Conversation 30 - Beyond Physical Healing: The Impact of Medical Trauma

Send us Fan MailDr. Michelle Flaum, LPCC-S, DCMHS, is a Professor in the Department of Counseling at Xavier University and a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialist in Trauma Counseling and Integrated Behavioral Health Care Counseling. Her groundbreaking book, Managing the Psychological Impact of Medical Trauma: A Guide for Mental Health and Health Care Professionals, is the first to conceptualize the psychological aspects of medical trauma and provide mental health professionals with models they can use to intervene when treatment becomes trauma. Drawing from her personal experience with a life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage, she recognized missed opportunities for psychological support in medical settings. Given the potential for traumatic stress responses to evolve into medical PTSD, she emphasizes the critical role of counselors in fostering trust in healthcare service, including opportunities for counselors to expand their roles in hospital and healthcare settings. Dr. Flaum proposes that discharge instructions extend beyond physical wound care to include mental health resources. Her assessment tools and protocols are used throughout the U.S. and globally. Michelle has been a featured expert on medical trauma throughout the media, including NPR's All Things Considered, Doctor Radio on SiriusXM, Healthcentral.com, and The Conversation. She is currently working on her second book Treating Medical Trauma which will be available in early 2026.If you would like to provide any feedback for the podcast, we invite you to do so at the form linked here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfV0u5jSuQ4hNaGM3Nioymbj4ZuQAIlcxIJrYr98fUgfiwnNQ/viewformIf you or your division have a PSA you'd like Ohio Counseling Conversations to share, you can complete the form linked here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDWNUFWbzJ6OclTzEh8WvBFdgCi_cXtRq3XYKVQClGwLfUpA/viewformBoth of these links are always available on the OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling****If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at [email protected]!****Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee·Hosted by Marisa Cargill·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill,  Kendra Thornton, and Victoria Frazier·Editing by Leah Wood·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood·Closing song: Accretion Discotheque by Who AD