Kristina Pecora, PsyD, MAPPClinical PsychologistUnited States Institute of Peace & NVision You, LLC My husband and I were fully vaccinated at the end of April. We looked forward to re-emerging from the pandemic celebrating a return to friends, family and “normal” life. The post-vaccine invites did, indeed, start coming in . . . for funerals. Suddenly, we looked at our calendar and realized we had … Continue reading Three funerals and a vacation: Using my professional experience to understand my personal journey navigating a pandemic

Jessica L. Lawson, PhD Clinical Health Psychologist VA Connecticut Healthcare System- West Haven Yale School of Medicine     She sat across from me, legs crossed and arms folded protectively around herself, as if to try to hide her body as she shared her experience with me. Gazing down at the floor she explained that she did not want to make a return visit to her … Continue reading Neutralizing the Weight of our Biases

Joan DelFattore, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, University of Delaware “You have no husband?” asked the oncologist, his voice full of concern. “No,” I replied. Nor do I have children or other immediate family. “Then how will you manage?” he exclaimed. The answer was a strong network of friends, cousins, colleagues, and neighbors — but when I tried to tell him that, he interrupted to describe the … Continue reading How Cancer Treatment Varies with Marital Status, and Why It Shouldn’t