Meet Melinda Edwards, MD

We recently connected with Melinda Edwards, MD and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Melinda, thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?

My empathy for others was born out of my own trauma and pain. In my experience with myself and with my patients, true compassion for others springs forth only when we have met those aspects in ourselves that we see in another. I grew up a child of missionary doctors in a Mayan Indian village in Guatemala, with terror a constant companion. I was raised in an environment steeped in fear-based religious principles, and was terrified that I would end up in hell. I also experienced multiple traumas, including our car going off a cliff and rolling over multiple times, the devastating earthquake of 1976, two near-drownings, and culture shock as a young teen when we moved back to the U.S. As a result of all the unmet pain and fear, I developed anorexia nervosa and engaged in psychotherapy with a compassionate therapist who helped dissolve the barriers I had erected around my heart. The more I was able to be with these parts of myself that I had cut off, the more I found my heart opening to others’ suffering. Later when my path expanded into a spiritual journey, my heart opened even more.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

There are three aspects of my work–my work as a psychiatrist with underserved patients in South Carolina; my work with Living Darshan, the 501c3 nonprofit I founded to foster a deeper understanding of autism in the world; and writing as a means of supporting others on their journeys back home to their hearts. I recently published the book PSYCHE & SPIRIT: How a Psychiatrist Found Divinity Through Her Lifelong Quest for Truth and Her Daughter’s Autism. As my heart opened more and more on my own journey, my love and compassion for others grew, and I found myself dedicating my life to supporting others in discovering the love that we all are at our core.

My purpose in writing the book is to bring us all more deeply into our hearts. The book is a deeply personal sharing of my story, intertwining memoir and self-help and chronicling my extraordinary life while offering insights along the way. From my childhood in a Mayan village as the daughter of missionary doctors, through trauma, an eating disorder and the challenges of medical training, I ultimately discover the truth I seek through my autistic daughter, Saachi. I delve into psychotherapy, meditation, spiritual teachings – and the discovery of the love within each of us.

My work with the nonprofit organization, Living Darshan (https://livingdarshan.org/), was born out of my journey with my daughter Saachi, who is on the autism spectrum. The mission of Living Darshan is to deepen the understanding of autism beyond the traditional medical disease paradigm–to help others recognize the wisdom and beautiful hearts and spirits of individuals on the autism spectrum. We also plan on building a Residential Community Center for both autistic individuals and neurotypical folks.

And my work with underserved individuals, although challenging, is a gift to my heart. My patients are those who are experiencing tremendous suffering and includes people who are homeless, chronically suicidal and/or psychotic, and individuals who have suffered severe trauma. Many of them have never been deeply heard or seen before. Through this work I have witnessed the healing power of love–and the blooming of another’s heart and spirit when all aspects of them are fully received.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The qualities that have been the most impactful on my journey were courage, determination, and a willingness to live with an open heart.

Tremendous courage is needed to take a deep dive inward to fully meet layers of fear, pain and grief in order to arrive back home in our hearts. It’s not a straight path–when we undertake such a journey, there are times of great discouragement, overwhelm, and wanting to give up. This is where strong determination and persistence are required to continue the process of unfolding. Perhaps most importantly, there must be a recognition of our universal longing to love and be loved–and a willingness to reside in and live from that place of love that is within each of us.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I’d love for everyone who reads this to recognize the importance and the beauty of meeting all the parts of ourselves that are hard to be with, in order to reside more deeply in our hearts. When we welcome the parts of ourselves that we have previously turned away from, we naturally welcome and become more inclusive of others. And here’s the thing: if we all collaborate together in the good, courageous work it takes to dissolve the defenses around our hearts, the whole world becomes a better place–a place of kindness, compassion, and inclusivity–and a place and space of love.

If you’d like support on your journey back to love, my book PSYCHE & SPIRIT is available on amazon (https://a.co/d/09sTqxIZ), Barnes and Noble, and other online book sellers. You are also welcome to contact me and my team through my website, www.melindaedwardsmd.com, or through our nonprofit organization’s website, www.livingdarshan.org.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.melindaedwardsmd.com/
• Instagram: @melindaedwards.md
• Facebook: @melindaedwards.md
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindaedwardsmd
• Youtube: @melindaedwards-md
• Other: Nonprofit organization website:
  https://livingdarshan.org/

Image Credits

Paul Alford, Sally Watts, Raghu Markus, Alan Edwards