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Caitlyn Ecock used to feel like just another cog in the machine.
Inside the cardiac procedures unit at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, the 28-year-old had grown accustomed to darting between patients, checking vitals, prepping them for surgery and keeping the department moving amid a constant flow of activity.
But somewhere in the middle of the chaos, something subtle was slipping away. She could see the pain on patients’ faces and hear the anxiety in their voices, yet slowing down long enough to be present with them often felt out of reach.
“These are real people with real stories,” Ecock told The Post. “I felt like I wasn’t able to connect with that in the past.”
That started to shift when she joined NYU Langone’s Lerner Holistic Integrative Health Nursing Fellowship, a nine-month professional development program helping nurses rethink what “care” looks like — blending clinical practice with evidence-based wellness tools that support both patients and providers alike.
For Ecock, it wasn’t just another credential. It’s reshaped the way she shows up on the floor.
“It’s only been six months, but my entire practice has definitely changed,” she said. “I’ve learned so many hands-on skills, like, I do guided imagery with my patients now.”
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The technique has providers encouraging patients to picture themselves in a vivid, immersive scene — like strolling on a beach or walking through a forest — drawing on all five senses to trigger the body’s natural relaxation response.
“A lot of times, people are just sitting there waiting, only thinking of their pain and distress, so if we can engage with them and distract them, it can provide some relief,” Ecock said.
“It helps me too. I leave that shift feeling better because I connected with someone,” she explained. “I sat down and looked someone in their eye and did these exercises with them and they got relief from it. And maybe they won’t need as much medicine.”
The approach may sound simple, but it can be surprisingly powerful.
Studies suggest that guided imagery before surgery can reduce preoperative anxiety. After their procedure, patients who do it have been shown to require less medication, with improved wound healing and faster discharge times.
The practice has also been linked to reduced pain and fatigue, improved quality of life in cancer patients and even lower rates of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.
Ecock has seen the impact firsthand.
“We had one patient who was complaining about back pain … so we led her through a guided imagery and she ended up falling asleep during it,” she said.
“The moment she closed her eyes and went ‘ahh,’ that, to me, was the best part of the day. To give that to someone is a different level than [giving] them 700 different types of antibiotics,” Ecock continued.
“Those are important too, but I feel like integrating both really takes your care to a different level.”
While powerful on its own, experts say meditation techniques like guided imagery become even more effective when paired with real-world sensory input from nature — like the sound of rustling leaves or the feeling of natural sunlight — which can help anchor visualizations and deepen relaxation.
It’s part of why NYU Langone has invested heavily in green space across its campuses.
“Green spaces are incredibly important when it comes to human connection and healing,” said Jocelyn Gan, an energy and sustainability specialist at NYU Langone Health, citing the benefits of being outside.
People at NYU Langone’s hospitals are encouraged to spend time in its outdoor areas, from terraces filled with greenery to rooftop gardens supported by tens of thousands of honeybees living across four hives at its facilities in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island.
Recently, nurses in Ecock’s fellowship visited the hive atop the health center’s Science Building, where they were taught how green spaces can benefit even patients who can’t physically get outside.
“We’re hoping to help nurses see the connection between the environment and how it actually influences health,” said Katrina Vigo, a senior nurse clinician and fellowship coordinator.
“When it comes to translating that to the bedside, we’re showing them how they can create healing spaces for their patients, so that it can really help promote their well-being.”
Sometimes, that’s as simple as turning a bed toward a window.
“We’ll say, ‘Let’s focus on the river that’s outside, or look at the beautiful weather and the sunshine,’ and we use those elements of nature to help create a shift in their mindset,” Vigo said.
It helps the nurses, too.
“My interactions with patients have become so much more positive, because my outlook has changed,” Ecock said. “I’m not just a cog in the machine, I’m really there to be their advocate. I want to deliver the kind of care I’d want my family to have.”
