Throughout my life, I’ve had interactions with doctors that didn’t feel like they were listening to me, they were more interested in looking at my symptoms, than addressing my concerns. It wasn’t only with doctors either, there would be other times I wasn’t taken seriously, and I would leave feeling annoyed, disappointed, and disregarded. I would have to deal with my eczema, and the mental and physical stress it caused on my own. Interactions like this made me appreciate it when I finally found a doctor that would listen to me, and not disregard me, and I felt like I could work with them to figure out what was going on with me . I needed to find someone to see me, and not just the symptoms I have.

I know how important it is to be heard, and to connect with your doctor that way. That’s why I strive to listen to my patients, and make them feel heard and cared for. This is even more emphasized when I work with expecting families and breastfeeding mothers. Having a newborn is a very emotional and overwhelming time of life, and even though it is beautiful, there are people who struggle, at a time they are more vulnerable and need support from people who will listen to them and their concerns.