I worked for Bloomberg Financial in New York City. It was exciting, exhilarating … and devoid of real meaning for me. I quit my job and moved back home. I thought about my original desire to enter medicine. I doubted my decisions, my abilities, everything. Could I go to medical school? Is it too late? Some family members and friends with good intentions advised me against this. Considering my age at the time, they advised me to focus on marriage and building a family. Culturally, this was acceptable. Luckily, my mother shooed the naysayers away, particularly the ones in my mind. She encouraged me to pursue my passion. I give her a ton of credit. Once in medical school, another dilemma arose. What do I specialize in?! Psychiatry presented itself as one of the most colorful specialties. Everyday was different. I enjoyed the active listening. I wanted to understand what motivated people and their behaviors. I gravitated toward psychodynamic theories and a developmental framework because I wanted to deepen my understanding of peoples’ conscious and unconscious decisions. This led me to complete additional training at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. Working with children had not previously entered my thought process until I began to understand that much of adult pathology is rooted in adverse childhood experiences. I wanted to learn more! Completing a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry felt like a natural progression. Working with children and adolescents, particularly within their family system, felt like a great way to impact lives in a lasting way. It’s a huge privilege to work with people throughout their lifespan. What I understand about myself is that I love to learn and I can’t do something halfway. Outside of work, I’m a wife and mother. I enjoy gardening and reading fiction (favoring historical fiction). I’m also trying to save the world by minimizing my use of single-use plastics and reducing my consumption of animal protein!

Sincerely,

Nitya Zaveri D.O.