Become a narrative medicine leader
Join the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative for a personalized, interactive narrative medicine workshop. You will participate in large and small group activities designed to teach practical skills and support collaboration and innovation among learners from diverse healthcare experiences. We welcome healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, and artists who are advocates for telling and receiving stories of illness and health in our communities. At this workshop you will learn and practice narrative competence, contribute to and participate in narrative exercises, and develop narrative medicine activities to implement in your own health settings and communities.
Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative is committed to training and supporting a group of individuals who come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, work in a variety of health settings, and are members of communities whose stories are not always represented in dominant health narratives; a group who will put the training into practice in their own communities and be committed to collaborating with others.
This workshop is limited to 50 participants. Narrative Medicine Facilitator Training was originally planned as an in-person weekend event, but was reimagined as a unique online experience during the pandemic. We continue to adapt this experience to meet the needs of participants with different access needs and ability to travel. This year we will offer more in-person experiences during the training in Portland, OR. Participants will have access to pre-course digital materials and support on October 7, 2024.
This program is supported by the OHSU Division of Hospital Medicine, OHSU School of Nursing, and the University of Oregon Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
Learn more about the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative at our website nwnmcollaborative.org.
Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative is committed to training and supporting a group of individuals who come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, work in a variety of health settings, and are members of communities whose stories are not always represented in dominant health narratives; a group who will put the training into practice in their own communities and be committed to collaborating with others.
This workshop is limited to 50 participants. Narrative Medicine Facilitator Training was originally planned as an in-person weekend event, but was reimagined as a unique online experience during the pandemic. We continue to adapt this experience to meet the needs of participants with different access needs and ability to travel. This year we will offer more in-person experiences during the training in Portland, OR. Participants will have access to pre-course digital materials and support on October 7, 2024.
This program is supported by the OHSU Division of Hospital Medicine, OHSU School of Nursing, and the University of Oregon Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
Learn more about the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative at our website nwnmcollaborative.org.
REGISTRATION COST
Registration is now FULL.
Registration is now FULL.
Click the registration link to add your name to the waitlist.
General Registration $300
General Registration + Continuing Education Credit* $550
Student Registration $75 (limited number available)
NWNMC is committed to training facilitators from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Sliding fee scale and scholarships available for demonstrated need. Please contact [email protected] to inquire.
General Registration + Continuing Education Credit* $550
Student Registration $75 (limited number available)
NWNMC is committed to training facilitators from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Sliding fee scale and scholarships available for demonstrated need. Please contact [email protected] to inquire.
You may cancel at any time. Refunds (with $30 processing fee) will be issued according to the following schedule:
Full before September 1, 2024
50% before October 1, 2024
No refunds after October 1, 2024
Full before September 1, 2024
50% before October 1, 2024
No refunds after October 1, 2024
*This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of OHSU School of Medicine and Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative. The OHSU School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit: Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 18.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Who can receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credits? Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwife, Licensed Social Workers, Pharmacy (in Oregon).
Important information for Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses. For the purpose of recertification, the American Nurses Credentialing Center accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME. For the purposes of relicensure the Oregon State Board of Nursing accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit for attendance at structured learning activities offered by organizations (in this case OHSU, Division of CME) accredited by the ACCME.
Often researchers, PharmDs, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Chiropractors can accept the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM as an equivalent as long as the topic is relevant to the applicant's field or discipline. If you have doubts whether an activity will qualify for CE, contact your board prior to registering for the course. All other questions regarding CE, please direct to [email protected].
Credit: Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 18.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Who can receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credits? Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwife, Licensed Social Workers, Pharmacy (in Oregon).
Important information for Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses. For the purpose of recertification, the American Nurses Credentialing Center accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME. For the purposes of relicensure the Oregon State Board of Nursing accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit for attendance at structured learning activities offered by organizations (in this case OHSU, Division of CME) accredited by the ACCME.
Often researchers, PharmDs, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Chiropractors can accept the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM as an equivalent as long as the topic is relevant to the applicant's field or discipline. If you have doubts whether an activity will qualify for CE, contact your board prior to registering for the course. All other questions regarding CE, please direct to [email protected].
What
Narrative medicine is a practice in which we recognize, absorb, metabolize, and allow ourselves to be moved by stories of health and illness. Through narrative practice, we recognize, respect, and nourish those affected by illness—patients and caregivers of all kind.
Why
Narrative Medicine is one way to awaken the shared humanity of all people navigating health and illness in our healthcare system. Doing this in community strengthens us individually. The collaborative has a deep interest in bringing the humanities into conversations around health and healing, and to partner with people from communities whose illness experiences are often under told, under heard, or undervalued.
How
Narrative Medicine Facilitator Training teaches the challenging skills of listening, observing, connecting, and leading. Our plenaries offer succinct insights into theory and research, while the small group workshops create space to practice, strengthen, and renew our empathy and curiosity. We model our training on "learn one, do one, teach one" by giving attendees experiential learning, collaboration with experts, and supported creative space. After completing the training, participants will be able to register for the CollabLAB, a monthly workshop space for idea cultivation and collaborative feedback.
Who
We welcome individuals and teams who are interested in learning narrative medicine skills, and who want to put those skills to use by creating and leading narrative medicine experiences in their own environments. We welcome all who want to explore their own stories and lift stories that are often overlooked, recognizing that diverse perspectives strengthen any system.
Our past trainings have included patients, nurses, physicians, chaplains, nurse practitioners, patient advocates, physician assistants, social workers, at-home caregivers, scholars, medical scribes, students, veterinarians, educators, medical residents, health system leaders, writers, artists, psychologists, behavioral health consultants, trauma-informed coaches, actors, playwrights, and more. All are welcome.
Our past trainings have included patients, nurses, physicians, chaplains, nurse practitioners, patient advocates, physician assistants, social workers, at-home caregivers, scholars, medical scribes, students, veterinarians, educators, medical residents, health system leaders, writers, artists, psychologists, behavioral health consultants, trauma-informed coaches, actors, playwrights, and more. All are welcome.
Questions?
If you have questions about the training, please go to our FAQ section below or email [email protected]
Locations
A Virtual Event hosted on Zoom; with optional in-person workshops in Portland, Oregon. Location TBA.
Dates & Times
October 18 - November1
2024
see full schedule below
2024
see full schedule below
Schedule
Participants will receive a detailed daily schedule closer to the start date of the course.
All times listed are Pacific time. All events are virtual except for optional in-person events as noted. There is an in-person option for ALL events on Oct 18-19, depending on interest. We will record plenaries and selected workshops and make them available for three months after the training.
All times listed are Pacific time. All events are virtual except for optional in-person events as noted. There is an in-person option for ALL events on Oct 18-19, depending on interest. We will record plenaries and selected workshops and make them available for three months after the training.
| Friday, October 18, 2024 *in-person option available 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Welcome & Plenary: Setting the Stage for Narrative Competence 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Dr. Elizabeth Lahti |
| Reflective Practice 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Ms. Emily Morioka |
| BREAK (5 minutes) |
| Plenary: Attention, Representation, Affiliation 1:50 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. Dr. Elizabeth Lahti |
| BREAK (10 minutes) |
| Small Group Workshop #1: Attention 2:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. *Participants will be assigned to a small group on the first day of training. You will stay with the same small group throughout the course. |
| Closing 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Narrative Medicine Social with Singer Songwriter Heather Tonga 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The Writers’ Block 333 NW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97209 Join us for an evening of mingling, socializing, and networking with other course participants and faculty. Singer-songwriter and Physician Assistant Heather Tonga will perform and engage the audience with songs about caring for and working with patients and colleagues in unique healthcare settings. Attendees may bring one guest. In-person event only. |
| Saturday, October 19, 2024 *in-person option available 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| Announcements 9:00 a.m.- 9:10 a.m. |
| Plenary: Creating Inclusive Spaces 9:10 a.m. – 9:55 a.m. Ms. Chrys Buckley |
| BREAK (5 minutes) |
| Creative Space: Positionality Through Self-Portrait 10:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. Dr. Grace Haynes & Ms. Lisa Abia-Smith *If you are attending in-person, your Creative Space will be led by Ms. Rosemarie Oakman |
| BREAK (10 minutes) |
| Corridor Connect 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Meet other participants in a virtual corridor. This is a virtual space that mimics those chance encounters in the hallways at a live conference. |
| LUNCH BREAK (30 minutes) |
| Plenary: Third Object 12:15 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. Dr. Molly Osborne |
| BREAK (5 minutes) |
| Small Group Workshop #2: Witness 1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. |
| Closing 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| Chronicling the Body: Words about Inside Ourselves 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The Writers’ Block 333 NW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97209 Join us for a public reading co-hosted by the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative and the Pacific University MFA in Writing Program. This is a HYBRID event. |
| Thursday, October 24, 2024 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Inward Exploration (optional) In this facilitated session, participants will have an opportunity to listen to and support one another. Dr. Lisa Schimmel |
| Friday, October 25, 2024 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Announcements 1:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. |
| Plenary: Leading a Narrative Medicine Workshop 1:10 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. Ms. Alexis Rehrmann |
| Q&A with Alexis or BREAK (15 minutes) 1:55 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. |
| BREAK (5 minutes) |
| Small Group Workshop #3: (Re)presentation 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. |
| Closing 3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, October 26, 2024 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| Announcements 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. |
| Plenary: Collective Knowledge in Health Narratives 9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Dr. Mollie Marr |
| Q&A with Mollie or BREAK 10:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. |
| Corridor Connect or BREAK 10:10 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. |
| BREAK (15 minutes) |
| Small Group Workshop #4: Creating YOUR Narrative Medicine Experience 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
| LUNCH (30 minutes) |
| Plenary: Facilitator Best Practice 12:30 p.m. –1:20 p.m. A panel of experienced facilitators will identify common challenges and how to lead through them Hosted by selected faculty BREAK (10 minutes) |
| Narrative Medicine á la carte 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Participants will select one of the following online options
|
| Closing 2:45 p.m. -3:00 p.m. |
| Sunday-Wednesday, October 27-30, 2024 |
| Independent Draft of original workshop/activity |
| Thursday, October 31, 2024 5:30 p.m. –7:00 p.m. |
| Peer-to-Peer (optional) 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Meet with your narrative collaborator to create an activity to share with your small group |
| Friday, November 1, 2024 *in-person option available 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Announcements 1:00 p.m. –1:15 p.m. |
| Small Group Workshop #5: Leading Your Narrative Medicine Activity 1:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. In this extended session, individuals or pairs will have time to present an original narrative medicine activity idea, workshop outline, or component of a longer workshop. There will be several breaks at the discretion of the facilitator. |
| BREAK (10 minutes) |
| Closing: Moving Forward 4:10 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Goals
The goal of the Narrative Medicine Collaborative Facilitator Training is to develop and support a network of narrative medicine facilitators: a group of individuals who come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, work in a variety of health settings, and may be members of communities whose stories are not always represented in dominant health narratives; a group who will put the training into practice in their own communities and be committed to collaborating with others.
Objectives
At the end of the course participants will be able to
- Describe narrative medicine and narrative competence
- Recognize a wide breadth of health narratives, including those from underrepresented individuals and communities
- Participate effectively in workshops with peers from multiple different roles in healthcare
- Explain how narrative medicine engages all members of a healthcare team, including patients, family caregivers, and health professionals
- Recognize and develop narrative competence in oneself and others
- Develop and lead original narrative medicine activities
- Design safe, inclusive, equitable, representative spaces for humane and humanizing interactions
- Recognize that narrative medicine is an iterative process with co-creation at its core
- Identify interprofessional peers, resources, and support for ongoing collaboration
- Create braver and more contemplative space for self and others
- Unpack forms of bias in healthcare interactions
- Develop confidence, presence, and selfcare necessary to hold space and be an active facilitator
FAQ
How can I confirm I am registered?
You should have received an automatic confirmation of your registration as soon as you submitted your information to register. Check your Spam folder to see if it landed there. If you did not get a confirmation, email [email protected].
Will I receive any communication before the training?
Yes, you should receive a welcome email within two weeks of your registration that gives some general information. You can expect to receive more detailed emails in October, which will include important information such as your small group assignment.
What do I need to do to ensure I receive CME credit?
At the end of training you will be asked to complete a CME Survey. When you complete that survey, your name and credentials will be sent to the OHSU Office for Continuing Professional Development. Questions about eligibility and when you receive the certificate should be directed to [email protected].
Do I need to do anything to prepare for the training?
As soon as you register, make sure you block your calendar for the training days. The times given are Pacific Daylight Time. When the course site opens (mid-September) be sure to check out the Pre-Course Materials.
What if I am not able to attend all the lectures?
Plenary sessions will be recorded and posted on the course site within 24 hours. Keep in mind that all speakers actively engage the audience. The plenaries are not pre-recorded videos or webinars; they are interactive talks with audience participation.
What if I am not able to attend all the small group meetings?
The small groups are set up to create a cohort model for the training and are a fundamental part of the learning experience. If you know ahead of time that you will miss a small group meeting, contact the Participant Coordinator. After training has started, contact your Small Group Facilitators. If you are unable to attend the first Small Group session on Friday, October 18th, or you anticipate not being able to attend more than one Small Group we recommend that you reconsider taking the course when you are available to attend fully.
Will the lectures be recorded? If so, how long can I access them?
The lectures will be recorded and available for six months following the training. We strongly encourage you to attend live due to audience engagement, pace of the training, and how the materials build upon each other.
Will the small group meetings be recorded?
The small group meetings will not be recorded. Your real-time attendance allows for time to practice narrative skills of close reading, close listening, and close looking. . In order to build and maintain a trusting and confidential environment the small groups are not recorded.
What if I need to cancel?
You may cancel at any time.
Refunds (minus a $30 processing fee) will be issued according to the following schedule:
Full refund before September 1, 2024
50% refund before October 1, 2024
No refunds after October 1, 2024
I am unable to attend. Can I transfer my registration to a colleague/friend?
No. If you are unable to attend, the registration spot will go back to the NWNMC so we can honor the waitlist. In the event there is no waitlist, we will then reach out to your colleague/friend to see if they are seeking the same kind of registration (for example, a general registration vs a CME registration.)
You should have received an automatic confirmation of your registration as soon as you submitted your information to register. Check your Spam folder to see if it landed there. If you did not get a confirmation, email [email protected].
Will I receive any communication before the training?
Yes, you should receive a welcome email within two weeks of your registration that gives some general information. You can expect to receive more detailed emails in October, which will include important information such as your small group assignment.
What do I need to do to ensure I receive CME credit?
At the end of training you will be asked to complete a CME Survey. When you complete that survey, your name and credentials will be sent to the OHSU Office for Continuing Professional Development. Questions about eligibility and when you receive the certificate should be directed to [email protected].
Do I need to do anything to prepare for the training?
As soon as you register, make sure you block your calendar for the training days. The times given are Pacific Daylight Time. When the course site opens (mid-September) be sure to check out the Pre-Course Materials.
What if I am not able to attend all the lectures?
Plenary sessions will be recorded and posted on the course site within 24 hours. Keep in mind that all speakers actively engage the audience. The plenaries are not pre-recorded videos or webinars; they are interactive talks with audience participation.
What if I am not able to attend all the small group meetings?
The small groups are set up to create a cohort model for the training and are a fundamental part of the learning experience. If you know ahead of time that you will miss a small group meeting, contact the Participant Coordinator. After training has started, contact your Small Group Facilitators. If you are unable to attend the first Small Group session on Friday, October 18th, or you anticipate not being able to attend more than one Small Group we recommend that you reconsider taking the course when you are available to attend fully.
Will the lectures be recorded? If so, how long can I access them?
The lectures will be recorded and available for six months following the training. We strongly encourage you to attend live due to audience engagement, pace of the training, and how the materials build upon each other.
Will the small group meetings be recorded?
The small group meetings will not be recorded. Your real-time attendance allows for time to practice narrative skills of close reading, close listening, and close looking. . In order to build and maintain a trusting and confidential environment the small groups are not recorded.
What if I need to cancel?
You may cancel at any time.
Refunds (minus a $30 processing fee) will be issued according to the following schedule:
Full refund before September 1, 2024
50% refund before October 1, 2024
No refunds after October 1, 2024
I am unable to attend. Can I transfer my registration to a colleague/friend?
No. If you are unable to attend, the registration spot will go back to the NWNMC so we can honor the waitlist. In the event there is no waitlist, we will then reach out to your colleague/friend to see if they are seeking the same kind of registration (for example, a general registration vs a CME registration.)
Our Team
The Narrative Medicine Facilitator Training planning team is made up of individuals from many areas of health care, at different stages of our careers. Among us we represent perspectives from health professionals, patients, family caregivers, educators, scholars, equity officers, artists, writers, and leaders. We value the many perspectives our planning team brings to the table, and recognize that here and in all our healthcare settings, we must work to flatten hierarchies and lift all voices to create a more just healthcare experience for everyone.
Elizabeth Lahti
program director
Elizabeth (she/her) is Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Narrative Medicine at OHSU, and Co-founder of the NWNMC. She is a former high school teacher, first generation Peruvian American, creative writer, and mother of three who often views the world through those lenses. She is poetry editor for The Pharos, founder and leader of the CollabLAB, and a member of the Full Frontal Writing Collective. Her work can be found in a variety of publications including Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Intima.
Bebe Singleton
program coordinator
Bebe is a Los Angeles based visual storyteller, curator and designer. A North Carolina native, Bebe is one of the most in your face, on the scene - behind the screen person you'll ever meet! Not a designer or curator by the traditional route; her comfortable familiarity is leading from the background. She believes storytelling is in all of our bones. Bebe is a graduate of NC State, earning her B.S. in Business Management and a minor in Accounting. She lived in Washington, DC for10 years before moving to Los Angeles to delve deeper into her storytelling journey.
Loeka Wiltz
planning committee
Kahu Loeka (he/him/kāne) is a Keeper (Kahu) of Aboriginal Hawaiian Aloha Va Mana Wellness Principles and Medicinal Cultural Neuroeconomic Practices. He teaches an integrative mana workshop at the San Antonio Botanical Garden which integrates ancient Hawaiian healing protocols with narrative medicine, interplay and slow medicine. Narrative Medicine found him as he fully accepted his inherited mana after years of being a healthcare practitioner (Flight Medic, Nurse, Healthcare Administrator, Public Health Educator and Environmental Health Project Manager).
Nancy E. Young
planning committee
Nancy (she/her) is an interculturalist, writer, trainer, and advocate. She has an MA in Creative Writing, an MA in Intercultural Relations, and a Fulbright to Japan. Her career in higher education centers on advising international students, which has deeply influenced her. Other life-shaping experiences include participating in school integration in the south, personal encounters with the health care system, and meandering in Oregon’s beauty. Nancy is enthusiastic about Narrative Medicine and looks forward to meeting and supporting workshop participants.
Lane Baldwin
planning committee
Lane is a pediatric hospitalist in Portland, OR. She received her medical degree from the University of North Carolina, and residency in pediatrics at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
During her training, she became increasingly interested in the stories of her patients and their families, and started to incorporate narrative medicine into her practice, using storytelling as a way to connect with her patients and understand their experiences.
She teaches medical students and residents about the importance of narrative medicine, and encourages them to develop their own skills in listening and storytelling.
Outside of the hospital, Dr. Baldwin enjoys exploring the beautiful PNW outdoors.
During her training, she became increasingly interested in the stories of her patients and their families, and started to incorporate narrative medicine into her practice, using storytelling as a way to connect with her patients and understand their experiences.
She teaches medical students and residents about the importance of narrative medicine, and encourages them to develop their own skills in listening and storytelling.
Outside of the hospital, Dr. Baldwin enjoys exploring the beautiful PNW outdoors.
Christine Mosbaugh
Facilitator Coordinator
Christine (she/her/ella) is a Communication and Strategy Manager with a Community Health Center. She has worked in health care settings that include speciality care, academic medicine research, community engagement work, and primary care delivery.
She completed the NWNMC Facilitator Training in Fall 2022, and several Columbia University Narrative Medicine weekend intensives. She integrates narrative concepts and close looking with other trainings to create more trauma aware, engaging, and responsive spaces for care and well-being.
She completed the NWNMC Facilitator Training in Fall 2022, and several Columbia University Narrative Medicine weekend intensives. She integrates narrative concepts and close looking with other trainings to create more trauma aware, engaging, and responsive spaces for care and well-being.
Emily Morioka
planning committee
Emily (she/her) is a certified NBC-HWC health coach, doula, narrative medicine facilitator, and psychedelic integration counselor. Passionate about the phenomena of healing, and transformative leadership, Emily collaboratively supports people and organizations in creating narratives that feel solid in their bones.
She is Executive Director for the non-profit Healthy Living Community; the founder of the Baba Yaga Collective, and as a practitioner working 1:1 with people, she works
to help weave new ways of being amidst our various structures that have not supported us.
She is Executive Director for the non-profit Healthy Living Community; the founder of the Baba Yaga Collective, and as a practitioner working 1:1 with people, she works
to help weave new ways of being amidst our various structures that have not supported us.
Pramita Kuruvilla
planning committee
Pramita (she/her) earned her medical degree at Yale and spent 15 years at a safety-net hospital as a Clinician Educator, Intensivist, and Bioethics Committee Chair. She is Founder and CEO of SoulFoodMD, a life + career coaching business. She volunteered with Médecins Sans Frontières and serves on their DEI Council. After a mid-career pivot, she is an Associate Professor in the UCSF Division of Palliative Medicine, where she loves to blend narrative medicine opportunities into clinical teaching, and she completed the NWNMC Facilitator Training in Fall 2022. In her spare time, she slurps boba and makes art with her toddlers.
Featured Speakers
Lisa Abia-Smith
Lisa is a Senior Instructor with the University of Oregon School of Planning, Public Policy and Management. She is Director of Educational Outreach at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene, where she teaches courses in arts and healthcare, arts management, and accessible arts curriculum development. She directs the Art Heals program bringing art-based activities to patients and medical students in rural communities. Lisa is nationally recognized for her research and teaching on arts in healthcare. She is author of “Preparing the Mind and Learning to See: Art Museums as Training Grounds for Medical Students,” published by Routledge Press. She has created and led Humanities Galleries for previous Narrative Medicine Facilitator Trainings, and is a frequent collaborator with NWNMC.
JoDean Nicolette
JoDean is a writer, physician, and teacher. A graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Pacific University Master of Fine Arts Program, she believes in the healing power of both nature and the written word. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Missoula Writing Collaborative, an organization that teaches love of writing in rural schools, and she partners with Pacific University to produce The Body Chronicles, a program to help authors write about the experience of wellness and illness. Her work has appeared in such publications as The Sun, the Chicago Tribune's Print Row Journal, and the Rappahannock Review. JoDean lives in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley with her dogs and horses.
Chrys Buckley
Chrys completed three years of medical school before leaving to pursue endeavors related to creativity, science, and disability advocacy. Her pre-med life included working in a remote island camp kitchen, freelance copy-editing, and working for seven years at the Portland State University Learning Center as a chemistry tutor and tutoring coordinator. She has undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry, Micro/Molecular Biology, and Arts & Letters. Her writing has appeared in The Sun, Shark Reef, and Aerial. She joined the NWNMC team in 2020, and is currently working on several books, including one about her experiences as a disabled medical student. She’s helping develop and teach courses about disability awareness to medical students.
Grace Haynes
Grace is a family practice physician in Arizona. She has a distinct approach to healing through medicine, art, ministry and compassionate patient care. She has served patients in private practice, as Medical Director for Verve Wellness Center, and as Department Chair of Family Practice at the Thomas Davis Medical Center. She is an accomplished artist, and has integrated observing and creating art with her experience as a physician to lead workshops for patients, students, and health professionals. She has created and led Humanities Galleries for previous Narrative Medicine Facilitator Trainings, and is a frequent collaborator with the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene, Oregon.
Adam Hoverman
Adam is a Family Medicine Physician in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health, at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health, and Board Member with the NWNMC. Adam completed his Family Medicine residency at University of Minnesota, and a second residency in Preventive Medicine at the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, along with a Masters in Public Health in Health Management and Policy. His research has encompassed health worker capacitation, community participation for strengthening maternal and child health in Ecuador and Peru, the role of shared medical appointments for achieving the quadruple aim, and the co-design, co-creation, and co-production of health and social care.
Mollie Marr
Mollie earned her MD/PhD at OHSU. Her PhD is in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience and her dissertation work focused on the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and as part of her undergraduate work completed training at the Stella Adler Studio, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the Experimental Theatre Wing. She is former president of the national student American Medical Women's Association where she hosted a conference called "Strength Through Stories." She began psychiatry residency training in July 2023 at the Mass General Hospital McLean program.
Philippa Rubbink
Philippa is a Portland-based gynecologist with a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Pacific University. She is a trained facilitator with the NW Narrative Medicine Collaborative and is involved in Pacific University’s Body Chronicles program. Philippa is a writer and reviewer for The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and provides editorial advice on creative non-fiction submissions for Teaching and Learning in Medicine. Philippa is currently working on a collection of memoir pieces exploring how her queerness, the repair of a congenital heart defect, and her family’s frequent international moves shaped and defined her as a physician and as a writer. Philippa believes that storytelling empowers patients and providers in a fractured healthcare system and that craft is the magic that allows writers to question stories and allow readers to find themselves on the page.
Molly Osborne
Molly is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at OHSU, previously 18-year Associate Dean of Student Affairs, with over 60 publications including NIH research focusing on asthma epidemiology. She is the Integrated Ethics Program Officer at the VAPORHCS. Her current areas of emphasis are ethics and end-of-life care and with the support, advice and collaborative guidance of the faculty in the Humanities Department at Penn State [Kienle scholar in 2016, 2017] has a forthcoming graphic novel to address ethics. Her graphic narrative, ‘Critical Space,’ was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. She has been a champion of narrative medicine and medical humanities, and is a frequent collaborator with NWNMC.
Alexis Rehrmann
Alexis Alexis is a writer and editor whose print and digital journalism work has appeared in publications including the New York Times and Portland Monthly Magazine. Her creative writing has appeared in the Intima Journal of Narrative Medicine. A board member of the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative, and a staff member at the Lewis & Clark College Center for Community and Global Health, Alexis has pursued the connection between story and healing throughout her creative life. She graduated from N.Y.U. with a degree in Theater and holds a professional certificate in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her family.
Lisa Schimmel
Lisa is a licensed clinical psychologist and consultant. She’s been in private practice since last century (1990s) and has been a staff psychologist at Joseph B. Trainer Health and Wellness Center (JBT) and assistant professor in the OHSU Department of Psychiatry since Nov 2011. Her clinical focus includes: life/work transitions, relationship enhancement, personal growth, diversity and LGBTQQ related issues, and managing stress, anxiety, and depression. She is a frequent contributor to NWNMC endeavors. In addition to presenting, Dr. Schimmel holds optional drop-in wellness space for participants during the training.
Estela Vasquez Guzman
Estela is Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at OHSU. She trained at the University of New Mexico, where she specialized in medical sociology, race, and ethnicity. She has developed a strong understanding of the diverse factors affecting racial/ethnic health inequities both within and outside of the health care system. As a first generation Latina immigrant indigenous scholar, she aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice from an equity and inclusion perspective because we all win when we have a compassionate, representative, and humanistic healthcare system. Outside of work, you can find Estela running, dancing, hiking, kickboxing and/or doing arts and crafts. She also enjoys traveling and cooking authentic Oaxacan food with her mother and family.
Heather Tonga
Heather has been playing banjo since she was 16 years old, and has been working as a PA (physician associate) since 1989. She has worked primarily in rural family practice, in Alaska, Washington and for the past 11 years in Oregon. She has always loved reading, writing and storytelling, and this past year, has been combining her experience with banjo, singing, writing and health care to create songs about health care. She has started using the banjo and songs as an energetic and emotional means of communication, directed in particular to people who work or interact with healthcare services.
Join us October 18 - November 1, 2024
Become a narrative medicine leader in your community.
Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative in a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Mailing address: 2416 SW Vista Ave., Portland, OR 97201
Mailing address: 2416 SW Vista Ave., Portland, OR 97201