Case Notes & Coffee- Refill & Reflect

04/21/2026

02/22/2026

Good morning! What does the word "soul" mean to you? Let's talk about soul exhaustion! I had the opportunity to see Sara in person. I was lucky enough to share a seat next to her at our lunchtime table. I want to share this webinar from Sara.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

02/07/2026

Say it louder!

02/04/2026

If your first response to someone saying they were abused is “that wasn’t abuse,” pause.

The person who experienced the impact is the only one who gets to name it.

Not the institution. Not the leader. Not the community. Not the person who caused the harm.

The one who did the harm does not get to define it. Ever.

Intentions do not erase impact. Good motives do not cancel harm. Ignorance does not undo trauma.

Abuse is not defined by how it was meant. It is defined by what it did.

And when we rush to defend behavior instead of listening to pain, we are not protecting truth. We are protecting ourselves.

Believe survivors. Stop minimizing harm. Stop redefining someone else’s lived experience to make it easier to swallow.

When someone says “this harmed me,” the correct response is not correction. It is listening.

01/04/2026

Showing them genuine love...

01/04/2026

Dr. Gabor Mate

01/04/2026

Addicted to water 💧

01/04/2026

We all experience traumatic events in our lives from time to time. Trauma has no boundaries. Trauma events can cause a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms.

There are several types of trauma including:

Acute: A single, isolated event limited in time, such as being the victim of a crime, serious accident, or witnessing a violent event.

Chronic: Being exposed to multiple, ongoing events over an extended time such as abuse, domestic violence or war.

Complex: Occurs repeatedly and cumulatively, usually over a prolonged time within specific relationships.

System Induced: Being exposed to systems that are meant to help, like being removed from a home, foster care system or education system.

✅ 💥💥Let's not forget Vicarious trauma (VT) is the emotional and psychological impact that can occur when a person is repeatedly exposed to others’ trauma, most often through listening, witnessing, or working closely with people who have experienced harm. It is common among helping professionals such as social workers, therapists, medical staff, first responders, advocates, and educators. This trauma I experienced my first year in the mental health and addictions field. I lost two participants to overdose, held space for a person being trafficked and was introduced to drug induced psychosis, which frankly scared the s**t out of me. I can say that I did not sleep that whole year. 💥💥

Studies have shown that stress signals can continue long after the trauma is over. This might affect your mind and body, including how you think, feel and behave. Trauma can affect your body as well as your mind, which can have a long-term impact on your physical health.

When you've experienced trauma, it can be overwhelming. It's essential to find treatment that can help you after you've experienced trauma. If you or a loved one are suffering from trauma-related symptoms, it’s critical to reach out for help. It can be helpful to talk about your pain and start to process what happened to you to begin your healing journey.

01/04/2026

💥To my fellow healthcare professionals💥

“Do you use fentanyl?”

That question or any other question we ask doesn’t have to feel dangerous.
It doesn’t have to be asked with suspicion, or stigma.

I recently walked into a room with a very sick young adult who needed emergency surgery. No medical history on file. High risk situation.

I asked simply and honestly:
Do you use opioids?
Do you use fentanyl?
Do you inject?
When was the last time you used?

They answered every question truthfully. Not because they were cornered. But because they were met with respect and concern, not judgment.

That honesty matters. It allows us to manage pain safely after surgery, anticipate tolerance, and avoid unnecessary suffering or complications. It actually makes care better for everyone involved.

When people with substance use disorder feel judged, they protect themselves the only way they know how. They shut down or they lie. That doesn’t make anyone safer. It makes healthcare harder and outcomes worse.

This isn’t about being permissive.
It’s about being effective.

How we ask hard questions matters.
How we show up matters.

Empathy isn’t weakness.
It’s good medicine.

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! Thank you P!nk