Episode #38 Meaningful Coincidences with Bernard Beitman, MD

03/27/23 • 21 min

Dr. Bernard Beitman is a psychiatrist, author, and founder of the Coincidence Project. Throughout his life, he has observed and documented the patterns of meaningful coincidences.
Coincidences, says Beitman, are an expression of the mind's relationship with the environment, and he offers ways to make use of them when they occur.
According to Beitman, all individuals experience meaningful coincidences, and the frequency of those experiences grows with increased attention.
Drawing on his career and the work of Carl Jung, he explains why he believes coincidences are more than statistical probabilities or acts of fate. Instead, he suggests that coincidences, “illuminate the hidden currents that connect and unite us.”
On this episode, Dr. Weil, Dr. Maizes, and Dr. Beitman examine the differences and similarities between coincidences, synchronicity, and serendipity. They discuss common examples and draw from personal experiences.

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Episode #37 Recommending Medical Cannabis with Rebecca Abraham, RN, BSN

Cannabis has been used as a medicinal substance for more than 5,000 years.
And, for good reason. Cannabinoids, the active compounds found inside cannabis, offer potential solutions and symptom relief for a wide range of ailments including chronic pain, neuropathy, muscle spasms, and anxiety.
Until the 19th century, cannabis was part of the United States Pharmacopoeia and widely used by doctors. But, in 1942 the U.S prohibited the substance and all forms of use.
Today, cannabis is still a Schedule 1 Substance, which is defined as a drug having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medicinal use. And yet, acceptance and attitudes toward cannabis are rapidly evolving.
In the U.S., 37 states have approved medical cannabis and more than 3.2 million people report using the substance for wide range of conditions.
As acceptance of cannabis grows and demand increases, more health care providers are seeking guidance on prescribing methods.
Our guest today is Rebecca Abraham, a critical care nurse, medical cannabis expert, and founder of Acute on Chronic – a medical cannabis clinic working to help patients navigate the safe and effective use of cannabis for hard-to-treat medical conditions.
In this episode, Rebecca discusses how nurses are leading the charge in prescribing medical cannabis.
She describes how nurses assess patients for cannabis use. Dr. Victoria Maizes and Dr. Andrew Weil ask important questions about dosing recommendations and ingestion methods for safe and effective treatment, and the challenges cannabis faces within our healthcare system. Rebecca describes common conditions and symptoms that respond well to cannabis and also shares common drug interactions to look out for.

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Episode #39 Novel Approaches to Palliative Care with Delia Chiaramonte, MD

Caring for an individual with a serious medical diagnosis can be difficult for patients, their families, and caregivers. For some, a palliative care professional can make a big difference.
On this episode, we welcome Dr. Delia Chiaramonte, an integrative, palliative care physician and medical educator, who helps seriously ill patients live their best life.
By going beyond symptom management, forward thinking palliative care professionals aim to develop a model of care that places the individual's physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing at the center.
Integrative palliative care combines conventional and complementary approaches. It has been shown to provide significant benefits to patients, including improved symptom management, better relationships with healthcare providers, and increased satisfaction with care.
In this episode, we discuss mind-body tools for symptom relief, experiencing joy while living with a serious condition, confronting the fear of mortality, the growing use of psychedelics in terminal care, the advantages of team-based care, and improving overall quality of care for individuals.