Sacred Writings by Women in Medicine

This book is a collection of writings by seven professional women working in health care and of this groups writing practice. This writing process is not a therapy. The process is more a ritual of nourishment at every level; physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. The writing occurs during a monthly gathering outside of work. This practice began ten years ago, to foster a greater comradery among the health care providers working within a rural health organization that serves three communities offering primary care and other ancillary services. The purpose of forming this gathering for a practice of writing was to have an outlet for expression of feelings and frustrations outside of the workplace. From the beginning it was clear this was not to be a gripe session related to our work in the organization. We developed a practice for writing together as a means of building a greater depth of consciousness to their individual unconscious stories, feelings, and events that they carry with them. What has occurred is a greater depth of personal understanding, deep respect of self and others, and a rich commitment to the values that drew each of these women to work in healthcare. The monthly meeting ritual sets the backdrop for the group writing and is part of the fabric and richness that has built an environment of trust and calmness to write in. The book offers to the reader a tool that can build resilience, personal and professional. The stories in this book are written by women working in healthcare and healthcare demands on providers is intense. Prior to the pandemic Family Practice Physicians and Advanced Clinical Providers (ACP) surveyed in America (according to SE Healthcare Quality Consulting, Feb. 2021) found that 49% showed symptoms of "burnout" prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and at the peak of the pandemic 100% of those surveyed showed symptoms of "burnout".