Understanding Medical Trauma with Dr. Jim Jackson - Part 1

1. **Introduction and Grounding Exercise**
   - Introduction of hosts: Sharmin Prince and Dr. Jackson
   - Breathing exercise to ground and center the audience

2. **Introduction of Dr. Jim Jackson**
   - Dr. Jackson's background as a psychologist and PTSD expert
   - His work at Vanderbilt Medical Center and his publications

3. **Dr. Jackson's Journey into Trauma Expertise**
   - Initial career path and unexpected entry into trauma research
   - Experience with veterans and ICU survivors
   - Realization of trauma as a profound public health issue

4. **Understanding Medical Trauma**
   - Definition and context of medical trauma
   - Examples of medical encounters leading to trauma
   - Impact on both patients and family members

5. **Personal Experiences with Medical Trauma**
   - Sharmin Prince's personal experience with surgeries and cancer
   - Discussion on the broader impact of medical trauma on families

6. **Challenges in Recognizing and Addressing Medical Trauma**
   - Lack of psychological support for patients
   - The need for better integration of mental and medical health care
   - The cycle of medical events leading to compounded trauma

7. **Available Resources and Treatments for Medical Trauma**
   - Discussion on the lack of existing literature on medical trauma
   - Overview of effective treatments for PTSD and anxiety
   - Importance of connecting patients to validated therapies

8. **Conclusion and Future Engagement**
   - Dr. Jackson's upcoming book on medical trauma
   - Invitation for Dr. Jackson to return for further discussion
   - Closing remarks and gratitude from the hosts

Mitzy Dadoun

Host

(21:40) They do. (21:40) Yeah, it's really interesting. (21:42) When I started to write a book about medical trauma, you know, following my first book and my book will come out in February and I'd love to come back on it. (21:49) You know, if you'd indulge me, I'd love to come back on and talk about it.

(21:53) So, you know, when you start writing a book, one thing you think about when you have the idea is you think I've got to see if somebody else has written this book, because if they have, obviously I'm not going to write it. (22:04) And so honestly, I'm pretty dialed in to this topic, of course, but I thought, man, this is important enough. (22:12) Surely someone has written something for patients about medical trauma. (22:16) So, you know, this is maybe a little bit of a me too.

(22:19) Like I'm coming after somebody else. (22:20) Somebody else has written this. (22:22) So I looked and looked and looked and looked and looked, and I can say with full confidence Nobody else has written this, right? (22:28) No one else has.

(22:29) Now how that's happened, I don't know, but they haven't. (22:33) And I think it reflects the general lack of awareness that we have about this problem. (22:38) So I'm excited that this book will be one resource. (22:41) With regard to treatment, what we know is that if you have anxiety or depression, or we could focus on PTSD, let's take PTSD as an example.

(22:53) If you get the right treatment for PTSD, and that could be That could be EMDR, that could be exposure therapy, it could be cognitive processing therapy. (23:07) It shouldn't be psychoanalytic psychotherapy. (23:09) Like it shouldn't be laying on a couch talking about your dreams about your mom. (23:13) Like that's not going to solve your PTSD.

(23:16) And it also shouldn't be just talking to your therapist about the weather, right? (23:20) That's also not going to help it. (23:22) but there are validated empirically effective approaches to be used for PTSD. (23:28) And if you use them, you're going to get better.

(23:30) And we think there may be unique approaches that are better or worse for medical trauma. (23:38) We haven't evolved necessarily to the point that we know the answer to that question yet. (23:43) But generally, we know what works for PTSD. (23:47) Equally, we know what works for anxiety or depression.

(23:50) Medication sometimes can be hugely helpful. (23:53) So when we connect people to validated therapies, in my experience, they generally get better. (24:01) But to your point, Mitzi, Often people don't know necessarily the distinction between a psychologist and a social worker, let's say, or the distinction between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. (24:15) They may not have no idea of what treatment they should ask for with regard to PTSD.

(24:22) So if they're getting the wrong treatment, you know, 50 sessions in, they're not making any improvement. (24:27) They may not know that. (24:29) So I think we need to do a better job of educating.

Sharmin Prince

Host

(24:32) Thank you so much, Dr. Jackson. (24:37) It has been a pleasure. (24:38) My pleasure. (24:39) And we would like to see you again very soon.

(24:43) Okay. (24:44) Very good. (24:45) Take care, friends.

DJ

Dr. Jackson

Guest

(24:46) Okay. (24:46) Thank you so much. (24:47) Bye-bye. (24:47) Have a wonderful week.

(24:48) Thank you.

1x

00:00

24:52