I have been providing psychiatric care for patients at Arlington Free Clinic for the past five years. I first came into contact with AFC when I trying to see if it would be possible for psychiatry residents from GW’s Department of Psychiatry to do some work there. While that didn’t end up working out, it was during my meeting with the AFC staff that I decided to begin volunteering myself. I had long done volunteer work for Physicians for Human Rights but I really liked the idea of volunteering in my own community as well.
I go to my shift at AFC after a long day of seeing patients in my office. I am usually tired and often wish I didn’t have to go. Volunteering at AFC is challenging for many reasons – from the complex range of ways psychological distress gets expressed, to the challenges of working through translators, to the limits of psychiatric medications to relieve the suffering of people who are living very hard lives. But I always enjoy my time there. Each one of my patients is grateful for the care they get at AFC, and grateful for the time I give them. I always leave in a good mood.
I appreciate the energy and enthusiasm of the staff at AFC. They always go out of their way to make me comfortable, to help in any way they can and to thank me for coming. More importantly, I love how every patient is treated with respect, dignity and kindness. These are people who are struggling every day with difficult life circumstances, and who are among the more marginalized members of our community. At AFC they are treated with the respect they deserve.
I volunteer at AFC to give to my community, but in reality I get a lot more than I give.
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