Self-Care & Mental Wellness: Dr. Jan E. Patterson Of Integrative Medicine On The Top Five Selfcare Practices That Improve Mental Wellness

An Interview With Maria Angelova

Mindfulness. This is the practice of being present in the moment. Not ruminating about what happened yesterday or worrying about what will happen tomorrow. Just being present and experiencing what is happening at the moment. Putting down our phone and limiting time on social media to appointed times can help us with this.

Let’s face it. It seems that everyone is under a great deal of stress these days. This takes a toll on our mental wellness. What are some of the best self-care practices that we can use to help improve our mental wellness and mental well-being? In this interview series, we are talking to medical doctors, mental health professionals, health and wellness professionals, and experts about self-care or mental health who can share insights from their experience about How Each Of Us Can Use Self Care To Improve Our Mental Wellness. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jan E. Patterson, MD.

Dr. Jan E. Patterson, MD is an integrative medicine and infectious diseases physician who has practiced and taught medicine for more than 30 years. She trained at University of Texas, Vanderbilt, Yale, and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Arizona. She believes in using all the tools in the toolbox for better health, and works to integrate holistic therapies with conventional ones.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with us. It is a great honor. Our readers would love to learn more about you and your personal background. Can you please share your personal story? What has brought you to this point in your life?

I grew up on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas, where I learned to milk goats and grow vegetables. I think this contributed to my interest in natural products as therapies later in life. I went to medical school in Houston, then trained in internal medicine at Vanderbilt, and in infectious diseases at Yale. My husband, also an infectious diseases physician, and I spent some time on the faculty at Yale and then we moved to the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, where we have been for almost 30 years.

I have been involved in patient care, medical research, education, healthcare improvement, and administration. My most rewarding work endeavors were in collaborative leadership of new programs. My most proud accomplishments are my remarkable sons. Our family enjoyed many travels as my husband and I shared research and medical education around the world.

My own personal experience as well as observations from many years of patient care have shown me that more than conventional medicine is needed to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. I began my journey in integrative medicine by learning to use essential oils and wanted to learn more about holistic therapies. In my integrative medicine fellowship, I learned about the power of breathwork, movement, nutrition, spirit, meditation and mindfulness in improving health. I now spend much of my time integrating these holistic therapies with conventional medicine.

What is your “WHY” behind what you do? What fuels you?

Early in life, I saw some consequences of inadequate medical care in people close to me. I wanted a chance to learn about and provide good medical care. My personal experience demonstrated that holistic therapies integrated with conventional medicine were helpful when facing the difficulties in life. More recently, I’ve seen the benefit of integrative medicine modalities that empower patients to improve their own health, and I am working to spread that message.

Sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake or failure which you now appreciate has taught you a valuable lesson?

In the middle of my career, I applied for a major leadership position. I had some experience in this role, really enjoyed it, and I had a good vision for the job. A more conventional candidate was chosen, and I was disappointed. However, I was then in a position to start an exciting and innovative program in healthcare improvement. This work proved to be more exciting and impactful than the other leadership position would have been. So, although I had initially been disappointed, I was glad that first door had closed and I was led to other work.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Persistence. I wasn’t the smartest person in my medical school or my residency class, but I was persistent in learning as much as I could and I excelled.
2. Humility. Medicine is very humbling, as there are always exceptions and atypical presentations of diseases. Being humble keeps us open to other possibilities and other people’s opinions.
3. Collaborative ability. The most rewarding part of leadership is seeking the opinions of other people about solutions to problems and working with them to achieve their potential.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting new projects you are working on now? How do you think that will help people?

I have worked to start an integrative medicine program in our hospital, and am medical director of that program. We offer integrative modalities including aromatherapy, breathwork, and guided meditations to hospitalized patients, Most patients are very grateful to have access to these therapies which inspire and empower them to help themselves. I’ve just published a book, Breath for the Soul , which discusses self-care strategies for stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. My co-author and I are already getting a lot of feedback from readers about how helpful the strategies are.

OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, about the interface between self-care and mental health. From where you stand personally or professionally, why are you so passionate about mental well-being?

Mental well-being is critical to our personal wellness and our professional success. I have seen many of my health care co-workers become burned out during the COVID-19 pandemic and we have lost a substantial part of our healthcare workforce. Our mental wellness is essential for avoiding burnout and we all need to pay more attention to it. On a very personal level, I lost my younger son to mental illness and suicide, so working to help people to achieve wellness is important to me.

Based on your research or experience, how exactly does self-care impact our mental wellness?

There is evidence that many things we can do for ourselves can improve wellness. Self-care is empowering.

Here is our primary question. Can you please share your “Top Five Selfcare Practices That Each Of Us Can Use To Improve Our Mental Wellness”?

This is so interesting because we cover five self-care practices in our new book, Breath for the Soul !

1. Intentional breathing. We think of breathing as involuntary, but we can also have voluntary control of our breath and we can use it to calm ourselves, think more clearly, act more rationally. To start, breathe more deeply, regularly, and slowly. There are specific breathwork exercises that can help even more.
2. Enjoyable movement. Our bodies were made to move. Movement helps not only our physical body, but our mental health, emotional wellness, and spirit. You can choose moderate or vigorous movement. Movement outdoors can be even more helpful due to the benefits of being in nature. In addition to activities such as running, walking, cycling and swimming, movement meditations including yoga and tai chi are beneficial.
3. Nutrition. ‘Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you who you are’ said Brillat-Savarin, an 18th century epicure. Our food choices have a major impact on, not only our physical health, but our mood and mental health as well. The Mediterranean Diet and Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet emphasize plant-based eating and anti-inflammatory foods including vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy fats such as omega-3’s and olive oil. These eating patterns have been associated with mental as well as physical wellness.
4. Spirit. There is evidence that spirituality awakens our brain. Spirituality is a sense of interconnectedness with others and belief in a higher being. It can be expressed through faith, nature, service, or the arts. Acknowledging and practicing this part of our whole person especially benefits our mental and emotional well-being.
5. Mindfulness. This is the practice of being present in the moment. Not ruminating about what happened yesterday or worrying about what will happen tomorrow. Just being present and experiencing what is happening at the moment. Putting down our phone and limiting time on social media to appointed times can help us with this.

Can you please share a few of the main roadblocks that prevent people from making better self-care choices? What would you suggest can be done to overcome those roadblocks?

I think time is considered the biggest roadblock for most people. ‘I don’t have time to meditate.’ ‘I don’t have time to exercise.’ ‘I don’t have time to eat healthy food.’ The fact is, we really cannot afford to ignore these things. Making time to take care of ourselves results in better cognition, more efficiency, and better health — which means less time lost from work or family.

In one sentence, what would you say to someone who doesn’t prioritize their mental well-being?

It will catch up with you.

Thank you for all that great insight! Let’s start wrapping up. Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does this quote resonate with you so much?

‘Kindness is the highest form of intelligence.’ (Wayne Teasdale)

A person can be really smart but ignore the perspective and feelings of others.

The most highly intelligent people have the capacity for empathy with others and the can appreciate the perspective and feelings of other people.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? They might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)

Gayle King. She was a local newscaster when we lived in Connecticut and I’ve have followed her career with interest. I enjoy watching her on CBS Mornings and she seems like a person that would be fun and interesting to talk to.

I truly appreciate your time and valuable contribution. One last question. How can our readers best reach or follow you?

Website: https:www.drjanpatterson.com

Email: jan@drjanpatterson.com

Linked In: Jan Evans Patterson, MD, MS

Instagram: drjanpatterson

YouTube: @janpatterson4374

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.

About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.