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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." - Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's Web sites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the Web site) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Dec. 20, 2008
Reach out and touch someone
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
With profound skepticism, I recently attended a four-day program for effective communication skills. The program was targeted towards a corporate environment but many of the tactics and strategies were very much applicable to our personal lives. One of the most rewarding aspects of the program came during the last five minutes of the workshop. Let me explain.
At the close of the program, our facilitator shared with us a fascinating story. At this present time in history, there are undoubtedly thousands of individuals involved in workshops, focus groups, and seminars.
Advice is given; lists are handed out. If we simply hear these messages, the experience becomes a nice memory which dramatically fades away in the wink of an eye. I for one am hard pressed to recall any specifically valuable advice from workshops six months or a year ago.
But this was different. Our facilitator, who has given hundreds of workshops over many decades, shared with us that if we did not act on, yes, act on and embed into our daily lives some of the recommendations that we were given, the four-day program was essentially a vacation.
One of the dimensions of the program was to mend fences, offer an olive branch, or simply reach out with a word of encouragement and reconciliation to a family member, friend, or colleague. So, with some anxiety and apprehension, I did extend the handshake, I did extend the olive branch, and have achieved some closure and healing on some painful situations which dragged on far too long.
Now, am I completely unburdened from all of life's miseries? Obviously no, but at least I can look back upon these four days as having resulted in a concrete, palpable behavior which has helped reconcile some difficulties from the past.
So, does this make sense? Am I way off base and what would others share with us about some meaningful impact that programs, workshops, and seminars may have had for them?
8 comments posted
January 5, 2009 2:26 p.m.
I liked StarvinMarv's comments very much and am thinking about 'cleaning my side of the street' as he says. One of the best workshops I went to gave us homework and was very interactive on our return each week. A little like school, except that we attended because we wanted to be there, and learn how to deal with our similar difficulties. Some people dropped out, but many stayed and began changing ourselves week by week. It encouraged us to take other workshops later on, for even more growth. I have a drawer full of written materials from the classes, but what stays with me are the things that I actually put into practice, week to week. I think if we hadn't had the homework, which meant some deep soul searching and corresponding change, I wouldn't have gained much in the long term.
- Chel
December 30, 2008 1:13 p.m.
some workshops are so genuinely to the point that one gets up and does it. They bring real solutions to real problems, sometimes even when one doesn't know one has the problem. A good sermon for example gives you something specific you can do immediately to be a better person. One seminar I have never forgotten was on lexical collocation and targeted second language discourse. Another was on printing out papers invented in the 19th Century[today people develop papers, but in the 19th Century papers changed color directly from light]. Another was on emergency counseling battered or abused families in crisis: rule one is safety and security, and all other questions are secondary. In other words, a good talk, seminar, workshop, or sermon solves real problems in simple direct practical ways that don't engage ideology, but offer immediate practical results.
- isa kocher
December 30, 2008 3:27 a.m.
I believe in the way the world is today, we all need to reach out and start listening to what people have saying not just hearing what they are saying. Extend that olive branch and say I AM LISTENING. Happy New Year and all the best in 2009 Ps: Don't forget to smile and take time to stop and smell the roses
- Gerard D-England
December 29, 2008 3:34 p.m.
I think reaching out to others is a great stress buster. I was very stressed out and almost skipped going to visit a lady in her 90s who is in a nursing home. I decided that I hadn't visited her for a long time and she was probably lonely, so I was going to do it despite the fact that it would probably make me even more stress. Surprisingly, I felt so much better! Visiting a very ill 90 year old lady who has a hard time communicating and can't talk really perked me up. Just to joke a little and to be able to put a smile on her face put everything in perspective.
- Shelly
December 28, 2008 4:01 a.m.
It's true that some extensions of the "olive branch" might be met with unacceptance or downright refusal. Through the years, however, I have learned that "cleaning my side of the street" has miraculous effects on my own sanity. My most memorable seminar was one in which I learned to accept criticism. The speaker emphasized the difference between myself as an individual and the many roles we play. (Husband, father, employee, lover, sibling, etc.) I immediately began to accept the critical comments against whatever role was being criticized and not against me as an individual.
- StarvinMarv
December 24, 2008 2:46 a.m.
yes, I agree that communication is greatly enhanced by reaching out and touching. My voluntary work with house visits to cancer patients as a lay therapist and counsellor always includes a hug, a handshake or just a simple squeeze on hand or wrist to say "I'm here for you". Look at that persons eyes, they know you mean it... they know you care..... several I visit this day of Xmas Eve will not be here this time next year. Communication courses can go on for ever but how wonderful you took something away with you! As always, I measured my own lectures by asking "what's the difference between now and before the talk?" wht outcome are you taking with you? 8tkX5j
- R.Pitt
December 23, 2008 5:31 p.m.
Dr. Creagan's take on the seminar's message falls in line with my thoughts; however, perhaps those individuals who have attained a post graduate level of education may find the process understandable, but the rest of the world may have some difficulty in understanding the intended goal. For example, both Dr. Creagan's and Steve D's comments assume that a person is "above it all" and well equipped to handle facing a difficult situation to see it finally resolved, or in Steve D's scenario, be person who simply does not let the situation arise. I say Bravo to you both for your abilities. I say to the rest of the world, don't expect the same results. Not every encounter with the truth sets a relationship back on course. Not all stalwart persons are likely to take the same path for reasons unknown to anyone except that individual. So, even though both of your comments are positive, they do not represent the majority of those who might read them. As far as getting anything out of seminars, etc., my experience has been that if you go into the seminar because it's something you must do, you won't come away with any lasting impression. If you attend for the purpose of discovering something that will make you a better doctor, lawyer, indian chief, or just a person, then you will indeed glean something of importance from that specific experience. But, what do I know, I'm just an ordinary guy.
- B J Wakefield
December 22, 2008 4:34 p.m.
I would respond to your comments at two levels: the first is the concept you espouse is essentially, "use it or lose it". The approach is valid in all sorts of learning experiences, be it a workshop or some other educational endeavor. It is like being introduced to someone and making sure you repeat their name or you will be certain to forget it. The secondary issue is not to let interpersonal issue fester. Deal with issues head on. Surpressing problems will result in perenial underlying stress. I have always tried to deal directly with interpersonal problems rather than keeping them under wraps.
- Steve D
8 comments posted