How Do You Feel? One Doctor's Search for Humanity in Medicine

A “thought-provoking exploration of healing and compassion in the face of adversity” (Jen Gunter, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Menopause Manifesto) following one psychiatrist and four of her patients as they deal with the unspoken physical and mental health costs of caregiving—perfect for fans of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and The In-Between.

In How Do You Feel? Dr. Jessi Gold offers a deeply personal and poignant memoir that explores the hidden tolls of taking care of others. As an assistant professor, practicing psychiatrist, and university wellness leader, Dr. Gold was accustomed to a life of constant busyness, always putting the needs of her patients, colleagues, and loved ones before her own. But when an unthinkable error during a patient session forces her to confront her own mental health, she begins a journey of self-discovery and reevaluation of the medical system that trained her.

Through the eyes of her health care worker patients—a resident with OCD, a pregnant nurse with PTSD, an aspiring medical student with crippling test anxiety, and an overwhelmed ER physician—Dr. Gold examines the pervasive issues of burnout, perfectionism, and the emotional burden of working in health care. These compelling narratives, combined with her own personal therapy sessions, reveal the shared struggles of maintaining humanity in a field dedicated to serving others.

Expertly weaving her research expertise with unforgettable stories and raw emotions, Dr. Gold’s memoir is at once deeply personal and utterly universal. How Do You Feel? demonstrates the unbridled capacity for connection, learning, and growth, reminding us all that in order to care for others, we must first remember to care for ourselves. This book is a must-read for anyone in the caregiving profession or for those who want to understand the profound impact of mental health on our lives.

Psychiatrist Jessi Gold, MD, MS, is the Chief Wellness Officer of the University of Tennessee System and an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She is a fierce mental health advocate and highly sought-after expert in the media on everything from burnout to celebrity self-disclosure. Dr. Gold has written widely for the popular press, including for The New York Times, The Atlantic, InStyle, Slate, and Self. In her clinical practice, she sees health care workers, trainees, and young adults in college. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (with a degree in anthropology), the Yale School of Medicine, and the Stanford University Department of Psychiatry, she spends her free time traveling with her friends, watching live music (especially Taylor Swift) or mindless television, and on walks with her dog, Winnie. Find her on X, Instagram, TikTok, or Threads @DrJessiGold.