Martha Hernandez, M.D., is a psychiatrist in a unique position. She is one of the few such physicians on staff at a local HIV/AIDS agency—in this case, Better Existence with HIV ( BEHIV ) . Hernandez recently talked with Windy City Times about her professional background and the services she provides. ( Hernandez photo by Frank Failing of Male Image Photography )
Windy City Times: Tell me about your background.
Martha Hernandez: I have a private practice in Indiana, and live here in Chicago in Hyde Park. I went to Rush Medical College, did a year at St. Joe's and did the rest of general psychiatry at Michael Reese [ Hospital ] , and did two years of a fellowship in child and adolescent [ psychiatry ] .
Psychiatry is a great vehicle to understand the workings of the mind and heart. I really have a passion for working with empowerment—but this has come over time, of course. I didn't know why I was directed toward psychiatry, but now I know why. I think empowerment is the biggest issue, and that's why I've been really honored to work [ at BEHIV ] .
WCT: Let's talk about BEHIV. How did you come to work there?
MH: Julie Supple, the social service director at BEHIV, and I worked together in Indiana for many years. [ Plus, ] we're both from Chicago. So she called and asked me. ( I was in a different place at that time. ) She asked me how I'd like to be a therapist—which I absolutely love.
I can tell you that I believe in the human element and the heart issue, and I believe in the issue of healing versus being totally biological. I use biology, of course; I'm an M.D., so I do give medications, but it's not my first line of defense. I think that if you don't have a connection with your patients, it's impossible to talk about treatment. My approach is more holistic. I'm thankful for the allopathic approach, but allopathic medicine only looks at the symptom and if [ need to ] know the source. So who walks into my office is there for a reason, and they teach me as much as I can teach them. Then, my issue is how I can help.
WCT: And what types of services do you specifically provide? Group therapy? Individual therapy?
MH: We have access to group and individual [ therapy ] . We have a phenomenal massage therapist, by the way; HIV and AIDS can cause a great deal of neuropathy and pain, and the massages are fantastic. [ The therapist, Delores Diaz ] also offers flower essence [ therapy ] , which involves the essential oils of the flower. We also have an art therapist, which [ we need ] . The connotations of this disease are sociopolitical, biological and humanistic. Ten or 15 years ago, the patients would go home to die. But guess what? They didn't die. So the question is, 'What do you do?'
WCT: So there's a whole team to help these clients.
MH: Right. And I don't tell anyone to stop taking medication, but what we offer is talk of complimentary medicine or supplement. There's nutrition as well as attitude and belief. We have art, we have massage, there's me and we have these great case managers.
WCT: Do you have a background working with HIV-positive clients?
MH: I didn't go to school to learn to work with them, but I have had HIV-positive people in my practice.
The human condition offers many journeys. This is one journey. I work with terminally ill patients who believe, in their minds, that they're dead. Since I see the world with a holistic point of view, all sorts of issues—political, socioeconomic, gender issues—are still part of the human experience.
WCT: In general, what is the biggest obstacle regarding your clients?
MH: Money. I treat them on a sliding scale; most of the time they are free or, for their own self-esteem, something is exchanged. We probably offer the best sliding scale in humanity. [ Laughs ]
WCT: What do you think is the biggest obstacle they face emotionally?
MH: It was when they went home to die; here they are alive 10 years later. They ask 'Why me?' and 'What am I going to do now?' If I can empower them on any level, it's great. This is a work in progress.
Some of the other challenges involve the fact that, because of the medication and the virus, they just can't come. There's the possibility of exposure to different infections or there's the cold. So the issue of finance and the issue of 'Where do we go from here?' are [ the biggest obstacles ] .
To contact Dr. Martha Hernandez, call 847-475-2115, ext. 102, or e-mail drhernandez@behiv.org .