At This Time In Human History

In support of two upcoming events that I’m helping to organize that highlight disturbing content, I compiled the following resources that I hope will support any participants who might find themselves struggling. Please continue to take good care of one another and yourselves - we cannot pour from an empty cup.

  1. The All-Ukrainian mental health program "How are you?", initiated by First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, aims to help Ukrainians find a source of strength. The internal source, in oneself, at the level of awareness and recognition of one's mental state and at least an approximate assessment of the degree of its crisis.

  2. UA Mental Help 🇺🇦🌿is fighting for the mental health of our nation, striving to teach Ukrainians to listen to themselves, to live in harmony with their bodies and minds, and not to be afraid to turn to psychologists if they need support. Ми боремося за ментальне здоров’я нашої нації, прагнемо навчити українців прислухатися до себе, жити в гармонії тіла з розумом і не боятися звертатися до психологів, якщо вони потребують підтримки.

  3. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI on Identity and Cultural Dimensions: Our culture, beliefs, sexual identity, values, race and language all affect how we perceive and experience mental health conditions. In fact, cultural differences can influence what treatments, coping mechanisms and supports work for us.

  4. The Black Mental Health Alliance aims to develop, promote and sponsor trusted culturally-relevant educational forums, trainings and referral services that support the health and well-being of Black people and their communities.

  5. Are you worried about a Johns Hopkins student or learner, or do you need urgent assistance for your own mental health concern? The Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team (BHCST) can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 410-516-WELL (9355).

  6. Climate Mental Health’s mission is to provide access to education, tools, programs, and support designed to help individuals and communities recognize the signs and manage the emotional impacts of climate change.

Award from the Schwartz Teaching for Diversity Fund

Nominated for and awarded grant funding! The Schwartz Teaching for Diversity Fund includes a grant award and complimentary workshops to help advance a US-based project over the next 6-8 months. The intent is to extend knowledge gained in Kripalu Schools training to diverse communities while providing a platform to share with other awardees and the larger Kripalu community.

Awarded Master of Public Health & Thesis Success!

As of August 31st, I have joined the ranks of Public Health Masters! The culminating project of my MPH (aka my thesis) is now accepted in poster form at the Planetary Health Alliance Annual Meeting and the International Association of Yoga Therapists Symposium on Yoga Research. Thank you to my advisor Karen Collins, fellow title and abstract reviewer Charissa Loftis, Joel Graham, Vali Valenti, Kasia Moffett, and a few others wishing to remain anonymous for their guidance, feedback, involvement, and support throughout the process. Update: this thesis was also accepted in poster form for The Academic Consortium’s Integrative Medicine & Health Symposium in Chicago.

IAYT Featured Blog Post: A yogic practice for communal care in the time of COVID →

I’d like to thank IAYT and their staff for working with me on the following blog post highlighting the work of lead researcher Dr. Prashanth:

No matter what you call the force behind the pandemic—COVID-19, the ‘Rona, or SARS-CoV-2— almost everyone now knows and practices the self-care trifecta:

  • cover both your nose and mouth with a mask;

  • keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others; and

  • wash your hands with soap and warm water for as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday.”

However, many yogis are also regularly washing out their noses!

For those not already familiar with the practice, cleansing the nasal passages and sinuses is known as jala neti, and it’s performed as a part of a traditional yoga practice. You might be surprised to learn that in addition to the more commonly known physical exercises, breathwork, and meditation, yoga includes many cleansing practices. These purification steps, traditionally considered to be preparatory for other practices, are mentioned in ancient texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

Jali neti uses a simple saline solution and may be an effective tool in combating community spread of the virus. Modern scientific literature supports the general usefulness of this nasal-wash technique: The virus that causes COVID-19 is often spread through coughs and sneezes and eventually finds its way into the nose of its next victim, where it can proliferate, so researchers reviewed the available scientific knowledge base and suggest that a simple saline solution may interrupt this process of community spread.

Another aspect of this practice you might find surprising: The sensation and clear feeling afterward can be quite pleasant, especially once you’re accustomed to it!

Take care:

One should of course always consult their healthcare provider before proceeding with any complementary intervention, especially if they have any specific medical concerns. For example, if you have recently had a tooth extracted, your doctor may need to clear you for adding this practice into your daily self-care regimen.

Another caution arises from the potential for bacterial infection due to improperly cleaned neti pots, which are commonly used to deliver the saline solution. This problem, however, is easily avoided through proper cleaning of the neti pot and using distilled water or water that is first boiled and then cooled to approximately a healthy body temperature.

We can’t force others to change their behavior, nor can we wear a mask or wash their hands for them. We can, however, step up our own self-care practices for the good of all. So in honor of Audre Lorde’s popularization of the more radical aspects of this notion, let’s all cultivate all our self-care practices! After all, saucha (cleanliness or purification) is a key tenet of yogic philosophy.

This post appeared on yogatherapy.health, published by the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Used with permission. https://yogatherapy.health/2021/03/11/a-yogic-practice-for-communal-care-in-the-time-of-covid/

Crisis Response →

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amy applied and was accepted into an MPH program with the Milken Institute for Public Health at George Washington University. To that end, I completed a training course on social-behavioral-educational research with a focus on the protection of human subjects. The course offered both historic and current information on regulatory and ethical issues important to the conduct of research involving human subjects. Early on, I also reviewed research grant applications for Johns Hopkin’s Urban Health Institute, managed a neighborhood hotline weekly, and became certified in Contact Tracing - all with the intention to be in service to the community. [image credit: HHS.org]

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Harvard Human Flourishing Program’s Community of Practice

Pleased to be joining the Harvard Human Flourishing Program’s online discussion of best practices and different approaches to assessing and promoting flourishing in a wide variety of settings.

Founded in April of 2019, with an initial focus on educational contexts, and now expanded to also include health care organizations, workplaces, communities, and other sites. Conversations have covered the measurement of flourishing among different groups, the development of interventions to enhance specific domains of well-being and overall flourishing, and the revision of K-12, university, and medical school curricula to emphasize the centrality of flourishing and its pathways for leading a good life and building a better society.

Monthly meetings are conducted in the spirit of a true community of practice, which has been defined as, “a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”

Freshly minted National Board certified Health & Wellness Coach

In February, I sat for the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) National Board Certification Exam created with the National Board of Medical Examiners. In April, I learned that I had joined the ranks of certified health & wellness coaches practicing in the fields of healthcare, employee wellness, government, and private practice. We, as the National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaching community, composed of trained, educated coaches, are passionate about working with patients and clients for better health outcomes. Let us support you on your wellness journey!

Cuba's Healthcare System: a blend of Allopathic, Traditional, and Anthroposophic medicine

Just before Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to be a program assistant for a 3-day themed workshop: The Spiritual Foundation of Biodynamics, at the International Biodynamics Conference in Lake George. It was there that I was first introduced to the concept of Anthroposophic Medicine.

Not long afterwards, and just before Christmas, I visited Cuba in an effort to expand my knowledge about existing national healthcare models, that incorporate allopathic and traditional medicine. I again encountered the concept of Anthroposophic Medicine.

I plan to write blog posts about these experiences in the coming months!

Duke Integrative Medicine Alumni Mentor

Two years after joining Cohort 34, I was thrilled to take on the role of Alumni Mentor at Duke Integrative Medicine for the July 2019 convening of the Integrative Health Coaching Professional Training (IHCPT) Foundation Course for Cohort 41. Each day began with a team meeting with the Co-Lead Instructors and the Program Coordinator, and each day ended with us reviewing student progress and the day’s formal evaluations. Throughout each day, I shadowed participants in order to offer feedback and assistance. I also lead the entire group through mind-body practices several times during the module. I look forward to providing support to these students in-between their training modules.

The UK's first "Yoga in Healthcare Conference"

I was thrilled to be able to attend the UK’s first Yoga in Healthcare Conference, held in London from February 15th to February 17th, alongside international health professionals, and UK based colleagues.

Together we explored how yoga improves health, supports self-reliance, and how we might better address health inequalities. We reviewed the evidence from cutting-edge research that supports yoga’s efficacy in healthcare, explored the economic case for yoga, and discussed how we can help create a sustainable health care system.

The overall aims of the conference were to raise the profile of yoga in health care, to explore current success stories, to discuss the incorporation of yoga into the national health care system, and to better understand how yoga could be offered on prescription.

Johns Hopkins Lung Cancer Patient Symposium

I was proud to be asked to be on a panel at the Johns Hopkins Lung Cancer Patient Symposium held on November 2nd at the Mt. Washington Conference Center. Our panel brought together several experts on “Holistic/Complementary Care” and my fifteen minute talk was entitled, “Prescription: Yoga. Now What?” It is an honor to offer support to those facing challenges, but especially those facing the very challenge that took my grandfather.

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

I applied and was accepted as a merit reviewer of applications for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

"Patient, stakeholder, and scientist reviewers bring an important, diverse, and unique perspective to PCORI's merit review process. This community of reviewers is essential to helping PCORI identify and fund the best research to improve the quality and relevance of evidence available to patients, caregivers, clinicians, employers, insurers, and policy-makers to help make informed health decisions."

Duke Inspired, Broader Mission

Since completing Duke Integrative Medicine's Integrative Health Coaching foundation course, my mission has broadened to include the direct support of client driven health related decisions, patient centered clinical care, and organizational change, through evidence-based contemplative practices.

Beginning in October, I will be providing Integrative Health Coaching at the Joy Wellness Center of Shepherd's Clinic, starting with a six-week-long group coaching series comprised of a mix of in-person meetings and support phone calls (registration is open to current clients and residents of the zip codes currently served). Together we'll make lasting changes for better overall health outcomes!

Collaboration with Shepherd's Clinic and Joy Wellness Center

In collaboration with Shepherd's Clinic and Joy Wellness Center, I am thrilled to announce that I'll be offering a weekly group yoga class at on Tuesday mornings. This collaboration brings my skills and talents straight to the heart of my own community. If you or a loved one also live in northeast Baltimore, and are experiencing physical or mental health issues during a time without health insurance, the clinic may be able to help you. For additional wellness services, like my yoga class, that will compliment your primary care and benefit you on your path towards health and healing, please check the full calendar.  

Collaboration with Maryland Center for Veteran Education & Training

I'm pleased to announce that I am now offering the practice of chair yoga, pranayama, and meditation at the Maryland Center for Veteran Education and Training, on a weekly basis. MCVET serves over 200 veterans from around the United States by providing comprehensive services including case management, employment services, education services, life skills training, addiction counseling and recovery, housing, and meals, all in a secure setting. The public can support our Veterans by bringing their cars to the weekly carwash on either Friday or Saturday; and/or join me for the 22nd Annual MCVET 5K/10K Walk or Run.

Collaboration with Elijah Cummings Youth Program

I am pleased to announce that I'll be providing the youth accepted into Elijah Cummings Youth Program with experiential learning opportunities in yoga and mindfulness as they prepare for their trip to Israel. If you know an outstanding young person living in Maryland's 7th Congressional District also entering their sophomore year in a high school, you are encouraged to nominate them, here.

[Please note: In light of the Academic Boycott of Israel in support of human rights for Palestinians, I have resigned from this position.]