I’m Carly Snyder, And This Is My Dharma

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Carly Snyder MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist practicing in New York City. She sees women suffering from emotional symptoms at various points in their reproductive life-span and uses a combination approach of traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine to maximize mental and emotional health and total body wellness. In addition to her practice, Dr Snyder has a weekly radio show on TuneIn radio and the BBM global network called MD for Moms, and writes a HuffPost blog with the same name. She has three awesome kids who are the ultimate focus of her life. When not at home or at work, Dr Snyder enjoys running and has run 3 marathons in the last year with 2 more scheduled in the Fall.

Your Personal or Professional Goals:

Professionally, I continually strive to expand my knowledge of the mind and to acquire tools to help women feel their best emotionally and physically. I am fascinated by the way our bodies can heal themselves when provided with the right nutrients, supplements and with exercise and love. I aspire to appreciate how other treatment modalities benefit health – for example, rather than solely referring women to acupuncture, I challenge myself to understand the principles employed by this discipline and to collaborate closely with providers to optimize care. I believe strongly in autonomy, and hope to empower my patients to understand their bodies and make conscious, determined life choices that will benefit them now and for years to come.

Personally, my goals are focused first and foremost on my family; I try to give my children freedom to explore and to live their lives while also being present for them, to guide them and to kiss booboos when needed! I continuously challenge myself to give up the ghost of perfection, and instead to be the best I can be, forgiving myself if I stumble. I endeavor to show my children how much I love them every day, and to empower them to be who they want to be. I try to envision another persons position, struggle and situation before having any opinion of them or their actions. I find it is far more rewarding to instead assume the best and to try to meet people wherever they are with compassion and understanding.

What’s your offering to the world:

I offer my perspective as a physician and a mother. We are all doing the best we can, but often feel inadequate because of the false image of what a woman and mother should be, should look like and how she should feel. I offer the perspective that it’s ok if things aren’t perfect, as long as you continue to enjoy the happy moments and face the tough ones with dignity and strength.

Who/What Inspires You:

I am endlessly inspired by other women who persevere and thrive in the face of adversity. I am also incredibly humbled and inspired by those who put the needs of others ahead of their own and endeavor to help people selflessly. People who see a problem and create a solution using social action and the principles of justice are super heroes in my book.

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My children are also my inspiration – they are selfless, good natured and loving beyond measure. Living vicariously through their eyes has allowed me to re-envision the world in a more positive way, and provided me the opportunity to experience the little joys of life without pretense or concern. My children laugh with reckless abandon, play without concern for time or obligations, and truly live in the moment – their innocence and happiness inspires and propels me to be more understanding, less rushed and more present in the moment.

Mission:

I strive to help women feel supported, understood and comfortable. My mission is to support women and to embolden them to own their decisions, rather than allowing their fears and the needs or wishes of others to dictate.

My mission is also to de-stigmatize mental health issues that affect women during pregnancy and postpartum. Depression and anxiety and other mood disorders do not discriminate – women from all socioeconomic positions in all areas of the world struggle similarly. Women should be supported, loved and cared for when they are emotionally unsettled; women should never be criticized, condemned or ridiculed for having mental health issues. Every woman deserves to enjoy motherhood and to be given the opportunity to be the mother she wants to be – I endeavor to increase understanding of perinatal mood disorders and allow women to feel safe asking for and obtaining necessary help.

Favorite Quote:

“Science may provide the most useful way to organize empirical, reproducible data, but its power to do so is predicated on its inability to grasp the most central aspects of human life: hope, fear, love, hate, beauty, envy, honor, weakness, striving, suffering, virtue Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air”

Online and Social

Website URL: www.carlysnydermd.com
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/CarlySnyderMD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarlySnyderMD
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carlysnydermd/
Radio: http://bbmglobalnetwork.com/md-for-moms/
Huffington Post: http://m.huffpost.com/us/author/carly-snyder-md