WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (April 2, 2025) — Autumn Brunia DO, a psychiatrist at Des Moines University Clinic — Behavioral Health, is helping equip physicians with tools to better manage emotionally intense patient encounters.
She recently spoke at the Women Physician Wellness Conference, an international conference focused on supporting and empowering female physicians. The conference founded by Erica Howe MD, provides a space for women in medicine to develop leadership skills, practice self-care, and advance their careers in a historically male-dominated field.
Brunia's talk, "Therapy Techniques for Managing Big Patient Emotions," shared key strategies for improving patient interactions while maintaining professional well-being. Covering topics such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral-therapy techniques, and mindfulness, she encouraged physicians to set boundaries and recognize their own emotional needs.
"As physicians, we often feel like we always have to be superhuman all the time. But that is an unrealistic expectation," Brunia says. "It's important to check in with yourself and practice mindfulness to elicit strong patient relationships and be able to communicate effectively."
The WPW conference offers three opportunities to recharge and grow professionally and personally, each with a slightly different focus. Brunia's session was part of the Climb track, which focuses on career and leadership development while maintaining the self-care needed to succeed.
"Attending this conference challenged me to reassess my career path and prioritize my well-being as a physician," Brunia says. "I hope to continue advocating for physician self-care and leadership development in medicine."
Located in West Des Moines, part of Iowa's capital metro, Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences offers ten graduate-level professional-degree programs in anatomy, biomedical sciences, health-care administration, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, physician-assistant studies, podiatric medicine, and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students' scores on national examinations, pass-rates on board certifications, and match-rates for medical residency programs are consistently higher than national averages and rates at peer institutions.
