Sue Stephenson, MD

Bio

I was born into a family of physicians (both parents, both grandfathers, 3 of 4 great-grandfathers, etc), and the concept of being able to assist other people was introduced early in my life. I am the only one in my generation to choose medicine, however, and have been grateful for the privilege of helping others.

Through high school I lived in the South Bay and have since lived in upstate New York, New York City, Indiana, England, Salinas, CA, and Arcata/Eureka, CA. I'm delighted to be living in one of the most beautiful and socially progressive areas of the US and try to take advantage of this location by spending time outdoors and in community.

I have a very creative and lovely teen daughter who has added perspective and color to my life and I enjoy spending time with her.

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

Medicine requires a variety of skills and dedications, and, as my grandfather told my mother when she was accepted into medical school, "You'll never get bored." As I study Carl Jung and others, I find support for the concept that who a person is, in general, largely determines many aspects of their healing capabilities.

As I mature in my profession, I find the actual interaction between myself and "patient" can be very therapeutic and, in addition to medical knowledge, intuitive skills are much more important than medical school training was able to include. The process of finding out what might be "wrong," and figuring out how to best help someone to have the most fulfilling life possible is exciting to me.

I began practicing here at Kaiser Permanente in 1993 in the Family Medicine Department and, shortly thereafter, began helping out in the Gynecology department as well. I continue to practice one day per week in Gynecology, but recently have transferred to the Department of Neurology to head our Memory Disorder Clinic. This is an exciting area of increasing importance, and there is a large amount of current research being conducted. We're doing research in our own department as well. It's wonderful to use my family medicine skills in the diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders, as it is a complex area that involves other fields of medicine.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

I participate in Menopause, Domestic violence, and Senior Resource Committees. I am also a member of the Sonoma County Domestic Violence Death Review Team.

I am interested in exploring the possible consequences of running out of inexpensive oil and the effects of that on medicine and our society in general and belong to several groups who are looking at this issue.

Current projects or research:

We are looking at the needs of our members and the community in general in relation to memory disorders, and reviewing our program with that in mind. We are offering complimentary memory disorder classes to the community at large. Through the Senior Resource Committee, an evaluation of Senior needs and resources is taking place in order to better provide needed services.

In cooperation with Stanford University, we are about to begin a study of the effects of Raloxifene on dementia, and have several other ongoing research projects as well.

Great health resources that I refer to:

I think sometimes we forget to look at the big picture. A book that I recommend quite often for this is "Start Where You Are," by Pema Chodron.

An interesting story from my training:

I trained with a very bright and creative cardiologist, Dr. John Schetz, who decided one day that the weather was "just too beautiful" to stay indoors for clinic, so we moved the entire afternoon clinic out to the lawn and saw patients there. Most of them appreciated it!

Interests

Currently reading:
What is Enlightenment? magazine

My favorite book or author:
Rainer Maria Rilke, Rumi, David Whyte

Great movie:
Most Rialto theater films are excellent and thought-provoking.

Hobby Photos & Links:

Good sun protection is essential, as I hike in Baja, Mexico

Family & Friends

People in my life:

I have a wonderful group of friends who make me laugh and share creative interests.

My children and people I care about:

My daughter is a wonderful hip hop dancer and is interested in auto shop and agriculture biology in school this year. She's great company, and we have fun finding music and movies that interest us both.

Sam is a yellow cat who keeps us amused.

Travel

An adventure I've had:

Having a baby....then nurturing and mentoring.....a special form of travel.

Favorite place in the world:

Here. Because that's where I am. I do appreciate this area very much but also want to be satisfied with where I am at any moment.

One of my recent trips:

I enjoy running around the coastal trail at Point Lobos State Reserve, near Monterey. It's a very special place, and I always feel connected to the natural world there.

A Photo of One of My Favorite Places:

California Coast

Trip Photos:

Point Lobos