Born for Joy   

SARA LELAND PETERS STALMAN MD
     (previously: Sara Leland Peters, Sara Leland Kennedy MD)
        
         1966 – 1970    College Student, (BA in Biology, Pre-med) Carleton College, Northfield MN                    
         1972 – 1975    Biology Teacher, Berkshire School, Sheffield MA        
         1975 – 1976    Grant Reviewer, Division of Biological Sciences. University of Chicago,        
         1976 – 1977    Administrator, Department of Immunology, University of Chicago        
        
         1977 – 1981    Medical Student, Rush University College of Medicine, Chicago, IL                                                                              Clinical Clerkship Honors:  Medicine, Psychiatry, Cardiology, Nephrology, Obstetrics/Gynecology                                  Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society  (1979)                                           
                                 Henry M.   Lyman Prize for Outstanding Junior Medical Student (1980)                                 
                                 Nathan Freer Award for Outstanding Senior Medical Student (1981)
                               Research Assistant, Department of Psychiatry (1978-81)                              
                               Publication: Cavanaugh SVA and Kennedy SL: “A successful psychiatric training program                                                                for medical residents” Gen Hosp Psychiatry 8:73-79 (1986)            
         1981 – 1982    Medical Intern, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL                    
         1982 – 1985    Psychiatric Resident, Payne Whitney Clinic, Cornell University, New York, NY                                                           Lebensohn Award for the Best Paper written by a Psychiatric Resident:  “Whatever Happened to                                                    Alternative Treatment: The Experts Speak,” presented to the annual meeting of the American
                                   Association of General Hospital Psychiatrists (1987)        
         1985  - 1987    Research Fellow, Cornell University, “Emotions: the psychological and physiological correlates of human
                                 weeping.”                    
         1986               Board-Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology        
         1987 – 1988    Attending, Acute Care Psychiatric Unit, Payne Whitney Clinic/New York Hospital                                      
                                 Publication: Kennedy SL and Shear MK: Prevalence of panic attacks in a non-clinical
                                   sample, Am J of Psychiatry 145:384-5 (1988)                      
         1988 – 1990    Attending, Acute Care Psychiatric Unit. Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield MA
                                  Clinical Training in Systemic Psychiatry/Family Therapy with C Sluzki MD                                           
                                  Publication: Kennedy SL, Minifie N, et al: Family secrets and personal differentiation, Bulletin Berkshire
                                  Med Cntr
3: 11-13 (1990)
        
         1990 – 2000    Private Practice,  (Psychopharmacology; Family Therapy), Williamstown MA                   
         1990 – 2000    Clinical Observation: Neurobiological relationship between adult psychiatric symptoms and damaging
                                 childhood experiences (commonly referred to as "Adverse Childhood Experiences" or "ACEs")
         1990 - 1995    Staff Psychiatrist, Northern Berkshire Mental Health, North Adams MA 
                              Psychiatric Consultant, Thomas W. McGee Unit for Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation   Pittsfield, MA                               Presentations:
                                  "Benzodiazepines: Appropriate Clinical Uses and Treatment Caveats".  Medical  Grand Rounds, North
                                     Adams Regional Hospital (1992)
                                  "Adult Psychiatric Consequences of Experiencing Childhood Abuse."  Weekly programs with viewer
                                      participation.  N Berkshire Public Access TV (1994)
                                  "Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders in the Elderly."  Western Mass Organization of Occupational
                                      Therapists (1994)
                                  "Childhood Trauma and Its Relation to the Development of Dysthymia and Panic Disorder.
                                      Rounds: N Adams Regional Hospital (1994)
                                  "Childhood Trauma and Its Relation to the Development of Dysthymia and Panic Disorder."
                                      Med Grand Rounds: Hillcrest Hospital, Pittsfield, MA (1994)
                                  "Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression."  Annual Meeting, New York State Coalition of Nurse
                                      Practitioners (1995)                                  
                                  "A Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective on the Etiology of Dysthymia and Panic Disorder."  Current
                                      Developments in Psychiatry: The Bio-Psycho-Social Panorama.  Paris, France (1996)  
                                  "Childhood Trauma and its Relationship to Adult Psychiatric and Disorders: Diagnostic and Treatment
                                      Implications." Annual Conference of Citizens Against Child Abuse, Pittsfield MA (1996)
                                  "Facilitating Time-Limited Therapy with Medication."  Kurt Almer Research Symposium,
                                      Albany NY (1996)  
         1996              Attending, Capital District Psychiatric Center, Albany NY
         1997 – 1998   Resident, Primary Care Internal Medicine, University of Massachusetts at Berkshire Medical Center,
                                 Pittsfield MA           
         1999              Interim Staff Psychiatrist (Emergency Evaluations), Cape Cod and the Islands Community  Mental Health
                                Center, Hyannis MA 1999               
                              Staff Psychiatrist treating adults and children, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
                                Children (MSPCC), Holyoke MA
         1999 – 2000   Western Regional Medical Director MSPCC Holyoke, Springfield, Greenfield, Athol MA  
        
         Apr, 2000       Fired without cause from MSPCC  

         May- June ‘00 Interim Psychiatrist, KidsPeace New England, Ellsworth ME
         2000 – 2003   Wrote a book based on actual clinical cases (patient anonymity fully protected) describing in layman’s
                                terms how damaging childhood experiences cause life-long suffering through their effect on
                                childhood neurodevelopment. (unpublished)
         2000              Applied for a permanent license to practice Medicine in Maine. 
                                 Spoke with the Chairman of the State Medical Board, explained that my clinical approach to patient
                                 care was supported by research, and asked for the opportunity to explain the science underlying
                                 that approach. I was encouraged to apply, told that the application would be “provisionally denied,”
                                 after which, on appeal, I would be given that opportunity.  It seemed simple: since 1995, I had always
                                 explained my diagnostic and treatment approach before accepting patient care responsibilities. No one
                                 had ever doubted the science.
         9/00 – 6/01    Substitute teacher, Hancock County, ME
         7/01 - 3/02     Farm Apprentice, Horsepower Farm, Penobscot ME
         2001– 2002    MSPCC filed a complaint against me with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine alleging
                                 substandard patient care.  There was no data supporting this Allegation: no patient was harmed under
                                 my care. Eventually, all my patient records at MSPCC would be submitted to the Massachusetts Board
                                 for review: all demonstrated that, while differing from “the standards of my peers” (i.e., those estab-
                                 lished by the Pharmaceutical Industry and the American Psychiatric Association), my approach
                                 substantially improved patient outcome both in terms of symptoms experienced and normal functioning.
                                 During this 2-year process, I was repeatedly told that only by denying the value of my work, could
                                 I protect my ability to practice medicine.  Naturally, I could not agree to do this. 
         Nov, 2001       Denied license Maine License The Board would not listen to, read, or evaluate my unpublished clinical
                                 data. They made other false accusations; without a lawyer present, however, I was not allowed to   
                                 refute them (Board Regulations). Neither could I appeal their decision (Board Regulations).  As a
                                 consequence of being denied a Maine license on appeal, I automatically lost my license to practice
                                 medicine in New York (Board Regulations).  There was no recourse open to me.
         2002                Landscape gardener, Downeast Gardens, Penobscot ME
         May, 2002       Publication: Stalman S, "Prevention of Relapse in Schizophrenia" (LTE), NEJM 346:1412 (2002)
         2002 – 2009    Field Canvasser, Administrator, Health Care Organizer, Maine People’s Alliance, Bangor
                                Chair: Physicians Group for Single Payer Healthcare
         2003 – 2012    Wrote, submitted and defended eight scientific papers written specifically for six journals.  All
                                 presented highly significant clinical relevant data demonstrating the neurobiological mechanisms by
                                 which Adverse Childhood Experiences affect the developing child’s brain. Included was data
                                 demonstrating safe, effective, side-effect free treatment for the 3 distinct neurobiological syndromes
                                 resulting from that neurobiological damage. 
                              On editorial review, the data was never challenged. Rather, the senior editor at Nature wrote,
                                 “We do not doubt the technical quality of your analyses;” and the senior editor at Science wrote,
                                 “There were no concerns raised about the technical aspects of the study.”
                              No journal would  publish the data.
         Oct, 2004       Loss of license to practice medicine in Massachusetts. 
                                 Unable to further afford legal fees and expecting I would want to practice medicine after a
                                 designated "5 years," I agreed to thirteen allegations of medical care "differing
                                 from the standards of my peers."               
         2013              Published this website, bornforjoy.com.
                                 Unable to publish my data within the scientific community, I wanted to be sure that it was available
                                 to the lay and scientific public.
 
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