Dr. Judith Joseph

So a lot of what I talk about with psychiatry is eradicating disease, but we don't cultivate joy.

Well, there are actually, I'm not the only one.

There are a lot of people, not a lot, but there are a couple of people like me who want to focus on joy.

And the first V is validation.

So I mentioned that when I was going through my periods of high function depression, I was just like pushing through pain.

And I remember sitting at my desk and giving a talk to healthcare providers who were really stressed.

It was April, 2020, and they were in the pandemic.

No one knew what this thing was.

And I'm talking to them and I'm supposed to be helping them through this.

And I'm just thinking like, I don't even know what to say.

I'm scared too.

But that was the first time I actually said it out loud.

Like, I am afraid.

I think I'm depressed.

And that validation, the first V is validation.

Acknowledging your pain.

We don't acknowledge our pain.

We don't acknowledge our negative feelings for whatever reason.

It could be cultural.

It could be the way that we were raised.