Hello Out There

An introduction from Jennifer Reid, MD

Admittedly, I’ve never thought of myself as a writer. Writers are people I hold in incredibly high esteem, the superstars of my childhood, as I sought a world outside of my small, rural town. I imagined their voices in the books I lovingly checked out at our local library, still smelling of the musty basement where the children’s section lived.

Studying medicine involved the absorption of knowledge and techniques, practiced over years with increasing confidence. I learned to take a multiple choice test without blinking. Books were still my portal to the future, though they became increasingly dry as time passed, pulling me away from the imaginary toward the practical.

However, choosing psychiatry (after a few indecisive moments) meant I could return to what I knew would affect me most profoundly: the stories of peoples lives, pulled out with a compassionate voice and a few broad questions. The honor of being present in these shared moments gives my daily work a depth I hadn’t fully anticipated. Our minds truly hold multitudes.

In these recent years, I’ve had periods of feeling helpless, tossed around by the chaotic news and losses big and small. It’s not hard to become overwhelmed when we now have a lens into the world’s pain, flashing in soundbites and headlines on our constant technological companions. It’s depleting.

This is one way I cope. I am trained to help people return to themselves, to hear their painful experiences and try to guide them back to their lives. I consider my education a loan, and the repayment is a consistent attempt to raise my voice in support of removing stigma around mental illness, validating human experiences, and investing time and energy in freeing others from suffering.

All around the world, brilliant minds are working toward a brighter and healthier future. We are not helpless, and we are not without power. I remind myself each day that my voice matters, even when I feel impossibly small. I’m here to share my profound belief in the healers, the teachers, and the bright lights guiding our way.

Thank you for this moment, friends. Let’s find the hope together.