Looking and listening: the rare gift of presence
June 30, 2025
Not long ago, I found myself at the memorial service for a friend’s father. I’d never met him, but everyone – friends, colleagues, even people who’d spent just a few minutes with him – said the same thing: “He made you feel like you were the only person in the world.” Have you ever felt truly seen by a stranger? Understood, as if the world suddenly fades away and it’s just the ...
read moreHow conflict in a community health center creates stronger teams, smarter decisions, and better care
June 10, 2025
Conflict is inevitable in a community health center. With so many people from different backgrounds – clinical staff, administrative team members, support services, and patients – disagreements are bound to happen. These might play out in a care planning meeting, at the front desk, or even in the break room. The important thing isn’t avoiding conflict but figuring out how to use it to im...
read moreInvisible no more: the healing power of being present
April 29, 2025
He ran away at thirteen. Jobs came and went. Friends disappeared. Shelters became home. The worst part wasn’t the cold or the hunger – it was being invisible. The seizure hit like lightning – violent, sudden, unforgiving. One minute, Jake was trembling on the hospital bed, sweating and muttering through the fog of alcohol withdrawal. The next, his body convulsed uncontrollably, his eyes ...
read moreWe’ll be chopping your leg off today
February 28, 2025
In Room 342, the patient, ‘Tony’, was facing one of the most difficult challenges of his life – the amputation of his lower leg. My colleague, Dr. Lee (a Hospitalist) describes how his interactions with Tony caused a total shift on his perspective of patient communication. “I did my best to help Tony understand why his leg could not be saved. This was a non-healing, infected leg ulcer t...
read moreThe Communication Code
December 9, 2024
Sarah drummed her fingers on her desk at Riverdale Community Health Center, staring at the third angry email about missing patient records. As front desk coordinator, she knew her team was better than this. But lately, the administrative staff seemed to be working in completely different universes. Wendy, the Executive Director, showed her frustration by waving unsigned insurance forms that onl...
read moreUsing PCM to Choose the Perfect Team Member (Part 2)
September 23, 2024
Now that we've pinpointed the Base personality we're after, it's time to go on a mission to spot the telltale signs in our interview. Get ready to tune in to their language, the way they think, and what makes them tick. Here's your guide: Harmonizers: Compassion is their language. Listen for heartfelt phrases like "I feel," "I care," "I'm comfortable with," and a focus on family and friendship....
read moreUsing PCM to Choose the Perfect Team Member (Part 1)
September 22, 2024
Your team is humming along, but you know you need to bring in some fresh talent. The big question is, who's the best fit? The answer depends on your goals. Are you looking to replicate your current dynamic and simply add more horsepower? Or do you need to shake things up and inject some new energy? The Case for Cloning (Kind Of) Let's say you love your team's vibe and just need more of the s...
read moreSummary of Process Communication Model® Personality Types
September 20, 2024
All six Personality Types are within all of us. We have a Base Personality Type but can access the other five Personality Types with varying amounts of ease. The six Personality Types are: Harmonizers experience the world through their emotions with guidance from their heart use words like, I feel, I am comfortable with, happy, sad, love, care interact with compassion prize family ...
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