Originally Posted On: https://gailfiorepa.wordpress.com/2024/07/23/gail-fiore-on-strategies-to-beat-medical-malpractice-stress-syndrome/

Gail Fiore on Strategies to Beat Medical Malpractice Stress Syndrome

I am a psychotherapist.

As a result of my experience with a complaint to my licensing board against me by a client, I developed and expanded an understanding of Medical Malpractice Stress Syndrome (MMSS) as a means of protecting, healing and empowering myself to cope with the challenges of being in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Shortly afterwards, I realized I developed a tool to help others struggling with MMSS.

Being in a lawsuit, whether you are a defendant or plaintiff, holds several common symptoms – such as anxiety, depression, obsessive thinking and PTSD. It can feel all-consuming at times. While MMSS certainly has all of these components, it is unique in a particular way: It goes after our heart, the very core of who we are as a person. It attacks our identity.

So, how do we get relief?

Well, although witness preparation will teach us how to understand and answer questions, appear more likeable when in deposition and trial, and give a more successful testimony, it does not takeaway the pain. At best, it only temporarily distracts us.

Mindfulness training is like telling us to focus on the moment while we are trying to walk with 5 stones in our shoes.

Psychotherapy does not help either. In fact, it actually increases our symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD and obsessive thought even further. With the empathetic response of, “tell me more ” psychotherapy increases our focus on the particular stressor and symptoms we are experiencing at the moment which thereby retriggers the litigation trauma again and hence the exacerbation of our MMSS symptoms. The more we focus on our litigation stressors and resulting symptoms, the more our symptoms will increase in intensity and frequency,causing a spiral effect.

Videos, websites and books can only help so much.

So, what can we do to get relief?

Understand that MMSS is a unique phenomena on unto itself and hence must be addressed in a unique way. MMSS is a normal reaction to an abnormal circumstance. It requires the human touch – a professional who understands the unique dynamics of MMSS with whom we can process and eventually clear our individual experience of this trauma.

I have developed a proprietary protocol that addresses the unique features of MMSS and resolves them effectively and efficiently.

About Gail Fiore:

Gail Fiore owner and founder of Winning Focus, LLC. Gail is very experienced with over 38 years in the fields of mental health and business. She owned and ran an employee assistance program and private practice for many years.