Health is Everything™

Spirituality, Health and Compassion: a Conversation with the Reverend Maureen Shelton, Part 1“Spirituality is a seeking and discovery of one’s sacred values; values that are influenced by connectedness to self, others and earth; the aspiration to realize ideals; and the journey of asking the profound questions of life.” Thought of in this way, it is not hard to grasp why spirituality has become increasingly recognized as an essential, but often missing, component of optimal healthcare. No one is better trained and positioned to meet the need of better integrating spirituality into the American medical system than hospital chaplains, who play an increasingly outsized role in supporting the emotional and physical health, not just of patients, but of medical staff as well. Join us on this podcast as Maureen Shelton, M.Div engages us in a wide-ranging discussion about chaplaincy in general, and more specifically about remarkable developments in the Emory Department of Spiritual Health, for which she serves as System Director of Education and Director of the Division of Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH). In particular, we discuss how the addition of compassion training to chaplaincy education has begun to transform the ability of spiritual health clinicians to meet the spiritual, emotional, and social needs of patients and personnel within the Emory Healthcare system. In this first of a two-part series, Reverend Shelton walks us through the steps of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®), which forms the first step of training in the clinical practice of CCSH, a research-supported approach to spiritual health that is our focus in the second podcast of this series.This episode is Part 1 in a two-part series.Featuring:Maureen Shelton, M.Div, System Director of Education and Director of the Division of Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH) at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Makeba Williams, Director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializes in the changes that women go through at the various stages of their life. Dr. Williams and Eleanor discuss puberty in children and what to expect.Featuring:Dr. Makeba Williams, Director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Inflammation and Depression: From Evolutionary Understandings to the Discovery of New TreatmentsIn our first podcast with Dr. Andrew H. Miller, we explored links between inflammation and mental illness. But we left unanswered several key questions. Why as a species we should be so prone to inflammatory disorders? Why, from an evolutionary point of view, should inflammation so readily cause depression? In this podcast we cover these questions and more, exploring why humans have an inflammatory bias, why the link between inflammation and depression likely enhanced survival and reproduction across human evolution and why the absence of co-evolved bacteria, viruses and worms in the modern world is making both inflammation and depression worse. Finally, we turn to cutting-edge research underway in Dr. Miller’s laboratory that seeks to harness the link between inflammation and depression to create better, and more personalized, treatments for mental illness. Andrew H. Miller, MD, is the William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University. His discoveries have played a leading role in our current understanding of immune-brain interactions relevant to mental health.This episode is Part 2 in a two-part series.Featuring:Dr. Andrew Miller, William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Inflammation, Stress and DepressionThe realization that inflammation contributes to most modern illnesses has been called one of the most important medical discoveries of the last century. Inflammation contributes to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia. We now know that inflammation also plays a central role, not just in physical illness, but also in psychiatric disorders. Increased inflammation has been repeatedly observed in individuals with depression, manic-depression, schizophrenia and most other mental disorders. If you’ve ever wondered what this all means, in this podcast Dr. Andrew H. Miller joins host Charles Raison to talk about what inflammation is and how its association with mental illness was discovered. Dr. Miller, who is the William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University, has been a world leader in unraveling how inflammation produces depression and how addressing inflammation might help identify new treatments for this disabling condition. Join us on this podcast to hear the history of this psychiatric and medical revolution from someone who made much of it happen.This episode is Part 1 in a two-part series.Featuring:Dr. Andrew Miller, William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

A Surgeon’s Journey to the Heart of Health: Yoga as a Means of Physical, Mental and Spiritual HealthMedicine in general, and surgery in particular, can seem so mechanical and cold. In a world in which bodies are seen as biological machines and medical appointments consist of sitting quietly while the doctor sits with her back to you typing into a computer, the voice of Dr. Carla Haack is both refreshing and inspiring. Dr. Haack has been a towering presence in the Emory University School of Medicine. Among her many titles are Assistant Professor of General and GI surgery, Medical Director for Care Coordination for Emory University Hospital and Emory University Orthopedic and Spine Hospital and Henry B. Tippie Clinician Scholar, all of which fail to do justice to the outsized impact she has had on the University’s medical community. In this podcast, we join Dr. Haack to discuss the beauty of surgery when set within the larger psychospiritual context informed by Dr. Haack’s long-term commitment to yoga as a means of physical health and emotional well-being. Join us as we explore the many surprising ways in which yoga and surgery can inform each other to provide an inspiring vision of medicine characterized by a commitment to healing the body, mind, and spirit.Featuring:Dr. Carla Haack, Assistant Professor of General and GI Surgery, Medical Director for Care Coordination at Emory University Hospital and Emory University Orthopedic and Spine Hospital,  Henry B. Tippie Clinician ScholarHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Heather Krug, Clinical Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Eleanor discuss dyslexia in children and useful practices to help improve speech, reading, writing, and more.Featuring:Heather Krug, Clinical Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Peter Locke, Head of High School at Madison Country Day School in Wisconsin, and Eleanor discuss why school is important and how school can help social and emotional development in children.Featuring:Peter Locke, Head of High School at Madison Country Day SchoolHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Meditation Made Easier: The New Science of Wellness, Compassion and MindfulnessHave you wanted to meditate but can’t seem to commit to sitting quietly and trying to concentrate for 20 or 30 minutes a day? Or have you tried to meditate, but find that the standard mindfulness practices of focusing on the breath or on bodily sensations produce little more than a desire to fidget with boredom or drift off into daydreams? If you identify with these or other challenges, this podcast will provide exciting alternatives. If you have mastered meditation, you will still find plenty here to inspire you to optimize your contemplative practice.Richard Davidson, PhD, is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. Long before he was the world’s leading meditation researcher, Dr. Davidson was internationally recognized for his work exploring the relationship of brain function with emotional well-being and depression. This commitment to science has inspired him to continue exploring ways that meditation can be made more effective and attractive for wider and wider groups of people.In this podcast, Dr. Davidson describes exciting findings from a recent study of a free, widely available app-based wellness intervention developed by Healthy Minds Innovations. Dr. Davidson and colleagues found that even 5 minutes a day practicing a series of meditation-inspired wellness practices produced striking improvements in participant well-being. Even better, most of these practices can be done in the midst of daily life, while driving, walking, washing dishes…..We draw pragmatic lessons from these findings before concluding the podcast with a discussion of ways that compassion can supercharge our ability to meditate.Featuring:Dr. Richard Davidson, William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy MindsHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

We Are the Stories We Tell Ourselves: The Role of Self and Family Narratives in Human Well-BeingIt's no accident that most of us crave stories, in books, in movies on the internet. In many ways, our lives are created by the stories we tell others— and ourselves. And we don’t just tell stories, we live them, and not infrequently we are willing to die for them. Stories have beginnings, middles, and ends. Research has shown that endings are especially important for how we think about our lives. Did we fail or succeed, try or avoid trying? Stories that go wrong are one of the strongest drivers of depression and anxiety in our lives.But what about people without enough personal stories in their lives, or who lack stories about their families? Welcome to the research of Robyn Fivush, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts at Emory University. Dr. Fivush has spent a career studying the role of memory and narrative in forming our adult selves. Her work points to the importance of developing coherent, detailed stories of ourselves and of our family heritage. And she has shown how important it is for parents to help young children began to craft these types of stories about themselves and their families. More recently, she has identified disturbing trends in how the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to change the stories young adults are telling themselves about who they are and what their futures might or might not hold. Join us on this podcast as Dr. Fivush describes her work and gives pointers on how stories can promote our well-being.Featuring:Dr. Robyn Fivush, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Creativity in Biomedical Science: How a Drug Never Expected to Work is a Life-Saver for COVID-19 and People Living with HIVMedical science has come under a lot of criticism lately for waffling on its understandings of the COVID-19 virus and of how we can best protect ourselves. Why the confusion? The answer this points to one of science’s greatest gifts to humanity: the ability to change our minds and behavior based on new evidence. Unlike many religions, science never provides certainty. What it does provide is surprise, because the world we live in is far stranger and more creative than our limited imaginations can conjure.This podcast with Christina Gavegnano, assistant professor in the Emory University Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, illustrates this beautifully.Many of the most important scientific discoveries in history initially had to buck conventional wisdom to change the world. As a young researcher, Dr. Gavegnano realized that patients struggling with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, might benefit from drugs that blocked a particular immune pathway. The problem was that conventional wisdom at the time held that blocking this pathway could never be safe in patients with severe viral infections. Dr. Gavegnano persevered and eventually proved that not only were Jak inhibitor drugs that blocked this inflammatory immune pathway safe, but they were highly effective. These things might have stood, had the COVID-19 pandemic not come along. But once again, Dr. Gavegnano was able to see the type of novel connections that science gives us. The drugs she initially pioneered for use in HIV have now been given emergency use approval by the FDA for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen. Join us as Dr. Gavegnano gives us a window into the creativity and patience that led to this story of scientific discovery.Featuring:Dr. Christina Gavegnano, Assistant Professor in the Emory University Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH