Dr. Fuller: Defying the Odds and Overcoming Obstacles
Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Lisa H. Fuller
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
For more than 30 years, I practiced psychiatry in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia (patient care, teaching, and training) some organizations include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wayne State University School of Medicine/ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (Assistant Professor/ Emergency Medicine), Bulgaria Ecumenical Theological Seminary, Global Projects Hope, Help, and Healing, Rapid Response Chaplain Corps, and the Liberian Evangelical Baptist Convention. Additionally, the Panamanian government granted me the opportunity to practice medicine in Panama for a brief period. Presently, I serve as the Founder and CMO for Discern Life Consultants Health, a mental health organization.
Called as an Ordained Apostle, Founder & Overseer for Lisa H. Fuller Ministries, and Senior Pastor for Christ’s Arms Reaching Everywhere Ministries, I consider myself bi-vocational. Whether it is one-on-one patient care or leading missionaries in the field, it is about serving. In the past, I have had the opportunity to train and lead mission teams on the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, and North/ Central America with focus on crisis and trauma, leadership development, and spirituality. Being recognized for Outstanding Leadership in Global Missions/ Second Ebenezer Church/ Bishop Edgar L. Vann, Distinguished Servanthood/ Liberian Evangelical Baptist Convention, and Master Teacher and Humanitarian/ Rapid Response Chaplain Corp are all about serving others and humbling.
How did I get to where I am today? Prayer, hard work, focus, determination, great mentors, & God’s grace.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
I have experienced multiple challenges along the way. For the sake of time, I will only share a few such as assimilation into unfamiliar cultures and subcultures. Not being aware of and not knowing unspoken nuances and idiosyncrasies consistent in the various groups I found myself because of my academic environment created a challenge for me. In addition, racism and sexism were also obstacles. Not receiving the same level of respect as my male counterparts in some professional settings and being the only African American person in my medical school class were challenges.
What did I do? I focused on achieving my goals, attempted to remain positive and hopeful, kept a good attitude, and developed a nurturing support system.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
As I transition from day-to-day patient care, I find myself sharing several years of insight, wisdom, knowledge and experience to provide direction on navigating through life’s obstacles (including mental health challenges) through books, speaking, and training. As a psychiatrist, if warranted, I have the capacity to prescribe medication in addition to therapy.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
Following are 10 points of advice I would like to share with the readers. All of which I utilize:
- Know and define your goals. (Write them down and visualize yourself accomplishing them.)
- Develop a strategy. (Write it down.)
- Do not compare yourself to others. (When you do, it predisposes you to disappointment and depression.)
- Obtain a mentor (Someone who has accomplished success in the area where you are trying to obtain success.)
- Develop and keep razor sharp focus (regardless of what is occurring around you).
- Regularly take time to reflect and re-evaluate your goals. (Write it down.)
- Learn from your disappointments, failures, and mistakes. (It is part of the pathway to success. I learned more from my mistakes and failures than I have from my successes.)
- Celebrate your small successes along the way. (After each completed week of med school, I purchased myself a blouse!)
- Get a mentor. (Be hungry to learn and grow at all levels even when you are mentoring others.)
- Lastly, but no less important, keep yourself centered spiritually.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
The word success for me is when I accomplish and begin to operate in my desired goal(s). As a single parent raising sons with a demanding career that took me away from home and relying on childcare much of the time, success was seeing them graduate and becoming productive citizens. During undergraduate and medical school studies, success was completing my course work, passing exams, and moving to the next level of my career. As a mentor, success is having the satisfaction of seeing my mentees achieve their life goals and become good stewards in their families, careers, and businesses.
As a clinician, success is providing the needed treatment to aid patients through the healing process. As the leader of an organization, success is completing necessary day-to-day tasks and leading the organization in the direction to achieve goals that are consistent with the organization’s vision and mission statement. As an Ordained clergy, being led by God to accomplish all the above is success. It would be great to say I accomplish success in every area all of the time. It is not true. But I try!
What’s next for you?
As my hours in ministry increase and direct patient care decreases, I find myself doing more community mental health awareness projects through collaborative partnerships with nonprofit and faith-based organizations. Additionally, I find myself creating resources to encourage and inspire others. An example of this is an anthology I recently organized and edited, God’s Compassion Towards Me. Five accomplished mental health professionals share how God’s compassion helped them navigate through life’s struggles and how God uses them to demonstrate His compassion towards others thus helping others navigate through life struggles. The purpose of this book is to break through barriers placed on receiving mental health treatment. Not only is it okay to receive mental health treatment, but it is okay to receive mental health treatment and be part of the church.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
Contact for Speaking and Training Requests.
Podcast
“Encouragement, Inspiration, & Practical Application based on Biblical Principles.”
Available on: Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify for Podcasters, Google Podcasts
