The Shirtless Football Coach, Dr Seuss, and Inspiring Leadership

Psychiatry & Society

H. Steven Moffic, MD, shares some insights on inspiring leadership, in honor of the upcoming American Psychiatric Association leadership elections. This week's examples include Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson, who is known for taking his shirt off after a big win for the team, inciting celebrations and even a free hot dog deal; and Dr. Seuss, who was psychologically-oriented, both for children's development and for environmental consciousness.

"Let's find some new ways to get attention, particularly since we provide so much for society," said Moffic.

Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who specialized in the cultural and ethical aspects of psychiatry and is now in retirement and retirement as a private pro bono community psychiatrist. A prolific writer and speaker, he has done a weekday column titled “Psychiatric Views on the Daily News” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. He was chosen to receive the 2024 Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Association for Social Psychiatry. Previously, he received the Administrative Award in 2016 from the American Psychiatric Association, the one-time designation of being a Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Speaker of the Assembly of the APA in 2002, and the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in 1991. He presented the third Rabbi Jeffrey B. Stiffman lecture at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis on Sunday, May 19, 2024. He is an advocate and activist for mental health issues related to climate instability, physician burnout, and xenophobia. He is now editing the final book in a 4-volume series on religions and psychiatry for Springer: Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianity, and now The Eastern Religions, and Spirituality. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times.