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After 10 years in the Intensive Care Unit, Clinical Program Coordinator Theresa "TJ" Lovdal was attacked by a patient in February 2019. Thankfully, she wasn’t physically hurt and returned to work immediately. But within a few weeks, she experienced frightening episodes during which her heart would start pounding and she would be out of breath and dizzy. “I was struggling,” Lovdal recalls. “I could barely make it through a shift. It was really difficult for a while.”

Thanks to the advice of colleague Kris Blackstone, Lovdal met with a counselor through FEAP [Faculty and Employee Assistance Program] to talk through her feelings. “I sobbed most sessions,” she recalls. “I learned I had experienced other people's trauma for so long and had not processed it or let it out. Just understanding the science of what was happening and why my body was feeling that way was so healing for me.” 

The Ripple Effect of a PTSD Diagnosis

Since being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Lovdal has been open about her mental health journey. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, as president-elect of UVA’s Nursing Professional Governance Organization — she brought her experience to a night shift committee meeting. Leadership was asking for ideas on how to help nurses. She suggested mental health supports. That meeting began what is now a robust, well-being tracking program proactively connecting nurses to FEAP.

Lovdal even shared her story in front of thousands of nurses at the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) National Magnet Conference in October 2021, presenting alongside Luella Glanzer, Nursing Professional Practice Project Management Specialist, on the well-being tracking program they started at UVA Health. In her portion of the presentation, Lovdal featured a quote from Kate Judge, executive director of the American Nurses Foundation (ANA), about the importance of nurses’ physical and psychological health. 

Little did Lovdal know — Judge was in the audience. “She came up to me after the presentation and introduced herself,” recalls Lovdal. “We were all crying. It was so sweet!” Judge shared that the ANA wanted to partner with a nurse who was willing to open up about their mental health struggles, and wondered if Lovdal was interested. She was. “I needed care and treatment for a long time before I really sought it out,” she explains. “As nurses, we aren’t very good at even admitting we have mental or emotional health issues. I am willing to be awkward.” 

Though she was always a little embarrassed being known as an “oversharer,” Lovdal is now grateful. Her ability to be vulnerable has had a ripple effect, opening opportunities to help others — allowing her to become an outspoken champion for mental health care — whether through FEAP or another resource.

A Chronic Issue Requiring Preventative Care

Lovdal is open about how she still experiences the effects of PTSD and feelings of anxiety. “It’s not all puppies and rainbows and butterflies,” she says. “If I’m driving home and somebody swerves off the road, that may stimulate a brief adrenaline rush that also affects me — hours later. It’s a chronic thing I have to deal with, but now I have the tools to recognize what I’m feeling, and am able to pull myself out of it.”

Now, Lovdal’s story will have even more impact. ANA will follow her with cameras and microphones to capture a “Day in the Life” of someone who represents many nurses around the country and is willing to share her story. The end result: a video shown far and wide as part of ANA’s Well-Being Initiative to support the mental health and resilience of nurses.

Lovdal hopes the video will continue to amplify her message that mental health is a journey, and one we should all be intentional about. “As healthcare providers, we see really hard stuff and are at high risk for mental health concerns, so we should be getting preventative care,” says Lovdal. “I want to help make it normal to get mental healthcare.”

To contact FEAP: call 434.243.2643 or schedule an appointment online.