News and Articles

• Why Peer Support Matters to Me as an OB/GYN Physician and Leader

  by Dyanne Tappin, MD, MPH, FACOG

  As an OB/GYN physician, I have long recognized that the work we do is both profoundly meaningful and deeply demanding. We walk with patients through moments of great joy, profound loss, and everything in between. These experiences are powerful, but they can also weigh heavily on us. For me, peer support is essential because it acknowledges that physicians, nurses, administrators, and staff, while resilient, are still human. Having a safe space to share experiences, process challenges, and support one another reduces isolation and helps us sustain the compassion and presence that our patients deserve.

  On a professional level, peer support has given me the opportunity to connect authentically with colleagues, to listen and be listened to, and to build relationships grounded in trust and empathy. These connections help me navigate the complexities of my own career and remind me that I am part of a community that understands the unique weight of this work.

  As one of the co-leaders of our pilot peer support program, this work carries even greater significance. I see firsthand how creating structured opportunities for colleagues to support one another can transform the culture of departments, units, and hopefully the institution as a whole in the future. It signals that well-being is not secondary, but a priority—that we value the whole person, not just the professional role. At the institutional level, this program will contribute to a broader culture of safety, respect, and compassion. By normalizing conversations about stress, burnout, and emotional impact, we not only strengthen individual resilience but also enhance collaboration, trust, and retention across our healthcare system.

  Leading this work matters deeply to me because it reflects a vision of medicine where caring for one another is inseparable from caring for our patients. Building a sustainable culture of peer support means creating an environment where physicians and staff feel valued, supported, and able to bring their best selves to their work every day. For me, that is not just a programmatic goal—it is a professional calling.

  I encourage you to continue visiting the Peer Support page, where you’ll find resources and updated content added every few months. We are also looking to expand this program—more to come soon!

• When the Snow Settles: Peer Support at UConn Health

  by Rev. Daniel D. Warriner, DMin, BCC

  Working in healthcare means bearing witness to moments most people never see. So many beautiful moments in life. But along with beauty there are many moments of grief, trauma, ethical tension, prolonged suffering, and catastrophic loss. These experiences are part of the landscape of our work. Even when we are not the ones at the center of a crisis, something still settles on us.

  I often think of these difficult moments as dust. Throughout the day, as I walk alongside patients and families in distress, grief falls on me at a distance. I am not buried in the rubble the way patients may be, but by the end of the day, I am still covered. The dust accumulates.

  When I think about my clinical colleagues across the hospital, I imagine the same reality. Over time, the pain and loss we observe gather quietly on our shoulders like snowflakes. Over time it accumulates to be heavy. Personal grief touches work grief. Emotional and physical fatigue layers on top of numerous responsibilities. Eventually, that accumulation can affect how we feel, how we engage one another, and how we show up for our patients. This dark place is where the UConn Health Peer Support Program shines the brightest.

  The UConn Health Peer Support Program connects staff with a caring and trained colleague who understands the emotional demands of healthcare. This is not therapy. It is private, compassionate, colleague-to-colleague support, a trusted conversation with someone who “gets it.” Someone in the fire with you. These skills allow peer supporters to meet colleagues where they are, without minimizing their experience or rushing toward solutions.

  Peer support creates space to pause, to name what has been heavy, and to be heard without judgment. We don’t need a colleague to “fix” things. We need someone who will listen and offer a steady and nonjudgmental presence. There are plenty of places of judgment in our world today, this is not that place.

  As a chaplain in the Department of Spiritual Services, I have long been part of the support structure for staff. Participating in Peer Support training has deepened that role and strengthened my ability to care for coworkers across disciplines.

  Consider reaching out after a distressing clinical event, an unexpected death, a difficult code, a medical error, and especially when personal challenges begin to follow you into your professional role.

  If you are feeling covered by the “snow” of the workday, you do not have to carry it alone. Peer support offers an opportunity to pause, connect, and gently dust yourself off with someone who understands the weight of healthcare work. Help is available. Let others walk alongside you, so you can continue to find meaning, connection, and hopefully joy in the work you do.

• My Peer Support Experience

  by Kelly Burns, MOT, OTR/L, CSRS

  Being part of the Peer Support pilot program has been a meaningful experience for me. I was honored to be nominated by a colleague, and as I learned more about the program, I realized that supporting others is something I was already doing in informal ways—listening, encouraging, and simply being there for my coworkers. Joining the program felt like a natural step.

  To me, peer support is about offering a safe, confidential space where healthcare professionals can talk openly with someone who understands the unique challenges of our work. It’s not about giving advice or fixing problems, but about listening and acknowledging someone’s experience.

  This program has allowed me to connect with colleagues I might not otherwise meet and has reinforced the supportive, family-like culture we value at UConn. It’s rewarding to know that sometimes just listening can make a difference. We do it all the time with our patients, we should surely do it for one another.