Children’s Mercy Physician Recognized for Advancing Mindful Practice in Medicine
For Jodi Jackson, MD, a Children’s Mercy neonatologist, supporting clinicians means helping them stay present, connected and grounded amid the fast pace and emotional demands of medicine.
That commitment is at the heart of Dr. Jackson’s work in Mindful Practice in Medicine, a program available to Children’s Mercy physicians that teaches self-awareness, deep listening, reflection and resilience. The goal is to help clinicians reconnect with meaning in their work while strengthening the relationships that shape patient care.
“We are teaching reflective listening and appreciative inquiry,” Dr. Jackson said. “We’re teaching how to be present with another human being in real time and how to reflect and listen in a way that supports and holds space for others.”
Dr. Jackson is certified through the Advanced Teacher Training Program for Mindful Practice in Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and serves on the faculty and advisory board for the Mindful Practice in Medicine program. At UMKC School of Medicine, she directs the Mindfulness in Medicine program while continuing her work as a Children’s Mercy physician and educator.
The need for this work is clear at Children’s Mercy and across health care. Burnout and emotional exhaustion remain significant challenges for clinicians. Mindful practice gives physicians tools to notice stress earlier, respond with intention and remain connected to patients, families and colleagues.
“It decreases burnout, not by a magic shield that makes us burnout-proof, but to notice before we burn out that things aren’t going well, that things don’t feel right, and then to be able to advocate for what we need in a way that’s not reactive, in a way that’s engaging,” Dr. Jackson said.
Each session begins with a centering practice, such as guided meditation or breathing exercises, followed by literature-based lessons, small-group work and discussion. The format helps participants practice deep listening, honest reflection and compassionate communication.
The impact has earned national and international recognition. UMKC School of Medicine has been named a Flourishing in Medicine Center of Excellence by the Mindful Practice in Medicine program at the University of Rochester Medical Center — one of only six programs worldwide and the only one in the United States to receive the honor. As the program’s director and a Children’s Mercy physician, Dr. Jackson is helping extend that expertise to clinicians who care for children and families in Kansas City and beyond.
Dr. Jackson has also been recognized for her leadership in physician wellness and meaning in medicine, receiving the Gold Humanism Honor Society Award from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and the Exceptional Leadership in Well-Being Award from AdventHealth. The honors reflect work rooted in Children’s Mercy’s commitment to compassionate care for both patients and the clinicians who serve them.
For Dr. Jackson, the awards underscore a larger purpose: helping shape physicians who are clinically skilled, self-aware and better equipped to care for themselves, their colleagues and their patients.
By teaching clinicians how to pause, listen and respond with intention, Dr. Jackson’s Mindful Practice in Medicine work is helping advance a culture of excellence, humanity and wellbeing for physicians across the broader medical community.