Episodios

  • 74 I What If Your Patient's Faith Is Their Best "Medicine"? ft. Dr. Cat Delostrinos

    74 I What If Your Patient's Faith Is Their Best "Medicine"? ft. Dr. Cat Delostrinos
    Aug 7 2025
    Overview: We explore the deeply personal and often overlooked connection between spirituality and health, especially within immigrant and refugee communities. Dr. Cat Delestrinos, a pediatrician and Filipino immigrant, shares moving stories from her own life and medical practice—particularly her son’s health journey—to illustrate how faith and spiritual practices can play a vital role in resilience, healing, and coping with fear. We discuss practical ways clinicians can better recognize and respect patients’ spiritual beliefs, how to open conversations about faith without imposing personal beliefs, and why understanding the spiritual dimension is critical for meaningful, holistic care. Three Takeawayss: 1) Spirituality as a Source of Healing and Resilience in Immigrant Communities Dr. Cat shares that for many immigrant and refugee families, spirituality isn’t just a private belief but a vital community resource and coping mechanism. She describes how, in Filipino culture (her own background), church and faith traditions are threads that bind individuals and groups—showing clinicians that understanding these can unlock strength and resilience in their patients’ healing journey 2) Personal Experience Shapes Clinical Practice Dr. Cat’s story about her son Manny’s critical illness and the intertwining of faith with medical care is a clear reminder that clinicians’ personal experiences—especially moments of vulnerability and hope—shape how they show up for patients. Her deep dive into spirituality through praying and supporting her son reframed how she approaches medical practice and the importance she places on spiritual health 3) Missed Opportunities: Clinicians Rarely Ask About Faith Despite spirituality often being crucial to patients, Dr. Cat realized no clinician or care team member ever brought up faith during her family’s medical ordeal unless she mentioned it herself. This points to a gap in holistic care and invites practitioners to consider what they might be overlooking by not asking about something so central to many people’s lives. Next Step: Visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Healthcare for Humans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@healthcareforhumanspodcast⁠⁠⁠
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    40 m
  • 73 I Trust, Culture, and Healing in Pediatric Refugee Care ft. Dr. Anisa Ibrahim

    73 I Trust, Culture, and Healing in Pediatric Refugee Care ft. Dr. Anisa Ibrahim
    Jul 17 2025
    Overview: We explore the challenges and deep rewards of providing care to newly arrived refugee and immigrant families, guided by the insights of Dr. Anisa Ibrahim, an experienced pediatrician and community advocate. We unpack the art of truly welcoming families, emphasizing the power of listening to migration histories, honoring cultural backgrounds, and recognizing that parents are the experts in their children’s lives. We delve into sensitive topics like nutrition, developmental delays, mental health, and environmental health risks, learning practical tools for culturally attuned dialogue and persistent partnership. Through stories and reflections, we highlight why culturally responsive care matters—not just for medical outcomes but for trust, resilience, and healing across diverse communities. Three Takeaways: The Power of Migration StoriesDr. Ibrahim emphasizes the importance of understanding each family's unique migration journey—two families from the same country may have wildly different trauma histories, languages of comfort, and support needs. She makes it clear that “migration history” is critical; you can’t use a cookie-cutter approach for refugee or immigrant healthcare because lived experiences differ so much. Literacy as a Clinical FoundationOne standout strategy from Dr. Ibrahim is her early, nonjudgmental questions about literacy: “Do you read or write in any language?” This simple inquiry uncovers critical information for both clinical care and partnership with community resources. It breaks down assumptions and helps tailor support, recognizing that language skills aren’t uniform, even within the same language or cultural group. Redefining Expertise: Families as Experts in Their Own ChildrenDr. Ibrahim reframes the traditional doctor-patient relationship by explicitly telling parents, “You’re an expert in your child.” This collaborative model flips the script from provider dominance to shared expertise, enhancing trust and participation—especially crucial for families new to Western healthcare system Next Step: Visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Healthcare for Humans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@healthcareforhumanspodcast⁠⁠
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    27 m
  • 72 I Honoring Culture in Care: Filipino Values in Healthcare (Part 2)

    72 I Honoring Culture in Care: Filipino Values in Healthcare (Part 2)
    Jun 26 2025
    Overview: We explore the complexities of trust, cultural values, and intergenerational dynamics within the Filipino community, especially in accessing mental health and healthcare services. We discuss how deep-rooted traditions like family obligation, community support, and the stigma surrounding mental health influence care-seeking behaviors across generations. Through community-driven initiatives like Little Manila Rising, we highlight how culturally rooted, trauma-informed approaches—such as engaging churches, honoring ancestral spaces, and providing culturally competent care—foster healing, advocacy, and stronger relationships between healthcare providers and the community. Three Takeaways: Leveraging Churches and Food as Cultural ConnectorsBoth Hannah and Raj highlight practical strategies for bridging generational divides: churches are vital hubs for reaching elders (who may trust faith leaders more than therapists), while food acts as a unifier across age groups, providing a non-threatening entry point for community dialogue and engagement. Healing Hinges on Intergenerational Dialogue and Community-Led SpacesSpaces intentionally created for both young and old to share—such as wellness panels and focus groups—are potent for mutual understanding. There’s a recurring theme that healing happens when the community is not just “served” but is leading and hosting the work, drawing on ancestral memory and lived experience Culturally Responsive Healthcare Goes Beyond ‘Cultural Competency’Tessa and Hannah stress that healthcare providers must go beyond textbook cultural competency. This includes offering trauma-informed care, involving families in treatment, actively engaging with community organizations (like Little Manila Rising), and educating themselves rather than outsourcing the labor of education to the community. Providers who do this, even if not sharing ethnic identity with patients, can vastly improve trust and outcomes. Resources: ⁠Little Manila Rising⁠ Next Step: Visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Healthcare for Humans⁠⁠⁠⁠, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@healthcareforhumanspodcast⁠⁠
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    28 m
  • 71 I When Communities Lead: Little Manila Rising's Blueprint for Health and Healing

    71 I When Communities Lead: Little Manila Rising's Blueprint for Health and Healing
    Jun 12 2025
    Overview: We explore the powerful story of Little Manila Rising, an organization founded to preserve the Filipino American legacy in Stockton, California, and uplift the South Stockton community. We hear how founders rallied local residents to prevent the destruction of historic neighborhoods and created a movement rooted in ancestral legacy, heart-centered activism, and holistic care. We learn about programs tackling health inequities, environmental justice, mental health, and youth development, all shaped by listening to community needs. Through initiatives like the Healing PUSO project and ECHO, we witness how blending Western and traditional Filipino healing practices, offering free clinics, and providing culturally responsive mental health support have made a tangible impact. Centering community voices and advocating for policy change, Little Manila Rising exemplifies the importance of accessible, culturally anchored healthcare that truly cares for the whole person. Three Takeaways: Community-Led Preservation as Health WorkLittle Manila Rising started as a preservation movement to protect Filipino-American heritage in Stockton, especially after systemic destruction through redevelopment. But as described by Hannah and Tessa, saving these physical and cultural spaces proved foundational to the community’s well-being—demonstrating that historical and cultural preservation itself is acts of healthcare, fostering identity and resilience (Hannah, 00:00:26–00:02:55). Deeply Personal and Spiritual MotivationTessa makes clear that the organization’s work is “heart-centered” and “spirit-led,” guided by the dreams and struggles of their ancestors. Staff are deeply connected on a personal level, honoring not just their community but also familial and ancestral legacies. This kind of motivation sets the tone for sustainable and authentic advocacy work (Tessa, 00:04:03–00:04:39). Holistic and Culturally Rooted Healthcare DeliveryThrough programs like Healing PUSO and Echo, Little Manila Rising offers both Western and traditional healing modalities, including Filipino massage, acupuncture, and sound healing. By blending these approaches, the clinics honor diverse health beliefs and needs, which community members find more welcoming and effective than traditional mainstream healthcare (Tessa, 00:11:37–00:15:19). Resources: Little Manila Rising Next Step: Visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠Healthcare for Humans⁠⁠⁠, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting⁠⁠⁠ https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@healthcareforhumanspodcast⁠
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    31 m
  • 70I The Power of Story and Faith: Islamic Trauma Healing in Practice

    70I The Power of Story and Faith: Islamic Trauma Healing in Practice
    May 23 2025
    Overview: We dive into the origins, structure, and impact of Islamic Trauma Healing—a community-driven, lay-led mental health intervention designed for Muslim communities, particularly Afghans and Somalis who have experienced significant trauma. Joining us are Mohammed Haroon , an Afghan mental health counselor and research coordinator, and Jake Bentley, a clinical psychologist from the University of Washington. We explore the barriers many Muslim refugees face with Western mental health services, how Islamic Trauma Healing uniquely integrates faith, community narratives, and evidence-based trauma care, and what sessions look like in practice. We discuss the training process for community leaders, the intervention’s positive effects—both academically and through personal testimonials—and address how culturally contextualized models like this can help reduce stigma and foster healing. Finally, we consider possibilities for broader dissemination and adaptation of the model to other communities. Key Topics: "Community Engagement and Prophet Narratives" Training Community Leaders for Facilitation Lay Leader Training Structure Program Expansion and Cultural Alignment Building Trust with Community Stakeholders Encouraging Feedback on Pilot Program Expanding Mental Health Program Reach Culturally Adapted Trauma Healing Resources: Islamic Trauma Healing: Integrating Faith and Empirically Supported Principles in a Community-Based Program - PubMed Islamic trauma healing (ITH): A scalable, community-based program for trauma: Cluster randomized control trial design and method - ScienceDirect Next Step: Visit our website, ⁠⁠Healthcare for Humans⁠⁠, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at ⁠⁠https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting⁠⁠ https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠@healthcareforhumanspodcast⁠
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    56 m
  • 69 I When COVID Hit Hardest: Pacific Islander Voices Reveal Hidden Healthcare Truths

    69 I When COVID Hit Hardest: Pacific Islander Voices Reveal Hidden Healthcare Truths
    May 1 2025
    Overview: We explore the deep-rooted structural inequities that have shaped health outcomes for Pacific Islander communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we unpack how colonialism, racism, erasure, and the lack of culturally appropriate healthcare have contributed to disproportionate impacts, and we highlight the vital role of community-led solutions and culturally safe spaces in healing. We discuss the limitations of the cultural competency model, the importance of recognizing power dynamics, and the essential need for physicians and healthcare systems to center trust, relationship-building, and self-determination for marginalized communities. Key Topics: Colonialism and Pacific Islander Identity Carceral System's Impact on Public Health Health Equity and COVID-19 Inequities Pacific Islanders Facing Bias Stereotypes Understanding Implicit Bias and Ignorance Amplifying Voices for Cultural Safety Cultural Hubs for Community Care Current Partnership w/ Joseph: Oceania Northwest Next Step: Visit our website, ⁠Healthcare for Humans⁠, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at ⁠https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting⁠ https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/⁠. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@healthcareforhumanspodcast
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    40 m
  • 68 I Four Days, Three Thousand Lives—Seattle King County Clinic w/ Julia Colson

    68 I Four Days, Three Thousand Lives—Seattle King County Clinic w/ Julia Colson
    Apr 8 2025
    We sit down with Julia Colson, the founder and executive director of the Seattle King County Clinic, to discuss the incredible journey of establishing a large-scale, volunteer-driven pop-up clinic providing free dental, vision, and medical services to thousands each year. She shares the clinic's origin story, spurred by a 60-minute episode that highlighted the healthcare struggles of everyday people and her realization of the parallels within her own life. Julia delves into the challenges of building such a unique healthcare initiative from scratch, emphasizing the essential role of openness, humility, and collaboration in shaping the clinic's success. Through heartfelt anecdotes and insights, we explore the powerful impact of the clinic in transforming both patient experiences and volunteer perspectives while also addressing how the initiative calls attention to the broader issues plaguing our healthcare system. To Volunteer: Seattle/King County Clinic - Seattle Center Foundation Overview: Transformed from watching "60 Minutes" to founding a clinic that serves 3,000 patients in four days Used event planning background rather than healthcare expertise to approach problems differently Created a collaborative model where diverse skills complemented each other's gaps Challenged stereotypes by showing diverse patients - teachers, tech workers with insurance, not just unhoused individuals Built community between patients and volunteers by midday of each clinic Used the clinic as both immediate intervention and platform for advocacy Incorporated storytelling through comics and patient narratives to humanize statistics Balanced meeting urgent needs while pushing for systemic reform Demonstrated how naivete and humility can be assets when creating innovative solutions Prioritized listening and supporting patients over rushing through care Helped providers reconnect with the human aspects of medicine, free from business metrics Next Step: Visit our website, Healthcare for Humans, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/. Follow us on Instagram @healthcareforhumanspodcast
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    42 m
  • 67 I From Local Voice to Call Center: Healthcare's Cultural Crossroads w/ Patty Hayward (Talkdesk)

    67 I From Local Voice to Call Center: Healthcare's Cultural Crossroads w/ Patty Hayward (Talkdesk)
    Mar 17 2025
    We explore the potential of centralized contact centers in healthcare with Patty Hayward, the general manager of healthcare and life sciences at Talkdesk. Drawing from her extensive experience and personal stories, such as her mother's medical journey, Patty illustrates the critical need for better communication and coordination within healthcare systems. We delve into how centralization, aided by AI and modern technology, could improve patient care by offering timely, personalized interactions and addressing unmet needs in diverse communities. We also tackle how a centralized approach can respect cultural nuances and enhance health education, breaking down barriers to access and understanding. Overview: Streamlining Contact Center Efficiency Automated CRM Conversation Enhancement Culturally Aligned Contact Centers Streamlining Healthcare Access Challenges Reaching Unreached Populations Effectively Proactive Outreach with Real-Time Translation Next Step: Visit our website, Healthcare for Humans, and join our community to enjoy exclusive benefits at https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/ Support Our Mission: Non-clinicians, explore exclusive content and contribute to our collective journey. Be an Active Participant: Go beyond listening. Shape our narrative by co-creating episodes with us. Be part of our community by visiting https://www.healthcareforhumans.org/support/. Follow us on Instagram @healthcareforhumanspodcast
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    35 m