Student Stories

I was diagnosed with breast cancer over 20 years ago during my thirties. Having never been ill before, I felt the wind knocked out of life as I knew it. A good friend gave me books to read on mind-body medicine, and introduced me to...

Hearing the words “you have cancer” is devastating on all levels. I am a perfectionist, a hard worker, and I strive for excellence. These personality characteristics and the highly stressful jobs I held for forty-two years were not...

Two years ago at age 65, I decided to embark on a new career. Most people retire at that age. I wanted instead, to start a new adventure! I was born a teacher - my mother and her four sisters were all teachers, as well as my sister – it’s...

In 2015 I came back from the Ebola response in West Africa if not actually broken, then with spiderweb cracks across my sense of ‘self’. As an infectious disease epidemiologist by training, I headed out to help understand this virus....

I spent many years of my life striving for perfection. I wanted the perfect house with the pristine yard, perfect car, perfect outfits, and the perfect job. I exhausted myself with making all things perfect. Everything was neat and...