Dr. Melissa Welby

11/13/2020

1 hour training to learn to recognize and treat opioid overdose. Milford Prevention Council

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrcO-prDguG92Q-dDK7Y0VEX55efA55oRv

06/02/2020

This is a statement from Dr. Sherly Leon and her group of female physicians of color, the McStuffin Mommies. Please read. Now promise to do better.

We are . We are a collective of nearly 1,200 women physicians of color. We are nearly 1,200 women physicians of color who are, also…mothers.

Daily, we leave our homes and tend to minds, bodies and souls to heal them and make them better, regardless of color.

With a smile, we perform physicals on towheaded boys who look like Dylann Roof, then come home and wince in fear when our sweet little boys smile with that small gap in the front like Ahmaud Arbery.

Cheerfully, we set the broken bones of men with a sprinkling of gray hair like Derek Chauvin then anxiously hold our breaths when our husbands stand tall in dapper black suits and leave our homes like George Floyd.

We hold the hands and deliver the babies of precious young women like Amy Cooper then admonish our sons to NEVER leave the house alone and always have a witness when speaking to strange women who do not look like us, their sisters or their grandmothers. Anxiously, we teach our curly haired boys that if those women raise an alarm to keep their hands UP, eyes DOWN and voices LOW when speaking to those they may summon.

With determined efficiency we restart the hearts of obese red-haired men like Travis McMichael then feel our stomach twist in knots when our daughters complete their applications for EMT training like Breonna Taylor.

We remain committed to our oath to provide the best medical care possible to every patient that crosses our paths regardless of their station in life, their religious affiliation…their color. We do this while we look at our beautiful brown children with the crushing reality that this world will NEVER afford them that same level of equanimity and grace.

For 8 minutes and 46 seconds we saw, but most of all we heard.

We heard 114 words.

TWO that pierced our souls.

Two cries for “Mama”.

We heard our boys. We heard our girls.

We heard, in that moment, that no matter how many lives we may save, there are so many others willing to take the lives we made.

Make a promise to us America.

We made a promise to care for your children.

Make a promise to us to do better by our children.

Allow us to breathe.

04/24/2020

Beyond hand washing, wearing a mask, and physical distance to minimize risk of COVID-19 infection, building resilience helps manage stress and carry us forward to when life eventually returns to “normal.” Protect your mental health by incorporating more resilience building into your day At Home with Dr. Jeannie BeThree

Buiding resilience will help us balance our fears and anxiety about COVID19. Prioritizing self-care and increasing resiliency are fun and help us stay well

04/23/2020

What silver linings to this terrible pandemic have you seen? Surprisingly, covid19 has delivered a few gifts along with its devastating effects. Life as we know it has changed but we can minimize the emotional destruction of this pandemic. We are resilient and we are all in this together. Look for these gifts and the reminders of our resilience

The coronavirus pandemic brought immense tragedy, yet the COVID19 virus also delivered gifts: connecting with others, resilient reminders, recovery and hope

04/03/2020

Humor always helps to balance out some of the stress. This is worth taking a look at!

Even though most of us are stuck at home and can't go out and enjoy art in museums, that doesn't mean that life is boring or uncultured. The Getty Museum in Los Angeles challenged art fans to post photos of themselves recreating their favorite works of art from the safety of their homes. People resp...

04/03/2020

Excited to have my article published today in Psychiatric Times. Although identifying details were changed to protect privacy, the sentiment I express is very real.

As physicians, we are not perfect. At times it seems like we aren't allowed to be human...Although it's not clear what percent is the external expectations from society vs our own expectations internalized from training when you are expected not to be human...sleep deprivation, 80+hr weeks, the terror of feeling responsible for people's lives and the awareness of how much there is to learn, etc...

This is my piece about one moment when I made a mistake because of lack of experience. I was afraid to ask for help because this particular issue felt like a weakness. Now, practically 20yrs later, I know that this is actually one of my strengths. This experience taught me more than I can ever express. Not only did I learn how to be a better psychiatrist, but it showed me how far the depths of resilience can go- in a situation when you think it can't be possible- and the drive to never give up.

These are important reminders right now of how resilient we are.

©andreiu88-shutterstock Melissa Welby, MDApril 2, 2020Portraits, Forensic Psychiatry PORTRAIT OF A PSYCHIATRIST Series Editor, H. Steven Moffic, MD I met Talia almost 20 years ago. It wasn’t the usual doctor-patient relationship formed in the setting of an outpatient clinic or general inpatient h...

03/29/2020

Anyone else making surprising (and humorous) decisions under pressure of covid19? What random things are you buying?

This morning my cat shared my shock to realize my husband is stocking up on vegetarian baked beans. Almost out of TP and disinfectant but we have 15 large cans of baked beans! 🤷‍♀️ Does he know something we don’t know?

Give me your best creative ideas for how these beans will solve this crises. Maybe it’s because humor will save us and keep us resilient?

03/26/2020

Let's hear it: Any good movies you have discovered, tv-series, books, games, or apps? How are you balancing the anxiety and stress of life right now?

How are you keeping yourself (and your kids) entertained during covid-19 and social distancing?

The usual coping skills many of us use are closed (gyms, get-togethers with friends, etc). Even in this time of unknowns and fear, it is important to build in fun and relaxation so we can stay afloat above the stress.

Share your tips for creating balance, having fun despite covid2019 isolation.

Share upliftingstories, pictures, and anything else to help us get through this difficult time.

03/17/2020

Given the high levels of anxiety surrounding everything happening with Covid-19, I thought some of you would find this free downloadable list of anxiety resources I put together helpful!

The list includes apps to help with sleep, mindfulness, meditation, children's resources, stress management, etc.

We all may need a few extra tools to help us balance the stress we are collectively feeling lately!

It’s a motivator and is our body’s way to remind us we need to pay attention. If we are anxious about something we may try harder to be prepared. However,sometimes anxiety stops being helpful and starts to run the show. Anxiety is a problem when it begins to rule decisions. Get help with anxiety...

03/16/2020

Now is a good time to talk to your kids about coronavirus COVID-19. They are worried! Here are 6 steps to lessen their anxiety and help keep them safe.

https://drmelissawelby.com/talk-to-children-about-covid-19-help-them-feel-less-anxious/

01/21/2020

Scary statistic! "Su***de is the 10th-leading cause of death across the U.S. population, but is second-most among college-aged students"

Su***de rates continue to increase across all age groups in America.