Guest Blog Post time! Today I’m deeply honored to share these words from Dr. Jackie (she/her). I met Dr. Jackie on a trip to Germany in a rather pivotal moment in my life. I found her liveliness, connectedness, and charm to be such a soothing balm at a critical time. In Germany, we found ourselves learning the importance of nature cure, hydrotherapy, and community. We frolicked in the hills of Bavaria and ate jellied foods in the bathhouses of the former East Germany. We strolled through gardens over a century old and learned about the healing power of plants. This shared experience shaped who I am today in a lot of ways. One of those is that I’m proud to call Jackie a friend. I hope you find her words healing and inspiring.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Soil: Words of Wisdom from Dr. Jackie

When it comes to being a Naturopathic physician working as a primary care provider in the state of Vermont, I sometimes feel the responsibility is heavier than I can handle. In these moments of pressure, self-doubt, fear, and likely “imposter syndrome”, I take the time to step back, take a deep breath, and remember who I am and why I am successful in this profession. I usually go back to the mantra that has guided me through life the past 15 years, “self observation without judgment” by Swami Kripalu. Look honestly and truthfully at your actions, and see how it sits in your body without judgment. In this place of self-reflection, we can be comfortable with who we are.

Being a woman of color and a primary care provider is quite an experience. I see the entire spectrum of people, genders, races, identities, socioeconomic statuses, and everything in between. I get the privilege of being let into people’s most vulnerable states, and be a part of the conversation of assisting them live a life with less pain, less disease, and less imbalances. I am there for the acute strep throat and the chronic liver disease. I am often sought out as a provider because of my skill set and speciality, but also including my existence being in marginalized groups. The thing that has often been a source of anxiety in the professional world, being a woman of color, has become the very thing that can helps folks relate to me.

I have found that by being authentically myself, I am the best provider I can be. I can relate to my patients, see their struggles, and allow them to feel comfortable to let me in. Many health conditions are invisible, meaning they are not as obvious to the human eye. We need to hear about symptoms from the person experiencing them to even know to look for the disease states. I am responsible for creating an environment that feels safe and inclusive for all of my patients so that we can build a therapeutic relationship together in order to accomplish the mutual goal of health.

Often enough the first 10 minutes of my visits are often my patients needing a long-time coming vent session on their negative experiences with other providers. I allow the space for patients to air their grievances while affirming that I am likely already a little different than providers they may have had. I live in Burlington, VT, a pretty small “big city”, and I generally am active in my community. I see my patients all around town, and they see me. You tend to stick out a little bit as a person of color in Vermont. But hey, I love it here and I am happy to contribute to the colorful beauty and diversity of Vermont.

Staying true to myself is at the core of how I practice. I wear my bright pink blazers and keep my bouncy curls flowing. I don’t code switch, which is a term that describes how a member of an underrepresented group (consciously or unconsciously) adjusts their language, syntax, grammatical structure, behavior, and appearance to fit into the dominant culture. I am goofy, silly, and let’s be real, I have never been able to not be myself. I am confident in my skill set as a physician and I am amazing with needles and injections, and my patients trust my skills because they know who I am. I am humble enough to tell them, “Hey, I need to look this up because I literally have never heard of that- let me get the information I need to tell you an informed answer”. When you stay honest to who you are, you stay true to your integrity.

Sure- I may blast Rage Against the Machine in my headphones while I chart after a particularly stressful day, but at least I know that I am still me. Another piece of advice I didn't realize was imperative: it is important to find a clinic that fosters this authentic self, and allows you to be the clinician you want to be. It’s like this: the work environment you are in is the soil and you are a cute little biodynamic seed waiting to be planted. When you are in the right environment, you eventually will blossom and be able to nourish your community.

Dr. Jackie Burrell (she/her) is a primary care physician working at Avalon Natural Medicine located in Burlington, Vermont. She is committed to providing individualized care to her patients and community in a respectful and inclusive environment.

@dr.jackieburrell

www.avalonnaturalmedicine.com

Comment below and give a shout-out to Dr. Jackie! Or tell us how you’ve been working on finding the right soil. Or the right blazer. :)