Neurology & Emotional Health
Modern medicine can be dehumanizing, stripping away everything that makes a person a person. But people can’t be considered in isolation. We’re embedded in places. We form relationships. We’re a part of the natural world. The same can be said of brains. Brains mean nothing in isolation, and what I’ve learned as a neurologist over the last twenty years is that when there’s too much focus on a person’s brain, it’s easy to lose sight of the rest of the person. Now, more than ever, it’s important to zoom out to see the bigger picture, to see the whole person.
Community-Focused Neurology
I work for a non-profit network of community health centers on California’s central coast to provide tele-health neurology services to the medically under-served population there, with special emphasis on uninsured and homeless community members, migrant farm workers and public housing residents. The community health care model contrasts sharply with the for-profit model that dominates corporate medicine today. Their main goal is to provide accessible and affordable healthcare in strategically located health centers, with an emphasis on preventative care, behavioral health and social services.
Emotional Health
My background in brain injury and stroke rehabilitation has helped me to understand that emotion is something you do. Emotion is in the way your body moves. It’s in your home. It’s in your habits. And, most importantly, it’s something you can improve with practice. Emotion plays out in the real world, and so the real world is where I work. I see clients at my cottage in Catahoula or at my family’s sugar cane farm on Bayou Berard. One-on-one sessions are tailored to each client and may involve having a conversation over a pot of tea, taking a walk through the woods, or exploring the bayous by kayak to identify plants and birds.
Expert Witness Testimony
Objectivity, thoroughness and compassion are essential qualities to look for in an independent expert, especially when it comes to brain injury. I’m board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, and my experience in brain injury rehabilitation, including ten years as the medical director of a residential brain injury rehabilitation program, has given me the depth of first-hand clinical experience necessary to navigate the maze of litigation that often accompanies these catastrophic life events.
Independent Medical Examination
An independent medical examination may be requested by an attorney, an employer, or a worker’s compensation insurance carrier. This includes a thorough review of records, comprehensive neurologic examination, in-depth interview and preparation of a report. I work with National Independent Review Organization to coordinate scheduling and handling of record requests.