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Becoming a national leader in integrative behavioral medicine
In this episode of Tim Talks, host Timothy Zercher sits down with Dr. Christine J. Markow, CEO of the Center for Integrative Behavioral Medicine. With decades of experience in clinical health psychology, Dr. Markow shares her journey from a life-changing spinal cord injury to becoming a national leader in integrative behavioral medicine.
They discuss the connection between chronic pain and mental health, how families can break cycles of narcissistic abuse, and what the mental health system must do to better support teens. Dr. Markow also provides insights into presurgical evaluations, recovery predictors, and the challenges clinicians face in reaching clients in today’s AI-driven landscape.
If you’re a behavioral health provider, parent, or anyone interested in the intersection of mind and body healing – you won’t want to miss this episode.
Transcript
00:00 – Introduction
Timothy welcomes Dr. Christine Markow and asks:
What have you learned about the connection between pain and mental health that most clinicians are still missing?
01:07 – Personal Journey
How did you get involved in this field and what inspired your specialty?
03:02 – Narcissistic Family Dynamics
In families struggling with narcissistic dynamics, what approaches help break cycles of abuse across generations?
03:52 – Supporting Teens
What changes does the U.S. mental health system most need to better support teens facing anxiety, depression, and ADHD?
05:30 – Presurgical Consults
When you consult on pre-surgical cases, what mental health factors predict whether patients will recover well or struggle?
06:42 – Client & Partner Growth
How do you go about gaining new clients or partners? What’s working best right now?
07:20 – Marketing in Behavioral Health
What marketing tactics are you exploring to better connect with clients?
08:34 – Closing Thoughts
Christine emphasizes the responsibility clinicians have to educate and engage directly with clients.
