Self-Care in the New Year

December 17, 2024

Alyson Kuroski-Mazzei, DO, DFAPA, FASAM

CEO & Chief Medical Officer 

Last week, someone asked me about my self-care routine. I hesitated–yoga? It felt more like an aspiration than an answer. It reminded me of an article in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine titled “Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules to Recovery.” 

Rule #4: “Practice Self-Care.” It resonated because self-care isn’t just for those in recovery–it’s vital for everyone.

Self-Care vs Selfishness

Self-care can seem like a trendy buzzword, but as a physician, I know it’s rooted in science. So why is it so hard to prioritize? The article explains, “A missing piece of the puzzle for many clients is understanding the difference between selfishness and self-care. Selfishness is taking more than one needs. Self-care is taking as much as one needs.”

Prioritizing Self-Care in 2025

If we view self-care as essential–like sleep or nutrition–we might overcome the guilt holding us back. As we enter the new year, I challenge us all to prioritize self-care–not for indulgence, but to become our best selves.

About the Author 

After earning her bachelor of science degree from Benedictine University and medical degree from Midwestern University, Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei completed her general psychiatry residency training at Duke University and a forensic psychiatry residency at UNC-Chapel Hill. She maintains academic appointments with both the UNC School of Medicine and Novant Health. She is triple board certified in psychiatry, forensic psychiatry and addiction medicine.

In 2006, she founded the Forensic Psychiatry Program & Clinic at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill and served as its Director and Director of Training. She continues her national & international forensic psychiatry work through the UNC-Chapel Hill Psychiatry Department. Among other leadership positions, Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei has served as the Medical Director of Quality at Cone Health Behavioral Health Hospital, the Medical Director of Fellowship Hall, a specialty hospital for alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and the Medical Director of the San Diego Professional Group in Southern California.

Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei returned to North Carolina in 2016 to serve as the founding CEO and Chief Medical Officer for HopeWay, a non-profit mental health treatment center in Charlotte.  HopeWay’s mission is to make HOPE tangible by inspiring mental wellness for all.  Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei led the start-up of this organization and maintained its growth and focus on quality and safety from the beginning and throughout the pandemic.  She is a beloved leader, physician, mentor and advocate for her team of over 140 team members and the clients she serves. Under her executive leadership and top notch culture, the organization has thrived and grown to serve children, adolescents and adults who have psychiatric, medical and substance use disorders.  HopeWay shines as a national leader in excellence and evidence-based treatment for mental health illnesses, Veteran’s mental health, eating disorders and addiction treatment. 

In addition, she has held leadership positions for the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, North Carolina Psychiatric Association, Duke University Medical Center, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and Illinois State Osteopathic Medical Society. Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei’s medical and legal research has also been published in leading professional and academic books and peer-reviewed journals. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the North Carolina Psychiatric Association as Immediate Past President. She is also a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and a Medical Review Officer.

Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei is an expert in and enjoys working with women’s health issues, mood disorders including Bipolar Disorder, substance use disorders and complex psychopharmacology. With her background in forensic psychiatry, she is also an expert in completing suicide and violence risk assessments, medical malpractice reviews and evaluations for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Lastly, her main focus for her practice is to diagnose and treat all relevant psychiatric, medical and addiction issues to lead to lasting overall wellness and recovery.

Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei and her husband, Paul, have two sons and a Shih Tzu. She prides herself in being a strong mother, wife and physician executive who successfully balances her personal and professional life. Her passion for returning to North Carolina to lead HopeWay stems from personal family experience with mental health challenges that can, when treated effectively, lead one through recovery to complete personal and professional success.