma, PTSD, and cancer. On this episode, a 9/11 health expert and a volunteer responder talk about what it was like to work at Ground Zero, what we know about 9/11-related illnesses, and what their experiences taught them about resilience. Help us tell more great stories by completing our listener survey . Enjoying the podcast? Pleas...
Sep 11, 2019•28 min•Ep. 16
Five kids. Four Grammy nominations. One pear-sized brain tumor. When a life-threatening diagnosis turned comedy writer/director Jeannie Gaffigan’s life upside-down, she and her husband, comedian Jim Gaffigan, turned to faith, family, and of course—humor. Jeannie's new memoir is “When Life Gives You Pears" http://bit.ly/2HqD5KU. Joshua Bederson, MD, Chair for the Department of Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Health System, performed the surgery that saved Jeannie's life http://bit.ly/2MFEX6E. Help us...
Aug 28, 2019•18 min•Ep. 15
Mount Sinai researchers have published the first large, empirical study examining the mental health of children in immigration detention. Co-authors Craig Katz, MD, and Priscilla Agyeman, MPH, talk about what they found and what it means for all of us. More about the study (http://bit.ly/2yl3swP). The Mount Sinai Human Rights Program (http://bit.ly/2OqPRyL). Dr. Craig Katz (http://bit.ly/2yrHo3r). Help us tell more great stories by completing our listener survey (http://bit.ly/2knrxzR). Enjoying...
Jul 29, 2019•24 min•Ep. 14
Overwhelmed by grief for patients who had died, an oncology fellow embarks on a self-care journey that leads to unexpected places. Cardinale Smith, MD, PhD, Director of Quality for Cancer Services at the Mount Sinai Health System, shares the ritual she uses to process loss, offers tips on having hard conversations, and reflects on the end of life. // Dr. Smith's profile: (http://bit.ly/2LfeBHh). Help us tell more great stories by completing our listener survey (http://bit.ly/2knrxzR). Enjoying t...
Jun 25, 2019•27 min•Ep. 13
