Let’s Dare to Be Vulnerable: Crossing the Self-Disclosure Rubicon

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Essay

Physician’s Self-Disclosure Helps Patient Overcome Mental Health Care Stigma

Background:Physician self-disclosure is frequently employed intentionally to establish rapport, cultivate trust, convey empathy, or strengthen the credibility of clinical recommendations. In this essay, a primary care physician shares a personal experience of disclosing their own mental health history to help a patient struggling with anxiety and depression.

Key Argument:The author reflects on a case where sharing their own experience with anxiety and antidepressant use helped a longtime patient overcome resistance to treatment. The author argues that carefully chosen personal disclosures—when used with clear boundaries—can be a valuable tool in primary care.

Why It Matters: Physicians' willingness to share their own experiences—within appropriate boundaries—can help break down the isolation that patients often feel. Thoughtful, authentic connections between physicians and patients can strengthen trust and ultimately support both mental and physical well-being.

Let’s Dare to Be Vulnerable: Crossing the Self-Disclosure Rubicon

Ohad Avny, MD

Clalit Health Services, Department of Family Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

Aya Alon

Department of Counseling and Human Development, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel