Lisa Pierce Johnson | One Resident’s Mission to Support Women in Need
On this week’s episode of Around Flower Mound, we speak with my friend, Dr. Lisa Pierce Johnson. Dr. Pierce is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in autism and mood disorders who has been serving children, adolescents, and adults in private practice in the Flower Mound area for over 24 years. She holds degrees from the University of Oklahoma and completed her residency and fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas.
Dr. Pierce is also one of the co-founders of She Supply, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing a woman’s most basic needs, and describes herself as being passionate about service. She and her husband, Ronnie, have two grown children: Jessica, who is an OSU graduate preparing to start medical school in 2021, and Adam, who is currently a sophomore.
We chat about how she began practicing in Flower Mound, as well as:
Her favorite things about the community
Her journey to co-founding She Supply and what she sees for the future of that organization
Her mission to provide necessities to disenfranchised women
Her keys to success
And more
Mentioned in this episode:
Transcript
Nicole Smith Woodard: Today, I am so excited to introduce you to an absolutely fantastic Flower Mound resident. As you know, Around Flower Mound is all about bringing light to community leaders, business owners, parents and charities within our fantastic community. We in Flower Mound are so blessed to have a neighbor and fellow resident who is a practicing psychiatrist, co-founder of a nonprofit and community servant. Welcome my friend, Dr. Lisa Pierce Johnson.
Lisa Pierce Johnson: I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for having me.
Nicole: Absolutely. Well, I am so grateful to have been introduced to Lisa as a fellow member of our Cross Timbers Rotary Club and I absolutely love serving alongside you because you always have a smile, a kind word to say and from what I can tell you always say yes.
Lisa: I do. I do.
Nicole: Exactly. Yeah, no, I love it. Lisa and her husband, Ronnie have two grown children, Jessica, who is an OU graduate and getting ready to start medical school in 2021 and Adam, who's a sophomore currently, as we're recording this. They've been residents of Flower Mound since 2000. And just a little bit more about her before we jump into the questions. So Dr. Pierce is a board-certified psychiatrist serving children, adolescents and adults in private practice in the Flower Mound area for over 24 years. She holds degrees from the University of Oklahoma and completed her residency and fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas.
Dr. Pierce specializes in autism and mood disorders and the essence of her practice is personalization. She describes herself as passionate about service, and most proud of being one of the co-founders of She Supply, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing a woman's most basic needs. So thank you so much for sharing some of your time with us today. We're so happy to have you.
Lisa: Yes, I'm excited to be here.
Nicole: All right, so first question I ask everybody on the podcast, what is your favorite thing about Flower Mound?
Lisa: I would say my favorite thing about Flower Mound is the people in the community, which is passionate about serving. I mean, it sort of follows who I am, you know, individually. But I would just say that people. I love living here.
Nicole: I hear that quite a lot and I agree completely. So let's first start by talking a little bit about your medical practice. So please tell us what you do and who you want to be a hero to.
Lisa: You know what I do, I'm a psychiatrist and I would say that my practice is primarily child and adolescent, but probably 30% adults as well. And I, who I really want to be a hero to are my children, specifically Adam and Jessica. I want them to be as passionate about whatever they want to do as I am, and hopefully, I model that. So, you know, my hope has always been that they can look to me and you said it, maybe as a model for who they eventually want to be and how they want to serve in their communities as well.
Nicole: That's wonderful. And you and I had talked a little bit before we started recording about your background. So how did you find yourself practicing psychiatry, serving this community here in Flower Mound?
How Lisa Wound Up Practicing in Flower Mound
Lisa: Well, practicing psychiatry was quite by accident. I went to medical school with the goal to become a pediatrician, and specifically a neonatologist. You know, helping those super preemies. But super preemies don't always live. And that was just more than I could manage. So I shamefully say that I chose psychiatry because the rotation I wanted to have the best vacation for Thanksgiving. But when I got there, I mean, I hate to say that, but it's true. But when I got there, I realized it was such a multidisciplinary field.
I mean, we worked with therapists at that time, I also work with child protective services and attorneys. And I just loved that it was a community of people trying to help one cause, you know, I was working with a group of pediatricians and all of this had one focus and one goal of trying to help children. And so I, at that time, kind of shifted my focus from pediatrics to pediatric psychiatry. And it was really the best choice for me. You know, they say in medical school, you go through all these rotations and you end up where you belong. And that could not be more true for me.
Nicole: I love that saying. That is, you know, and certainly to just apply that to life, we do end up where we belong, right? And it sounds like you and certainly your family have found Flower Mound to be where y'all belong. So love that. Well, let's switch gears a little bit. One of the things that I thought was quite interesting about how one of the things that you are most proud of obviously your family, your children and your husband, but also was being one of the co-founders of She Supply. So I know a little bit about the organization. I would like it if you would please tell our listeners kind of the story, A, what it does and B, how it came to be.
What is She Supply and What is Their Mission?
Lisa: Okay. Well, you know, She Supply is an organization specifically, you know, I would say our mission is to provide a sense of decency and cleanliness to women in need. And we specifically provide feminine hygiene products and bras and panties to kind of disenfranchise marginalized women in this community, but also in Dallas and Tarrant County.
It really came to be when our chair of our organization was on a mission trip and happened to see a podcast about period poverty. She came back from this mission trip and all of the five ladies who were originally part of the founding of this charity had kids going to college. So we met to have kind of a lunch about our kids who were about to be freshmen in college and decided that we wanted to do something other than just a one-time donation drive to help with this. And so that's really how She Supply began.
And over the last four or five years, we have, you know, delivered almost 350,000 products, we are in Tarrant, Denton, and Dallas County. We have just grown and had so much support, and it's such a needed service. I mean, these women and young girls that we serve often don't have access to feminine hygiene products to bras and panties. It's not covered by typically the services, you know, if you have WIC, because those particular products, specifically, tampons and pads are subject to a luxury tax. And so, therefore, are exempt from program programs like WIC and Lone Star. And they're just Yes, go ahead.
Nicole: You've done some work around that too, right?
Lisa: Yes, yes, we are really moving to speak with our legislators. I think when we first started She Supply, you know, in 2016, we, I think there were41 or 42 states that still taxed feminine hygiene products. Sadly, Texas is still one of those, but I think that number has decreased to about 36 or 35, something like that. But it's really a hard thing to push for because they're, you know, some $19 million is made from luxury tax. And it's hard to convince people that those monies, which are used for lots of good things, shouldn't be, you know, should not apply to feminine hygiene products.
Everybody uses them. I mean, and, you know, trying to get legislators to understand that there's a group of people that simply can't afford these products, I mean, because of the luxury tax, even when they had services provided by the government, it's just, it's a hard push. And people are always surprised. They're like, how is that a luxury tax? How is that, you know, taxed in the same way that cigarettes and alcohol and luxury cars and furs and diamonds? How does it fit into that category? It's a little mind-boggling.
Nicole: Absolutely. Well, I think that's where when the first times I heard you talk about that was I again, that kind of the things we take for granted, especially here in a community like Flower Mound, where you wouldn't even think about that, or you wouldn't even be able to think about not being able to go and get that and take care of those very basic needs. So I love that your organization is bringing awareness to that as well. So just some kind of mechanical questions I'm curious to know is like, what is the, where do y'all get the money that you use to buy these products?
Lisa: Well, initially, we just did donation drives. So if somebody was having a wine club or a book club, we'd say, Hey, why don't you tack on a donation party with that, a donation and packaging party? And so people would just donate. I mean, it's amazing how much people will donate or give money when they hear about this. And then over in the second year, we really kind of proceeded in the way that traditional nonprofits do in that we started applying for grants and had been very blessed in terms of receiving grants.
We also work with the Alliance for Period Products and period services and became part of an organization where we could get pads at substantially discounted prices. And so because of all those three things between the monies that we received from grants, the monies that are generously donated, and people still, you know, I still have people drop off boxes of tampons and pads on my front porch.
You know, we've been able to make this work. And we really, and we have focused on distributing through organizations that are already working with young women through Denton County Friends of the Family, through Salvation Army, to people who already have access to women who might be in need. And so we are able to provide them with the products and then they are able to distribute them to their clients.
Nicole: That's awesome. That was one of my, gonna be one of my questions is how, if somebody is listening to this who find themselves in that situation, so that would just be tapping into the services they may already be engaging with. Not necessarily coming directly to you or, okay. Perfect. And then, so what do y'all see, obviously, this is a new baby, right? A new creature, a new outlet for providing this level of service and care and awareness. What do y'all see, the co-founders, what do y'all see is the future of this organization?
The Future of She Supply
Lisa: You know, what we'd really like to do is end period poverty so that everybody has access to the products that they need. But, you know, I think that what we realize is that this is about educating people. This is about educating people, even when they donate to organizations like CCA. Thank you for your shoes and your clothes.
Wow, could you donate a couple of boxes of tampons too? Because they never have enough of those items in their food pantry. Being aware that schools are often not able to distribute things like tampons because of legal reasons, and that they only get a small supply. So school nurses are often spending their own money to purchase items for these girls.
Looking at things like, you know, in our community, you know, my daughter played volleyball, we have lots of kids who do lots of athletic things. But in some of the more disenfranchised communities, girls don't try out for sports because they don't have the right athletic gear, they don't have sports bras. And so you have girls who don't try out for basketball, who don't try out for volleyball, because they don't have the equipment, if you will, to provide it.
And one thing that really sort of annoyed me, but was shocking to me, you know, my son is an athlete and so quite a few of his friends have been able to play collegiate athletes. And there's this thing called the secret window or the special window in college athletics for men, where they can go and they can get, you know, they're Under Armour undergarments, they can get jockstraps, if you will, they can get shoes and all of that.
Those are not provided. Sports bras are not provided for female athletes. So I mean, I think education will help with some of the inequality in this. And just, you know, knowledge is power. When people are aware of something that's missing, especially in our community, they step up and help provide it.
Nicole: Absolutely. Well, which leads me to the next question. If somebody who is listening to this just has, really wants to learn more, wants to find a way to serve, to give to contribute, how do they find out more information about your organization?
Lisa: They can go to our website, shesupply.org. And it's just all one word. And there are opportunities for donation on the website. It tells you a bit of our history and what we're doing in the communities that we serve. It also gives you an opportunity to complete information if you would like to be part of our volunteer group.
Nicole: Awesome. Well, and I love this. Ever since I learned about what this organization does and provides, it's just been very inspirational to me. So I'm excited. I know that Cross Timbers Rotary certainly loves to support this as well, bring attention to it, which is wonderful. Well, gosh, that's just amazing the service that you bring, and I know that this isn't the only organization that you contribute your, as we call in rotary, our time, talents, and our treasures to. What are some of the other things that get your attention and get your service?
Lisa: Well, you know, because I'm a child psychiatrist, I certainly have a special place in my heart for children who have been victims of abuse, whether physical or sexual. It unfortunately becomes a part of my practice and a part of the lives of the adults and the children that I work with. And so I have been previously on the board for the Child Advocacy Center of Denton County and still contribute my time and my monies toward that organization. And I'm also part of CCA because I'm on the board of CCA because it's so, it fits in so nicely with what I'm doing with She Supply.
Nicole: Wonderful. Well, all those organizations, as you said, are so needed in our community and bring such value. So just getting to know you a little bit better, you've obviously had some real successes in your personal and professional life. So knowing what you know, and knowing who you are, what do you believe that makes some successful while others struggle?
A Genuinely Caring Approach
Lisa: You know, I came into psychiatry, and I run my practice the way I run it now, you know, as I said, it came into psychiatry quite by accident with the best vacation plan. But even in the way that I run my practice, you know, when I first finished residency and began to go out into private practice, I wasn't able to get on some of the insurance plans, which, you know, very much dictate how you run your practice.
And so, I quickly learned that I didn't like the model of working with a nurse practitioner or a PA and spending only four or five minutes with a patient. It was more important for me really to get to know a patient better. And part of that is my training started with a very psychoanalytic approach but I also had the blessing of being at UT Southwestern and learning so much about biology and medications. And so I decided that I would just blend those two disciplines, and my practice is really one of personalization.
I mean, you get me, you spend time with me and it's not a quick How are your meds, let me write the script as you finish talking, but it's what else is going on in your life? You know, what could be some other things that we might need to address that are not necessarily medication issues, you know? And that may mean speaking to teachers or a step-parent or, you know, when parents are not divorced speaking to the parent that is not present.
And so I guess I feel like people get me completely when they come into my office. I'm not trying to rush them out. We book the time that we think is appropriate, sometimes we have to go over. And the other thing is I'm pretty authentic. You know, I laugh and I say, my kids tell me that psychiatrists are weird. And so I try really hard to be whatever they determine normal is, and, you know, I probably practice much like I parent, I'm pretty authentic. You know, I really care about the kids that I see and their families.
I'm pretty transparent. I mean, now that I've lived in this community forever, I talk about my kids. Most people have figured out that my kids also live in this community and go to some of the schools they go to. And I don't feel like I have to keep that as much as secret as I did early on in practice, when you're sort of taught to keep everything close to the cuff and just, you know, say to people, oh, tell me more. You know, when my parents died, I was very tearful about that and I shared those experiences.
And I would say that if my patients come back because they get the real me, the authentic, you know, uncensored, real me who says, you know, this parenting gig is a hard one, there's not a book about how to do it. You know, you may figure it out for one kid and it'll be totally different for another. So I think that's what separates me or makes me a little bit different than how some other people practice.
Nicole: Absolutely. I love that. Well, so what do you do for fun? What's fun for you?
Lisa: Well, fun for me now is traveling. I used to play tennis until my knees decided to be traitorous. I really like to be outside. I love football. You know, I went to OU so how can you not like college football? But now traveling, playing golf a little bit. I'm terrible, but it's fun to be out there with my husband. And, you know, doing anything with my kids. I mean, we, I really love being with my kids. I missed when my son went off to college and we didn't get to go to watch him play sports. And so, you know, he'll be home this weekend, in fact. I'm pretty excited about that. So just traveling and being with my family is really important to me.
Nicole: I love that. Well, I understand you're a bit of a reader. So are there any books that you're currently reading that you would recommend to others?
Lisa: Yes. I read nonfiction. I read fiction when I am not reading journals. And so the book that I have just loved recently was called Sometimes I Lie. It is a fabulous, fabulous book and keeps you quite in suspense the whole time. And then I'm also reading Little Fires.
NicoleI love it well, right. Like I mean, I'm with you. I'm completely with you. I love that. Well, very good. Well, I just want to thank you so, so much for joining us today on the Around Flower Mound Podcast. So if somebody wants to connect with you, either for your medical practice or for She Supply, how best for them to find you online?
Lisa: You know, they could probably find me, probably not online. I am very intentional about not being online just because, I would say they could either call my office directly or they could email me at drpierce@lisapiercemd.com. And I actually, if they have questions about She supply, they can go to our website, or they can send me directly an email. Either way is fine.
Nicole: Excellent. I love it. Well, thank you again so much for being here on the podcast with us today.
Lisa: Thank you so much for having me.
