Meet Dr. Christine Gibson, who is a physician traumatologist, lifestyle medicine and family doc, and author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit. She’s also leading a lecture at our upcoming SoMeDocsWriters, a second annual online event bringing together authors, editors, publishers, and writing-hopefuls.
Dr. Gibson is also a member of the TikTok community, where she shares mental health information with >130k followers. Being that she’s amassed such an audience on just one particular social media platform, we’re thinking we might reach out to her and have her teach us some pointers, at our SoMeDocsMarketing event, another online conference that will turn into an evergreen course when we’re done with it! So stay tuned..
In the meantime, here is Dr. Gibson’s interview about being a writer..
What have you written? Tell us about it/give us an overview, before we dive in to your work and the writing process.
I am a family physician who works as a trauma therapist. My book is the primer on trauma that I wanted to give my patients, to help them understand what was happening in their brain and to give them hope that solutions are possible. It’s written in accessible and inclusive language, with attached practices to lead them on a path to healing. I also go through systemic causes and solutions to trauma, which happens in communities too. For physicians, it’s a great reference to something that we rarely get adequate training about but can lead to some of our most difficult clinical issues (“non-compliance” can be a freeze state, stress can cause fight/flight) but also a recognition that trauma affects us personally too.
What inspired you to start writing alongside your medical career?
I’ve always been a writer. I recall finishing high school and telling my mom that I wanted to write. She told me to get a different job, and then write after I learned something. She was right.
So I’ve written poetry and short works of fiction since I was very young. Poetry is one way that I’ve processed emotions, personally and professionally. I was working on a book of fiction since 2008, which had gone through submissions, but it meant I had an agent on my side.
In 2021, after some success on social media as “tiktoktraumadoc” – a book deal for non-fiction was offered. I worked with my agent to create a proposal, which he helped shop around. In 2023, The Modern Trauma Toolkit hit shelves.
I have a number of other projects on the go, including rewriting the original work of fiction – it’s based on both historical fiction of my family’s journey from Ukraine in 1903 and also cli-fi (ecofiction or climate fiction) in a future time. The story is timely and tells about trauma in a different way. I also hope to write more non-fiction, but in the meantime publish on Substack and some op eds.
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Was there a specific moment when you thought, “I need to write this book/blog”?
I had become a part-time trauma therapist in 2021, around the same time that my TikTok launched. The enthusiasm and curiosity of my followers was certainly a catalyst to more writing. But it was really my patients, who were constantly asking me for a safe recommendation that would give them a primer on trauma, who inspired me to write The Modern Trauma Toolkit. They helped me organize both the tone of the writing, which is nurturing and very accessible, and the content. I work in addiction medicine and refugee health, so I was not going to write an academic piece or something that would require high levels of health literacy. I was also eager to share all I had learned over six years of study about trauma and PTSD. That there were systemic causes and solutions. That, despite most practitioners focusing on cognitive or brain-based therapeutics, there was equally important somatic, or body-based ones. When I wrote the book’s proposal that was sent to different publishing houses, I had written a chapter outline of what I was eager to share. And, except for the supplemental chapters, this is exactly what stuck. So I believe I have been writing this book in my mind for a very long time. And it just spilled right out of me.
How does your medical background (if you have a different background, apply it to this question) influence your writing style and topics?
My medical background influences my topics, it’s almost hard for it not to. I think a career of a generalist allows us the humbling experience of cradle-to-grave care. So I think about all of the life experiences that I have shared with my patients over two-and-a-half decades, it’s hard not to believe that this would influence the things that I understand or the explorations that I have.
I also think that my work as a generalist has led me to become quite transdisciplinary. In fact, I just completed a Doctorate in this study. The impetus to be a lifelong learner, to maintain continuing education in medicine, has also left me curious about so many other things. And I think it’s this transdisciplinary nature of my writing that keeps me passionate about it, as well as (hopefully) interesting to read.
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Have you ever had a patient, or someone else that you didn’t know, recognize you from your book or blog? How did that go?
There have been some people who’ve come under my care that had already followed me on social media. Very few that I have encountered had already read my book, The Modern Trauma Toolkit. Every time, it has gone remarkably well. They may or may not share all of the opinions, but most will express that it was a gentle and compassionate approach to trauma. So this leaves them ready to work with me, for the most part. (Although I guess I’m unlikely to run into the people who would read something I’ve written and don’t want to work with me!) Unfortunately, I do think it has set up some high expectations, in that I can offer quick fixes or ones that don’t follow the necessary processes for trauma recovery. So there are definitely up and down sides of being renowned as an expert.
Do you have a strict writing routine, or do you write whenever inspiration strikes—like between patient rounds?
My writing routine actually involves travel. It’s been quite difficult for me to create space for writing in my home environment, because I have four jobs and many other responsibilities. It’s when I travel that my mind feels the most free. Even when I wrote the nonfiction piece, The Modern Trauma Toolkit, I took myself to remote Vancouver Island, and then a ski town in British Columbia. These cabins gave me the restful engagement that I needed to really get pen to paper.
I can write Substack articles and other shorter pieces from home. But for anything lengthy, I need the expensiveness of new soil under my feet.
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What’s your writing setup? Are we talking medical journals scattered across your desk, or are you more of a coffee shop, laptop, and noise-canceling headphones type?
My writing set up tends to be quite focused. i’m not somebody who can get away with music playing, although I have learned that brown noise can keep me focused. If this isn’t something you’ve heard about, you should pick up a copy of The Modern Trauma Toolkit. Ideally, I do not write in coffee shops, but sometimes I’ve been known to bring my laptop to a restaurant and write for a few hours while eating. I can hyperfocus in those times, and drown out the noises around me. But my easiest flow certainly happens when I’m sitting in a comfortable desk or couch, with a beautiful view out the window, a pot of tea steeping, and my dog curled at my feet.
How do you balance writing with a demanding healthcare career (or whatever other profession you’re in)? Any productivity hacks?
I balance writing with my career by keeping a strong focus on momentum. When a project has flow, I will dedicate a tremendous amount of time to it. This has meant taking a number of weeks off of work, both for writing and promotional opportunities. Part of writing, at least to me, is the marketing piece. And what I love the most is to do speaking engagements and workshops. So I think of my writing career as a holistic way to perform knowledge translation, of which writing is one piece.
It’s been quite difficult for me to create space for writing in my home environment, because I have four jobs and many other responsibilities. It’s when I travel that my mind feels the most free.
Do you outline meticulously, or are you more of a “let’s see where this goes” kind of writer?
I outlined my work of non-fiction meticulously, in terms of having a chapter theme, and knowing which components would go into each section. But the writing itself was quite natural and the paragraphs were almost conversational.
I learned a really delicious way to outline fiction, in the shape of a whale instead of a sine curve, at a writers retreat at the beginning of this path. So I remember taking a big piece of white Bristol board and a lot of Post-it notes, one of my many obsessions as an innovator, and outlining the work of fiction doing this. Because I’m writing in two storylines, there were different colour Post-it notes for each of the storylines, but I knew that the tension would have to map along the way.
What’s the weirdest or funniest thing you’ve Googled while researching for your writing?
The funniest thing that I’ve googled recently, for my work of fiction, is how one would travel overland from Ukraine to Canada across the Bering Straight.
The weirdest thing that I’ve googled for non-fiction was involving fecal transplants for mental health. While I know that these work, because it’s something my psychiatry department head is heavily involved in, I didn’t really understand the mechanisms. It was such a joy to learn about, and I continue to refer patients to Taylor Labs to this day.
What would you really like to see covered in our #SoMeDocsWriters conference/virtual events?
I really love the concept of post traumatic growth, so while I am speaking at my first conference about writing, I would love to contribute to one about mental health in the future.
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What are you going to bring to the table at our #SoMeDocsWriters, as a speaker or attendee?
I have pre-recorded my talk for this conference, and I brought some of my TikTok style into it. In fact, there is a debate between myself and myself that happens halfway through! I really love the magic of video storytelling. And expressing different points of view. I love how writing and social media allows me to be creative, while also uplifting the scientific and academic parts of my career.
We feature a directory that highlights books and blogs – how do you hope a directory like this will help get the word out on experts’ work?
I would hope a directory would help more physicians and patients become familiar with our work. It’s my hope that physicians will read The Modern Trauma Toolkit to understand how to recognize trauma in their patients and themselves. We really don’t recognize sufficiently how traumatic medical training and careers can be.
Tell us about your latest book/blog—what’s the heart of the message?
The Modern Trauma Toolkit is a primer on trauma and toxic stress, explaining the neurobiology behind how it works, including modern theories of the Polyvagal nervous system and epigenetics. It describes the different societal and community contributions, including medical trauma. It has many relevant and inclusive examples scattered throughout, and more than 40 practical activities that people can personalize their pathway towards post traumatic growth. It focuses on many somatic skills that people can use to self regulate and recover from emotional distress. It’s a hopeful take on trauma that is very solution-focused.
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Have any of your colleagues or patients reacted in surprising ways to your writing?
The most amazing thing that happened regarding my writing was that people from different times in my career showed up for the book launch. I remember looking into the audience with tears in my eyes, seeing a receptionist from a community health centre that I deeply cherished. There was a physician from the Addiction clinic, learning about what it is that I do. Another friend, a therapist from the US, joined parts of my book tour there! It was just so heartwarming and wonderful to feel supported.
If your book became a movie, who would play you in the film adaptation?
If my book became a movie, I actually think it would be a Netflix documentary series. I’ve been thinking about pitching this. So I would play myself, because I would be exploring trauma from both the problem and solution focus, sharing what I’ve learned with a wider audience.
Did you encounter any “doctor-turned-writer” stereotypes while publishing?
I can’t think of any particular stereotypes that I’ve encountered. But there was certainly a high expectation that my social media audience would translate to book sales. I really had no idea how much work it would take. So I’ve had to learn about podcasting, about writing other kinds of pieces and becoming an expert for interviews. I think the problem is that doctors think that these kinds of things happen through a multidisciplinary team, but it turns out that we have to do a lot of it ourselves.
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If you wrote a book, did you go the traditional, self-publishing, or hybrid route? How did you find the process?
My first book was published through a traditional “big five” publishing house, Hachette. This experience was something beyond my wildest dreams, and I don’t just mean the advance. The fact that they were right in Midtown, New York City, and I was able to spend a week there reading my audiobook with their recording team. It was an incredibly professional experience, and when I looked out the window, there was Radio City Music Hall. I kept pinching myself to Imagine this was my life.
How are you marketing your book (besides the collective marketing of SoMeDocs)?
I did have some marketing support through the publishing house, namely, they got me an article in Oprah Daily. But since then, it’s been really a tremendous amount of effort, hiring a PR team, and trying to become a guest on multiple podcasts and radio sessions. I’ve really enjoyed running workshops and speaking at conferences, particularly medical ones. So I’m hoping more people will recognize that trauma and toxic stress are so pervasive, because I’m one of the few people who can define not just the problem, but also offer clear, even quick, solutions.
What’s harder—writing a book or making it through a 24-hour hospital shift (if you’ve worked through one)? If you haven’t is there any other comparable activity?
I would find it hard to differentiate between the difficulty of writing a book and doing an overnight call shift, as I have done both. They take a tremendous amount of dedication and discipline, some creativity and critical thinking skills, and a centring or grounding of my own body so that I can stay focused on the task. I think a comparable activity is training for anything that requires a particular skill set. While everybody has their own distinct voice as an author, I’ve had to learn how to write through countless courses through local and global offerings. I think I’ve been studying writing for almost 20 years now. So that seems very comparable to Medicine.
SoMeDocs is pleased to announce a virtual conference focusing on writing as a healthcare professional. Topics range from Book Publishing — Getting Started, to Writing Fiction: The Secret Sauce that Keeps Readers Turning Your Pages, and more.
If you could have lunch with any author (living or dead), who would it be and why?
If I could have lunch with any author, it would probably be my friend Vanessa Andreotti. She wrote a book called Hospicing Modernity that I believe is one of the most important works in our time. Something I think a lot about is reconciliation with Indigenous ways of knowing and the First Nations in Canada. I want to amplify the voices of people who have been placed at risk. I also want to help solve complex problems. And I do believe writing is one of the things that can get us in this direction. Vanessa’s work and writing exemplify this.
What’s one medical myth you’d love to debunk through your writing?
One medical myth I would love to debunk is that CBT works for all mental health problems. While it can be remarkably helpful for some, specifically those with anxiety or depression, it can sometimes be less helpful or even harmful for people who have suffered trauma or PTSD. Imagine a paradigm where you have to believe that there’s something wrong with the way that you were thinking, and it needs to be fixed. It adds a tremendous amount of shame where it should not belong. My approach to trauma is so much more generative, where I will say that your brain is functioning exactly as it was intended and it’s trying to protect you. You don’t need to be fixed, but you do need to have more conscious choices. It’s a very different paradigm.
If you weren’t in medicine or writing, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t in Medicine or Writing, I would be continuing to focus on my company, Safer Spaces Training programs. I will soon be offering physician retreats to learn what I have been studying. We will also be launching some online courses shortly. I think because TikTok is under constant threat these days, I haven’t been posting as much and it allows me to refocus on other ways to leverage my credentials to reach a wide audience with the things that I have been studying.
Can you share one piece of advice for healthcare professionals who secretly want to write but don’t know where to start?
A piece for advice for health professionals who want to write, but don’t know where to start would be to start small. I always talk about 10% solutions. Write a paragraph on a social media post. Start with a Substack or Medium blog. Write an op ed. It will start to help you recognize what you’re passionate about, because the words tend to flow so much more naturally. And also, study! Just as nobody can wake up one morning and know how to practice medicine, it takes a great deal of dedication to learn how to write. I’ve been taking writing classes most years since I graduated from medicine. And when I’m not taking classes, I’m reading books about writing. My favourite about nonfiction is how to Save the Cat. I’ve also studied with Donald Maass, who has written a great deal about successful fiction writing.
The weirdest thing that I’ve googled for non-fiction was involving fecal transplants for mental health.
